New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-14
WHAT TIE Tariff DOES FOR LABOR

In nine months under the new tariff the
value of dutiable and Of free imports compares
as follows with the returns for the same months
of the previous fiscal year under former duties {:
| 1S9O'91 1s99-'9O.
Total value dutable 1884 244,769 S3s0,I o0'oJ2
Total value free 2o5,062 800 2Qe,083'o'3
Now that the detailed reports for nine months
have been published, it is possible to determine
much more closely than before the character
of the decrease in dutiable imports, and of the
increase in free imports and the results place
| in strong light the usefulness of the new tarlif
! There must first be deducted from free imports
| the last year S45,501,724 for sugar in April,
May and June which was formerly dutiabe,
and there then remains 1858, 457 500 OF free
goods, against S2OS,9S3,S73 for the same
months of the previous year, an increase of
S44473,816, or about % per cent, in imports
of all other free goods. On the other hand in
comparing imports of dutiable goods, there must
be deducted from the statement for last year
SOS, 1876 1852, the value of sugar imported in
April, May and June, then dutiable but now
free, and there remains $3.50, 949,270 as the
value OF all other dutiabe goods, against
1884 PA 6S for the nine months under the
new tariff, showing a decrease of about Z per
cent.
A large part of the decrease in dutiable goods
appears in the manufactures Of wool, which
were smaller in value by S14,911,951, or 3S
per cent, than in the same months of the previ-
Gus year, notwithstanding an increase in car
pets and in wool ready made clothing. In
cloths the decrease was from 11,679,273 yards
to 7,114,761; in dress goods from S2,514,S21
to 51,724,057 in rags, shoddy and waste from
1854, SOB pounds to 572,7 in yarns from
2,601,112 pounds TO 707,390. and in knit
fabrics from II ,069, $50 to S344,402. In mis-
cellaneous wOolIens not specified the decrease
is from S4,697.Ss9 to S2,144,274. These
changes mean simply an addition of about
SIS. 900, 900 to the demand for American labor
in one branch of manufacture for nine months,
or at the rate of twenty millions q year.
In the iron and steel manufacture important
gains for American industry are seem There
which have increased from 100000 900 to
$40, OOO, 900 pounds as the new duty went into
effect at the end of the nine months, and the
remaining decrease in value of iron and steel
products imported is S3,sS351S, or more than
% per cent. In cutlery alone the decrease Is
S1266,325 or more than twO-hirdS; in hoop
and band iron, including cotton ties, the de-
crease is 1894. $50, or nearly 90 per cent and
in wire rods about % per cent. The changes
in this branch have added nearly 81, O00, 900
to the demand fer American labor IN nine
months The imports of manufactures of flax,
hemp and their substitutes also decreased in
value 81, 1865, or about 10 per cent.
Among the agricultural products the most
conspicuous changes are in barley, imports OF
which decreased from 11,013,402 bushels to
3,302, S5S. or nearly 10 per cont; in eggs, OF
which the imports decreased from about TO-
4O4.219 dozen to 1925, 300 dozen since OctO-
Der ;, or more than seyen-eighths in flax
seed of which the imports dropped from
I,Ss7 ,037 bushels to 1876, or more than
two-thirds: aud in tobacco for wrappers, in
which the decrease has been over 0. 900 900
pounds, and in value SS,23S,110. In these
four items alone the decrease in value of i'm
ports is about S14 ,257, 900.
When these few classes are deducted, with
their aggregate decrease of over S37, 900, 900
in imports, il appears that in all the remaining
imports there has been an increase of over
$40, 600, 600 II is the fact that most of the
other dutiable imports were either reduced or
not changed in duty or not 80 changed that any
important decrease has resulted. The great
industrial revolution which is in progress is
mainly due to the provisions above men,
toned and these have plainly added at least
$37, 900. 900 in nine months, or at the rate of |
more than $4,000, 900 year, to the demand |
for American labor And there is yet TO come |
the great change resulting from the duty on |
tin plates, which may by itself prove to affect |
the demand for labor to the extent of many |
millions