The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-11-28
q CHINESE WALL.

oNoSA -
protective tariff is that it destroys for
eign trade. When the Mckinley bill
was first passed free-trade papers de-
clared that the Republicans had erected
a Chinese wall around the United States,
the effect of which would be to greatly
trade.
Well, the Chinese wall has been up
more than a year, and what's the RESULT
So far from injuring our foreign trade,
that trade, during the year ending Oct.
81, was larger than in any previous year
in our history. To emphasize this fact,
let it be understood that while the
Mckinley law went into effect Oct. G.,
1890, the volume of our foreign trade
during the year ending Oct. 81, 1891, was
larger than in any previous year III our
history and the balance of trade in our
favor greater. A report just issued by
the Bureau of Statistics at Washington
shows that our exports during the month
of October, 1891. exceeded those of Octo-
Der, 1890, by 1864. $50; the exports for
the four months ending Oct. 81, 1891, ex-
ceeded those of the corresponding four
months of last year by $43,4S5. 455. and
the exports of the entire year ending Oct.
81, 1891, exceeded those of last year by
$87, $50, $40.
So much for exports. The Chinese
wall did not prevent them from increas-
ing: but how about imports7 The re-
port shows that while imports fell off
for q few months after the Chinese wall
was erected they soon rallied, and the
total imports for the year were $780,
235 greater than during last year. Thus,
while our exports for the year showed
an increase of S67, $50, $40, our imports
increased only 1851, 235, leaving the
balance of trade largely in our favor.
The aggregate imports and exports for
the year ending Oct. 81, 1891, that is to
say, our total foreign trade, amounted
to 81, TAG, 92S,415, which was an increase
of Sos, 800, $50 Over the previous year,
and the largest of any year in our his
tory.
But the most remarkable showing of
this report is in the effect the Chinese
wall has had on the importation of
dutiable and free goods. 1t shows that
during the twelve months ended Oct. 81,
1890, the excess of dutiable over free
imports amounted to S259. 456, 4s9; during
the twelve months ended Oct. 81, 1891,
the excess amounted to only 81, 030, $40,
,nd -, Tho oua ,,nrthc fron, To,xh
81 to Oct. 81, 1891, the excess of free
owe dutiable imports amounted to $751;
1G3, 763. In the corresponding period
of 1890 the excess of dutiable over
free imports amounted to S163, 944, 1858.
1t thus appears that since the erection of
the Chinese wall, otherwise termed
"the infamous Mckinley BILL" the rela-
tive amount of duty paying goods i'm
ported has greatly decreased, while the
relative importations of free goods have
increased in the same proportion. In
other words, the amount of duties paid
since the Chinese wall was erected has
been far less than before its erection. If
the tariff is a tax the people are largely
the gamers by the erection of the wall.
Its effect seems to be TO let out whatever
we want to go out, to let in only what
we want to let in, to increase our aggre-
gate trade and the balance in our favor,
to decrease the amount of duties paid,
to maintain wages and protect the Amer
lean market. Such q wall is O valuable
Improvement.