New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-21
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND THE MKINLEY LAW.

70 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: About a twelvcmonth ago the leading free-tade
evening Journal Of this city published letter from
sympathizing correspondent which deplored the fact
set forth with considerable force, that there such
a high duty on a certain instrument used for meas
urng the oornea Of the eye and called an ophtha-
mometcr The letter was very sarcastic at the en-
pense Of protectionists and the Mckinley bill Now it
has to pass In this year that those Of us
who believe that the whole 1t is better TO protect
the manufacturer Of scientific instruments so that
fnaly-and not at q very remote period ether-we
may have them made and repaired in this country
can score a against free-tradc friends in
this very matter Of ophtbamometers. Thanks to the
Mckinley bill, it has become profitable to make this
very instrument In this country, a thing that never
would have occurred had there not been so high a
tariff on the glass OF such an apparatus. See the
Mckinley alphabet published by" The Evening Post
for particulars. Oplhhalmometers made In
New York, / may say, quite well as they are In
Paris and they can now be sold here at very nearly
the same price for which they be bought in Paris
ultimately they will be low il not cheaper II the
ree-tradcrs had their way not cylindrical glass for
specaces, not important optical instrument, would
be made in this country. But IL We can have the
benefit of the protective restriction for long enough
period we shall be able TO make everything Of this
character I'm our own city Of New-Yorl at the same
price at once and In time perhaps at lower price
than they now made in Paris.
II has been more than intimated by another SYM
pathzing correspondent of this freetrde Journal
that most OF the members Of certain committee of
certain Republican club In New-Yorl could know
nothing about such economical matters free trade
and protection. AS a member Of that committee
venture to say that know enough OF this question
to appreciate the quality and cheapness Of American
glass both for domestic and scientific purposes and
that 1t is manufactured here, thanks to the protection
OF that particular American industry, ard that am
also aware OF the benefit to the people at large OF
being able to have important scientific Instruments
made ut our doors, and, what Is quite rs important, to
have them repaired hero by competent workmen, who
would never come to this country and would never
be educated In unless 1t were for the protection
OF tariff Laws. We now make In this country, as
Informed by leading cptlcan, a class OF
Industry was projected know that this one In
stance OF the Opfthalmomeer and OF the cylindrical
glasses is a small matter comparatively but since II
thought worthy OF long letter and an editorial
comment In OF your contemporaries, venture To
ask YOU TO print the other side. Besides this isolated
facts may Illustrate great principles.
The logical and ultimate ending Of frecade legls
lation would make scientists utterly dependent upon
the skilled workmen OF English, French and German
manufactures. We should have none OF them here.
A little patience with what may be here and there
burden for a limited period will soon make US in
dependent OF Europe to scientific instruments. \
free trade policy on the other hand, Just popu.
lar in Beaoon-st and Harvard University, will convert
into dependent provinces OF Europe.
d. b. ST. JOHN ROOSA
Nev-York Dec 10 1901,