New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-22
CHARGIYG PROSPERITY TO LUCK.

Free Traders are now getting ready 10 cDdis o
American prosperity to luck. They predicted
that the new tariff would cause dire disaster
They were certain it would PROSTATE industries
because it would make raw material so COST
II. They were certain it would suppress ex-
norris because foreign countries could not Duy
from Americans unless Americans bought IRON
them. They were certain that it would mako
all sorts of manufactured products more COSTLY
and thus increase the cost Of living beyond en-
durance. Not one Of these things has happened
Manufactured products are cheaper than ever
before. Some farm products are dearer because
of extraordinary foreign needs, but the aggre-
gate cost of living has not increased Inc
tariff has not diminished exports, as IHE lRiB-
UNE has shown, for prior to the failure OF crops
in Europe the exports of this country "ere
larger than ever before. 1t has not MADE wool
or other materials more costly for manulacV-
urers. but has stimulated new development OF
industries generally 1t has not caused dlsiS-
ter but since its passage this country has been
able without any disturbance to send aoroad
$4,000. 600 in gold in few months to re-
heve necessities arising in free-trade countries
Now the Free Traders begin to say that Nc
Kinley luck is wonderful Just when the he"
tariff was about to produce some OF inc pre-
dicted evils, they assert, come failure OF crops
in Europe which will give Americans eAtrdor-
binary prosperity in spite of the tariff ms
is an ingenious trick of special pleading but
II is fortunate for the interests of truth that the
now tariff was first tried for nine months when
crops in Europe we're not short, when nothing
here prevented the disasters predicted, and when
pmb1r-
rassed by short crops of wheat, corn and oats.
In spite of all these things, and In spite OF e1-
sraordnary financial disasters abroad which
were reelected here The prosperity OF the couh-
try under the new tariff was such that Its OPP
ponents are trying to explain why the predicted
disasters have not arrived.
II is not altogether lucky or merely fortn-
nate that this country has great crops OF almost
every staple just when foreign industries are
most depressed The expansion of production
at this time is not entirely matter OF luck
One principal object of the new tariff was to
afford better protection to agriculture. 1t con-
tanned new duties for the express purpose OF
enabling American farmers to secure the home
market more fully. At the same time II gave
them assurance OF expansion of manufactures
far greater home demand for their products
Early last fall as soon as the new tarih went
into effect, these results were perceived. Amerl-
can farmers, thus encouraged, increased their
production in every direction, and 80 rapidly
that they might have found reason to regret 1t
if unusual foreign demands had not arisen. The
encouragement of industry here was the leglti-
mate fruit of tariff intended for that purpose.
1t is indeed good luck, let it be thankfully
admitted. that this year the absolute and i'm
pudent fasity OF one Free-Trade theory will
be shown. The pretenoe that Europe cannot
Guy grain largely from this country unless this
country buys woollens, and tin plates, and cot
ton ties, and silk from Europe, will be tried
this year concuSively. The truth is that Eu-
rope does not buy for fun, but because it needs
food If much is needed Europe buys much.
The sales of Europe to this country have so
little to do with its purchases that even now
the same foreign journals which attribute a
great decrease in British exports to the new
tariff are also rejoicing that this country has
great abundance of wheat and corn to save the
populations of Europe from suffering AS for
payment, when foreigners can no longer spare
gold let them send back TO us some of their
titles to American property, or mortgages on
such property. If new tariff and big crop
mean that Americans shall own more Of Ameri
ca to the extent of 100000 900 in year
that kind of disaster can be endured.