Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-16
untry. The principal item in this

country. lne pTInClpdt itcu III IuIs
list is sugar, upon which alone was
paid last year import duties to the
amount of $50, 975,6lO.
Unfriendly critics of the new law
attempt to belittle its benefits by
presenting the fact that the grade
of sugar admitted duty free under
it mo. IS Dutch standard) is a
quality of coarse brown sugar, not
generally available to consumers
until refined, leaving it to be under
stood that the refners are the ones
who will be mainly benefited. 1t
does not suit the purpose of such
critics to explain that the refners
hitherto having paid an import duty
of 2 cents per pound on this same
grade of sugar, and now saving
that 2 cents per pound, can, and 1t Is
fair to assume will, put the refined
article upon the market that much
cheaper. Further, the unfriendly
critics do not mention the fact that
this abhorred Mckinley law reduces
the duty on all grades of sugar
above No. 10 to one half of one cent
per pound, which under the old law,
and also under the democratic Mills
bill was subject to duty of from
p to 81 cents per pound. If the
tariff has any effect to encourage or
promote trusts and combinations,
(Which we d not admit) this sweep
ing reduction of the duty on the
finer grades of sugar, and the plac
ing of the lower grades on the free
list, certainly ought to operate I'M
favorably upon the sugar trust.
Of the articles upon which the
imports are increased, nearl y all are
agricultural products, in which the
intent plainly is to benefit the Amer
lean farming classes. The few
other articles on the increase list are
unimportant except in four classes,
to-wit: Liquors and tobacco, tin
plate, woods aud woolens. Of the
increase of tariffs on liquors and
tobacco none are hardy enough to
complain; but against the increase
on woods and woolens our demo-
cratic friends protest vehemently,
and hold up their hands in holy
horror at the great oppression laid
upon the people in these items. The
average increase in the duty on raw
wool as near y as we can estimate is
not over 8 cents per pound and the
increase percentage of duty on
articles manufactured from wool is
evidently intended to be in the
same ratio for the protection of the
manufacturer, who is supposed 10
have to pay a little higher for wool
on account oe the increase of the
duty on the material from which
his product is to be manufactured.
Surprising the increased duty on
wooden goods to be added to the
price the wearer of suit of clothes
has to pay, (Which past experience
does not warranty it would make
the suit of clothes cost the wearer
perhaps twenty-five to fifty cents
more, according to the weight and
quality of his suit. The duty on
tin plate is raised from one cent per
pound to two and one-tenth cents
per pound, after July LIST, 1891.
Assuming that this increase will be
added to the price of common tin.
ware to the consumer, it will make
difference of about one cent in
the cost of a four quart pail, and
might add three cents to the cost of
a dozen one quart fruit or vegetable
cans.
Accepting the theory that the
cost TO the consumer is enhanced or
lessened to the extent of the in
crease or decrease of the tariff, it
would be interesting to see how any
one can demonstrate that the Nc
kinley law is not calculated to
generally cheaper the commodities,
except agricultural products, and
therefore must operate more directly
in the int rest of agricultural classes