New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-25
pRoTrcTy0N IND FOREIGN TRADE.

Ii was said a few days ago that returns OF
foreign commerce for March, and for SIX months
under the operation of the Mckinley Tariff,
would 60 far to refute pretences OF Free Trad
ers. The official returns for March are now
printed, and they show that exports OF mer-
chandise during the six months ending with
March have been S51S ,591,77 against $780,
75S,5OS for the same months of the previous
year, an increase of S21 ,s33,262. Yet the eX-
ports last year were much the largest ever known
during the same period, except in the single
wear 1SSO-'S1, when the foreign demand for
breadstuffs was large beyond precedent. Dur
ing the last six months, on the contrary, the
shipments of breadstuifs have been considerably
smaller than in other recent years, partly be-
cause of the failure of crops and the scarcity OF
corn and oats and partly because spectators
forced up the price of wheat and held it for
months above the parity of Liverpool. But in
spite of short crops and ruinOus speculations the
exports of merchandise have been almost the
largest ever known for similar period. The
Free Traders constantly assert that high tariff
suppresses exports that if we do not buy from
other countries they will not buy from u.s. But
their theory, as usual, wears the aspect of false
hood when seen in the light of facts.
The official report of imports puts to rout an
other set of Free Trade falsehoods. 1t was as
serted before and after the Mckinley bill went
into operation. that it would stop imports, be-
cause it enormously enhanced the prices OF
everything the people consumed. The fact Is
that the value of imports for the six months end
ing with March, the entire period except SIX
DAYS of October under the operation OF the Nc
Kinley bill, was S403, 456, S12, against $751;
294,7s3 for the corresponding months OF the
previous year, an increase of $50, 49,, O39. But
the imports of the previous year had been much'
the largest known in any year Of the country's
history. Plainly such vast amount OF mer-
chandse could not have been brought hither
within a half year if the Free-Trade stories
about the bill had been true. The fact is that
the bill does not suppress imports, but permits
in the aggregate larger importations than have
ever been known in any previous year.
The truth about the Mckinley bill is that it
reduced more duties than it advanced 1t
placed on the free list many articles besides
| sugar, and so greatly reduced duties on many
others that imports of these have increased.
| These things were done in order to clear away
as far as possible the duties not needed for reve-
nue. and not useful for Protection. But at the
same time the duties on many other products
were advanced, in order to give more efficient
protection to home industry, and the importa-
tons of those products have generally declined.
| II Free-Trade stories had been true, if duties
had been generally raised. there must have been
a large decrease in the aggregate of imports.
But so greatly have the imports increased OF
articles placed on the free list or articles on
which duties were reduced, that there results
an increase of nearly per cent in the aggregate
volume of exports for the six months, nOtwith-
standing the considerable decrease in woollens
and other articles on which protection was made
more efficient.
AS the truth comes to be known about this
measure through the official records OF this and
other countries the people will learn how out
rageousy Democrats falsified about it, and how
completely its actual workings refute their the
cries. 1t would be strange if there should not
follow a resentment which the Democratic party
will find it hard to confront.