Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-06-18
MONEY USED IN VAIN.
English Manufacturers Virtually Make a
Confession.

The efforts of British manufacturers to
defeat the bills in aid of American indus
tries introduced during the session of the
51st congress must have cost them dear, if
we can Judge by the following declaration
of the London Financial Times:
eff Mckinley law were passed every
year the great industry of politics as prac-
ticed at Washington would no doubt
prove more and more remunerative; but
while there may be no limit to the DOODLE
absorbing capacity OF members of the
legislature, there is point at which even
the American elector will draw the line. "
DOUBTLESS when English manufacturers
and fnanclers see not only the steady
transfer Of plush, Worsted and other mills
to this country, but the reciprocity treaties
which are being negotiated by the aid OF
the very legislation they spent so much
money to defeat, they forget the proviso in
the tinplate section of the Mckinley bill
which has given renewed hopes to the
Welsh makers and the defeat of the gen
eral shipping bounty bill, and regret their
heavy expenditures The three million
dollars extra profit, the boast OF having
taken out of us since Senator Spooner in
troduced his proviso that tin should be adj
mitted free if cur mills were not making
one-third the amount imported within six
years, must have recouped them for aoout
half Of their expenditures, and Represent
alive Cannon's defeat of the general ship
ping bounty bill is probably worth over. one
hundred million dollars to them.
It was apparently in forgetfulness OF
their gains and in extreme disgust at their
losses that the Financial Times wrote the
above quoted sentence preparatory to re-
questing its readers to ''glance at the eff.
forts the United States government is
making to GUST our manufacturers from
the South American markets. While a
want of perfect success in this effort of
our government is predicted, there is a
lack of the confident assertion which
marked the declarations Of our mugwump
contemporaries thai the Mckinley bill
would not give us reciprocity. And a
communication Of the Wolverhampto ton
chamber of commerce to Lord Salisbury is
quoted with consideration which points
out that the reduction of Is per cent. in
the duty on manufactures of iron and
steel will be a serious blow to many
members of the hollow-ware trade, some
almost dependent upon that (the Brazillan)
market"
Lord Salisbury, however, admits that he
is virtually powerless, as the only duty on
Brazilian products of any account which
can be taken off is that on coffee, and the
duty on coffee is one of those duties which,
like that ON tea and tobacco, come out of
the poor.
Under these circumstances, it is very
comforting to our friends ON the other side
to say: ALTHOUGH, however. an artificial
advantage has been given to the American
by the reduction of the Brazilian tariff in
his favor, he had disadvantages to face at
home which have been created by the
general fiscal policy of the United States. -
But about our only disadvantage is tn 2
fact that our means of transportation to
that country are in the hands of our trade
rivals.
1t may be said in conclusion that the
order for 20 compound locomotives for
Brazil just received by the Baldwin works
of Philadelphia is not a result of the re-
ciprocity treaty, for England has not been
in the locomotive trade with Brazil for
years.