Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-15
Triumph Of The Mckinley Tariff.

Most of the provisions Of the So
called Mckinley tariff law have now
been in force for year The principal
exceptions are the transfer of raw sugars
to the free list, in force April l, 1891,
and the increse of duty on tin plates, in
force July l, 1891. Short as has been the
life of this measure, and temporary as
its influence must necessarily have
been, it has already secured a niche in
the country's history vouchsafed to few
Congressional enactments.
Under mortgage to faction of politi-
cal theorists demanding as the price of
their support a removal of all protective
duties, or failing this, the nearest pos
sible approach thereto that could COM
mand the necessary votes for its passage,
the representatives of what some de-
| light to call "the party of the people"
yielded to the lash in the hand of King
Caucus, and voted solidly against every
provision of the bill-against free sugar
as well as against lowering the tariff on
steel rails, and every suggested provis-
ion for the effective collection of impost
duties.
Passed in the face of such opposition,
the law went into effect under an ava
lanche of invective and misrepresenta-
ton, calculated and designed to blind
public sentiment to the wisdom of its
| provisions, and to embarrass those Off
Gals charged with it's enforcement. Yet
within the short period of its existence
in face of all inpediments-the Law
has wrought out vindieation that once
! brings confusion to its opponents and
confirmation for the strongest predic-
tons of its supporters.
None of the necessaries of life affected
by tariff are higher now than one year
ago. More men can now find employ
ment at wages as high as were paid
then. No industry has been impaired,
unless it be that of the importer of for
eign goods; while a number of foreign
capitalists recognize the futility of fur
Their efforts at revenue reform" in the
direction of free foreign trade, are
moving their plants to this country,
when employees will be of our own peo-
pie, supplying all their varied wants
from the stores of this country, instead
of the one-tenth now sent abroad to
feed those who make foreign goods.
Under the fostering provisions of the
tin-plate clause though only three
months in etfect-that important indus
try has already made such progress
that invoices of homemade plates, in
which all labor and materials are Ameri-
can, are now on the market. And bet
ter still, prices have not been so appre-
ciably advanced as TO affect retail buy
ers. The good housewife now saves
more on her sugar bill in month than
will be added to her bill for tinWare in
year, and with a stated sum buys
more goods for the comfort and adorn-
ment Of home than at any previous date
in the worlds history.
This is the condition of affairs that has
so overwhelmed the theories of those
who all along have prated about the
"blighting influence of protective pol
icy" For the thousandth time, and
never more forcibly, has tariff framed
with the avowed object of fostering do
mestic industries, while providing rev.
enues for support of government,
worked It's vindieation by securing at