New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-08
THE NEV TARIFF VINDICATED.

The opponents of the Mckinley Tariff begin
to admit the valuable results that it secures.
This is in accord with the expectations of its
trainers and advocates, who calmly met the
fierce storm of denunciations which aSsaied the
bill with the confident prediction that its prac-
tical workings would soon convince men OF Its
wisdom. Among the most Jealous opponents
of the measure was 1.-THE American Wool he
porter" which labored persistently for free WOOL
and editonally states its past position thus 4:
aThe Reporter opposed the bill continuously and
unreservedly, believing that greater permanent au-
vanages would be secured to tho wooen industry oy
lower duties upon wool than by higher duties upon
goods.
"The Reporter thereupon combats the as
sertion that the new tariff has induced larger
use OF shoddy, and points out that the market
for shoddy has been {" dull in January, slow in
February and only fair in March," While the
greatly increased demand for wool is proved by
the fact that the sales for the first three months
of the year in the three seaboard markets show
an increase of 100000 pounds OF wool as
compared with the same period of 1890" Then
1.-The Reporter" an unreserved opponent OF the
new tariff it must be remembered, editorlally
says:
The Mckinley bill las been in operation but few
months and the market is handicapped by stocks OF
goods brought In under the old duty. What are the
tendencies of the Mckinley bill that alleged to lead
10 An increased use Of shoddy Certainly the para
mount effect of the bill is to diversity the production
of tho mills and TO encourage makers to improve their
product Under the old tariff the domestic manufact
urers were restricted to fewer fabrics, and being
crowded within small compass the natural tendency
was TO depress prices and the use of substitutes was
stimulated.
These admissions 60 to the very root Of the
matter, and strongly confirm the claim made by
advocates of the new tariff, that it would broad
en- the field for American industry, stimulate
it to new Improvements in the quality of goods,
and enable the people to become more inde-
pendent of foreign supplies. Even stronger evil
dence is afforded in the news columns OF the
same paper, which, treating of the woollen goods
market, reports as follows
One should not lose sight Of the fact that the Nc
Kinley bill is also to play prominent part In the
seasons business. Were there no improvement in
fabrics the domestic maker would be the galner be-
cause of the increased demand which viii result directly
from the change In the tariff. The extent Of the
benefits TO acrue from this cannot be anticipated
estimated
The demand which has been supplied the past years
from foreign sources must draw It's supply from
domestic sources Inc advent OF new
the establishment Of old mills, the enlargement Of
Others the location this side Of foreign makers, at
tests the expected benefits TO be derived from the Me-
Knley BILL and great portion Of these expected bene-
fits are certain Of realization.
The force OF these admissions will be appre-
ciated, not merely by men engaged in the wool
len goods trade or in the manufacture of wool
lens, but by all intelligent persons who care to
see the demand for American labor enlarged and
the country enriched by greater industrial in
dependence. If it is true, as an opponent of the
bill admits, that new mills are established and
others enlarged, and foreign mills transferred
to this country, it needs no further testimony
to prove that the demand for American labor
in this department of industry must be greatly
increased. II there were many unemployed
year or two ago who had been accustomed to
draw their support from the woollen industry IL
is plain enough that the new tariff has not only