Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-26
OUR IMPORTS INCREASING.
Statistics Show The New Tariff
Bill Has Actually Stimulated
Foreign Trade.
The Imports For 1890 Being Over
seoo,ooo,ooo, and for 1880
35O,OOO,OOO Less.
Time Coming When We Shall Ex-
port Only Manufactures and I'M
port Only Crude Products.

port Only Crude Products.
It is too soon to determine the effects
of the tariff Of 1899 upon all the indus
tries of the country by the results already
accomplished. The bill went into opera
ton on October 6, after the business of the
year 1890 had closed so far as related to
organization, production and wholesale
distribution. If any advantageous effect
upon the industries might possibly have
been produced, the dlscouraging infu-
ences of the elections in November would
have gone far to neutralize or destroy it.
But it is now time for the new law to
begin to manifest its benefits, If the en-
largement of the field of industry, and by
increased activity Of production. The
coming season will test the law, and prove
or disprove the claims of those who adyo-
Gated it. We have no doubt of the result,
and that the friends Of the tariff of 1890
will find their justification iD the course
of events Already indications of I'M
provement are apparent IN the increase of
our production of the finest kinds Of
eral factories to make tin plate; the organ
A1elbLCll VI a. i1liJIl ILIII III ZIG hui
and many more new enterprises.
The benefits of the bill for agriculture
have been recently affirmed by extensive
inquiries among the farmers of the north
ern and eastern states, as stated in
another part Of this paper
Other indications may be found in the
reports OF the statistical bureau showing
imports and exports under the new tariff
I 4 4 4
preceding years.
One of the loudest cries of the adver-
saries of the bill was that it would destroy
our foreign commerce. It was alleged
that our imports would decline. and there
upon, according to free-trade philosophy,
our exports would inevitably fall off.
Sufficient time has elapsed to prove that
the effect of the new tariff on foreign COM
mtrce will not crafty its enemies. 1t is
evident that neither imports nor exports
will deminish, but, on the contrary, they
will be enlarged under the influence Of the
tariff of 1890.
The December report of the bureau
shows the imports for the month TO be the
largest in our history, although the excess
oyer the imports Of Dece nber, 1888
amounted to less than 5000, 900. But, in
view of the unusual quantity of goods i'm
ported during the summer and early fall
of 1890, in anticipation Of the Mckinley
BILL 1t Is surprising that the volume Of I'M
ports in the latter months of the ye2r
should have been so we'll maintained. The
stimulation given to imports by the pro-
posed new tariff is manifest if we COM
pare the imports Of 1890 with those of
1889. During the six months ending
December 81, 1890 the imports amounted
to $4l2, l9l $50. During the correspond
ing period of 1889 they were 1878, 1872 857.
For the year 1890 the imports were 1928
318.7S2. and for 1889, $40, 522, 665.
The new tariff bill, it must be conceded
has disappointed its opponents as re ards
its effect upon imports. We are confident
and that with the growing prosperity of
the country our imports will steadily in
crease. This Is in harmony with the pro-
tective doctrine, and with experience.
These imports will be limited more than
hitherto to such things as this conntry
does not produce. Our own industries
will be developed and widened. The
larger exports of our manufactures will
force return in such things as we want.
The increasing wealth of the nation will
demand a greater supply of iuxuries, the
product Of foreign chimes or foreign skill,
which our own land does not yield or our
own workmen have net yet learned to
fabricate.
If the imports fail to show injurious
effects from the Mckinley bill, our exports
give equally decisive evidence. Those of
the month of December were the highest
for any one month in our history, amount
ing to S98, 439, $50, exceeding by nearly
81 .500,0 600 the exports of December, 1889.
For the six months ending December 81 D.,
1890, the total exports fell about 5000, 900
behind those for the same period in 1889.
but for the whole year 1890 the exports
exceeded those of 1889 by more than $50
$1,000, and reach the enormous sum of
1857 ,623, 679. 1t is gratifying to observe
IN this connection, and to confirm our
predictions of the increase of manu-
featured exports under the new tariff,
that the proportion of miscellaneous
exports, including manufactures, was
greater IN December, 1890, than in De
cembeT, 1889, while the proportion of
crude materials exported was less.
This country has already reached the
point where nearly one-half Tor excluding
cotton, quite one-half) of its exports are
manufactures. From this time on it may
be safely anticipated that the proportion
Of our exports of crude products will steadi-
~ diminish until we shall be known to
the world as an exporter of manufactures,
and as an importer of crude products The
markets of the world will then contribute
to our wealth and give employment TO our
industries. as 10. generations they have
done for England But we shall haze
reached this condition by policy diamet-
ricaily opposed to that which England has
pursued Thanks to the American pro-
tective system, the American farmer will
not have been sacrificed nor the American
workmen degraded for the benefit of either
the banker, the importer or the manu-
facturer. The wages and profits OF
the farmer and the workman will be
maintained or advanced, and the products
of the farm and factory will find their way
into the markets of the world. cheapened
by the combination of skill and intelligence
which is possible only among people
who have repeated the benefits of protec-
ton IN wages, education and social adj
yancenent.