Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-10-22
One Year of "McKinleyism. -


The Mckinley law has been in in force
now for a full year and the people of
Ohio can pass intelligent judgment on it
in the light of experience this year in
stead of by hearsay, as was done by the
people of the whole country last fall. By
the most reckless Misrepresentation, the
Democrats succeeded in capturing the
House of Representatives last year, but
they will find the people are not to be
gulled twice in succession, and are only
to be satisfied with facts this year.
That is precisely the condition of the
public mind which is most favorable to
Republican success. 1t only requires that
people know the actual results of the
Mckinley law to approve it, for better
law was never placed on the statute
books of the nation. The outrageous
howl of the free trade press against the
measure on the ground that it advances
the duty on everything is as absurd as
the vehement declarations of Mills,
Campbell & Co. to the effect that the
Mckinley law has stifled foreign trade.
The truth is that no tariff bill in recent
years made reductions in duty on so
large a number of articles, or placed on
the free. list so large proportion of our
import. If any one will take the trouble
to count the articles in question he will
find that while increases were made
upon 115 articles, duties were reduced
on 100 articles, and 249 articles remain
unchanged.
This change represents in part the de-
crease in the amount of revenue raised
under the Mckinley law. The old
tariff law raised a revenue of 1892
per capita; the new law reduces
the amount to 2.59. Now, if, as
the free traders claim, the tariff is
tax, then the Mckinley law has lessen
ed that tax by 130 per cent; yet the
Bourbons, in their absurd rage against
the new law, lose sight of all consistency
and ali facts and howl incontinently
about it as having increased the burdens
of the people.
The facts in regard to prices are equal
II favorable to the new law. A dollar
never bought so many of the comforts
and necessaries of life as it does to-day.
The New York Press but recently print
ed detailed list of articles and prices
now and before the passage of the Nc
Kinley law. and it showed that 90 per
cent. of the articles in common use have
fallen in price within the year. The
american Economist, another safe and
reliable investigator, in a much broader
inquiry, proved conclusively that with
d single exception every one of list of
about sixty articles in general use is
cheaper now than a year ago. Thus is
it demonstrated that the higher duties
imposed on the lis articles have not
been followed by any marked increase
in the cost of living, while through the
whole list the average result is cheap
ening by several per cent. of the COM
forts and necessaries of life.
In respect to foreign trade, the facts
are equally satisfactory to the protec-
zionist and confusing to the free trader.
1t is common saying of Mills, Camp
bell & Co. calamity howlers and distress
mongers, that we must buy if we would
would sell, and they charge that protec-
ton has raised 'Chlnese wall" about
the country and swept our commerce
from the seas. Here are the facts:
For the year ending September l, our
imports increased $47,977,744 and our
exports $52.784,377, the balance of
trade in our favor being larger by
$5,000,000 than it was in the same peri
riod under the old tariff. In other words,
the gain in our foreign commerce during
this year of "McKinleyism'' has been
three times as rapid as the average. In
the light Of such facts, shown beyond
peradventure by the most careful and
reliable statistical publications, the vim
dication of the Mckinley law is COM
plete, and all the attempts of the free
trade howlers to overthrow it are certain
to end in confusion and defeat. The
people of Ohio cannot be hoodwinked |
this year. They are bound to know the
facts, and the facts prove the value and
benefeence of the MiKinley tariff.