Arizona republican., 1891-05-20
THE TARIFF OF 1890.
ITS EFFECT so FAR ON OUR FOR , EloN COMMERCE.

EleN COMMERCE.
 The Increase of Our Manufactured Ex. ports-Our Imports Also Larger-The Free List Now About One-Half of All Imports.
 The new tariff was especially de- nounced by its opponents on the ground that it would injure our foreign con- merce It has now been in operation long enough to test this prediction by the actual results.
 As to exports of domestic merchandise, the report of the bureau of statistics shows they have increased, and for the seven months ending Jan. 3l, 1891, they amounted to $541 ,09l ,S03. This is $S6,- 4,S94 larger than the average of the same months for the previous five years, and about $S,000,000 larger than for the same months in 1890. For the two months ending Feb. 2S, 1891, our exports of merchandise amounted to $l57 ,224 ,206, and for the same months in 1890 they amounted to $145, ,6SS, ,974. It is evident that as to exports the effect of the new tariff has confounded the predictions of its opponents.
 It is interesting to note that among the articles exported there is q large in- crease of manufactured goods, which,
 
 should not be able to export in compe tition with other countries. During the seven months ending Jan. 3l the export of carriages, cars, etc., was twice as large as the average of the same period in the preceding five years, and amounted to s, 12S ,66S. The exports of chemicals, etc., amounted to $i,109,S00, which is about 20 per cent. larger than the aver age of the preceding five years. The ex- ports of iron and steel and manufactures of same were $l6,630, ,2S0, or about 50 per cent. greater than the average of the preceding five years. The exports of leather and manufactures of leather were $7,5G4, 366, which is 9 per cent. larger than the average of the preceding five years. Our exports of manufactured tobacco were $2, ,43S, ,1S1, or about 21 per cent. larger than for the preceding five wood we exported $15, ,372, ,526, or 20 per cent. more than for the preceding five years.
 In all these instances the period of seven months only is considered.
 If now we turn to our imports the re- suit will be no less disappointing to the false prophets of reform" For the seven months ending Jan. 31, 1891, the total merchandise imports amounted to $i74, 4,555, ,S47, which is $71 ,S65, ,475 larger than the average for the same months in the preceding five years, and about $33,- 100000 larger than in the same months of 1890.
 But as it may be alleged that the vol tune of imports was unduly large in an- ticipation of the operation of the new tariff, it is well to compare the two months, January and February, 1891, with the same months in 1890. The i'm ports this year in those two months amounted to SIPS, ,227 ,501. Last year for the same months they were $128, 1S1 1928. There seems to be no indication in these figures of any injury done to our aggregate foreign trade by the tariff of 1890.
 It is, however, to be noted that a marked change has taken place in the character of our imports. One of the important features of the Mckinley bill was the transfer to the free list of many articles heretofore on the dutiable list, thereby, it was claimed, increasing the aggregate of free goods from about 32 per cent. to nearly 50 per cent. of the totalimportations. This change is clearly marked in the statistics of the seven months ending Jan. 31, although the new law had been in operation only four months, and as to certain articles, sugar for example, had not begun to operate. For those seven months the proportion of free imports was 37t per cent. If sugar had been entered free the propor- ton would have increased to 45 per cent. In the corresponding seven months of 1890 it was B per cent.
 If we compare the months of January, 1891 and 1890, the effect of the new law is still more apparent:
 Jan. lS9l P. ct. Jan. 1890. P. ct Free imports. ST ,525,9jl A. sl9,TSS05 3l Dutiable i'm
 ports........ 3i,76O,752 8 43lA4,15 @ Totals zee. .s62, ,2S6,7 ,7B S6322a2
 The imports of sugar in the month of January, 1891, amounted to $3,397 1859, and are included among the dutiable im- ports. If these are added to the free im- ports, as they should be to show the effect of the new tariff when in full op- eration, it would increase the volume of free imports to $3O, ,923, ,s10, which is one half the total imports for the month.