New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-21
MILLS'S WILD ASSERTIONS.
SOME PREPOSTERoUS STATEMENTS ABOUT
THE NEW TARIFF.
THEIR ABsURDITY AND DXTRAvAGANcE EXPOSED
STARTLING CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PRE-
VAIL IF THEY WEIRD TRUE.

STARTLING CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PRE-
VAIL IF THEY WEIRD TRUE.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBuNE.r
Washington oct. 2o.-"I understand that Mills is
going TO Massachusetts and New-York to make cam
paign speeches and / wonder II he will repeat there
some OF the absurd statements that he made in Omo
said a Buckeye Democrat the other day.
"What statements, for examplo7o asked Tribune
correspondent
oh, about the effect of the protective tariff upon
consumers prices OF commodities and so on. AS you
know am not tariff reform Democrat-at least not II
Mills is one-athough am not so strong Protection
ist as Mckinley. Mills is political monomanlac' ne
asserts and actually to believe that n pro
tect,ve tariff Is the sum OF all villanies and some OF
his assertions in Ohio were Wild extavagant and
absurd that 1t is almost impossible TO believe thai
any sane man would have made them. In one Speech
understand he declared that the Mckinley tariff has
cost the people of the United States 900 day
for every day since it became law in other speeches
he went even further and asserted that protection costs
$40 a month or $3.50 year for every man, woman
and child In the United States. You can figure out
the totals for yourself and how preposterous MS
assertions were. l wonder il he thought that any
Intelligent man in Ohio was a big enough fool to
believe him. l suppose he must have thought so or
he would not have made the statements"
II Colonel Mills had not made similar assertions
u
place In the House OF Representatives, It would indeed
be impossible to believe that he rash enough TO
mako the statements attributed to him by the Ohio
Democrat and by several Ohio newspapers within the
last three weeks.
II the Mckinley tariff has cost the people Of the
United States S12 900 day in the last year. the
total amounts to s4,3s0,OOO,0oo. The magnitude OF
this sum may be family appreciated when one con-
sders that 1t more than three times large as the
NJ fha
OF all the States Territories and counties In the United
states moro than four times great as the total
gross earnings Of ell the railroads Ia the United states
last year than forty times as great as the total
value of all the gold and silver mined In the United
States in $780, and than the aggregate receipts
from customs from the foundation Of the Government
down to the year 1873. But even that sum was too
modest to satisfy Mis's exuberant Imagination, and
So 1t appears he revised il. He declared that pro
lection costs S4s0 a year for every man, woman and
childn In the United States. Assuming the pOpula-
ton TO be ga OOO-Ms declares that it is million
or two morethe total yearly cost Of protection, az
cordng to Mils's figures, Is no less than 49,
100 100000 1t would be money enough TO girdle
the earth with twelve railroads II every mile cost
500 ooO 1t would pay the National debts of all the
countries Of the world including the State and county
debts Of the United States, and there would still be
left balance exceeding the aggregate receipts from
customs duties in the United States from 100 to 1880
II the cost of protection to each man. woman and
child is $3.50 year. the cost. say to day laborer
who has wife and two children. is exactly 81 .920
year. addition TO which he is Obliged to for food
clothing fuel. house rent ETC.. few dollars more.
The duties collected imported goods under the Mo
Klnley tariff amount to about 81 60 year for each
man. woman aud child. Now say that the amount is
$3 per capita and admit that the paws all OF
it-which he does not-and have $40 which
goes into the National Treasury for the support of
the from the pockets of the dav labOrer
mechanic and his little family the remainder OF the
81 900 a year, 81 ,00S. OF course into the
pockets of the manufacturers who from only 900 900
families of consumers thus receive annually the snug
sum Of 81 9Os 900 600 while the Government receives
only $4,000, 900.
Again, tho average rate OF duty on all dutable
articles imported Into the United states is As per
cent. II the consumer, therefore, uses only articles
which, II imported. pay q duty, he must buy for him
self and his family, four parsons In all. articles costing
no less than 1926 SO each year. In order that the
Government may get It's $12 and THE manufacturers
receive their 81 ,00o OF " blood money"
This is dreadful condition Of affairs, and yet NJ
the same time 1t is wonderful wonderful indeed that
a man who, according to Mills Flower, Cleveland &
Co., at most 1900 year afford to spend
"a, 266 SO for the barcst neccssares Of nfe" for
the support Of himself, wife and two children; and
more wonderful still that the day laborer who does
not earn much as the skilled mechanic is able to
pay 81 ,O66 year for his own support II he be alone
In the world, or $1,000 year If four other persons
are dependent upon him for support OF course.
every body also buys and consumes many articles
which are subject to duty. even II lmported--55
per cent Of all articles imported free of dutyand
therefore the mechanic the day abOrer, every body in
fact pays much more than the al 066 which he IS
required 10 expcnd in order to satisfy the demands OF
the Government aud the tariff robbers"
If Colonel Mills has been telling the truth It costs
every man, woman and child In The United States at
least 81 200 year to live which for family Of five
persons amounts 10 S6,O00-all account Of the
" odous protective tariff" The only grain OF comfort
in The situation Is that people able to do it, and
actually TO save money at the same time. Truly this
Is great country and truth continues be stranger
than fiction.