Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-23
One Prominent Prediction Of tbs
Free Traders Quickly Comes
to NaughG.
Exports of Domestic Merchandise
Actually on the Increase Of
Late.
Prophets of Reform Placed in a
Bad Light by Fresh
Facts.

by Its opponents on Inc ground tnat IL
would injure our foreign commerce. 1t
has now been in operation long enough to
test this prediction by the actual results.
As to exports of domestic merchandise
the report or the bureau of statistics shows
that they have increased, and for the seven
months ending January 81, 1891, they
amounted to S541 ,091. 803. This is 1885,,
294, 1874 larger than the average of the
same months for the previous five years,
and about $4,000 larger than for the
same months in 1890. For the two
months ending February 2S, 1891, our eX-
ports Of merchandise amounted to $685.
pa, 206, and for the same months IN 1890
they amounted to S145, $50, 9o4. 1t is evl-
dent that as to exports the effect OF the
new tariff has COMPOUNDED the predictions
Of its opponents.
It is interesting to note that among the
articles exported there Is large increase
in manufactured goods, which, according
to free trade theories, we should not be
able to export In competition with other
countries. During the seven months
ending January 81 the export of carriages,
cars. ETC.. was twice as large as the aver
AGE of the same period In the preceding
five years, and amounted to s., 128, sos.
The exports on chemicals, ETC., amounted
to 81, 100, 300, which is about 20 per cent.
larger than the average of the preceding
five years. The export Of iron and steel
and manufactures of same we're S26, $780,
280 or about 80 per cent. greater than the
average of the preceding FIVE years. The
exports of leather and the manufactures
of leather were 81 ,564, 1865, which is 25 per
cent. larger than the average of the pre-
ceding five years Our exports of manu-
featured tobacco were 50, 438, 181, or about
81 per cent. larger than for the preced-
ing Fl re years. Of wood and manufactures
of wood we exported SIS, 373, 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 January 81, 1891, the to-
tai merchandise imports amounted to
s474, 555, SAT, which is ST. 1865, ATS larger
than the average for the same months in
the preceding five years, and about $685.
OO0, 900 larger than in Ike same months of
1890.
But as it may be alleged that the volume
of imports was unduly large In anticipa-
ton of the operation of the new tariff, it
is we'll to compare the the two months, Jan
uary and February, 1891, with the same
months in 1890. The imports this year
for the same months they were 1926, 49,,
923.
There seems to be no indication in these
of any injury done to our aggregate for
eign trade by the tariff Of 1890
It is however, to be noted that a marked
change has taken place in the character of
imports One of the prominent features
of the Mckinley bill was the transfer to the
free list of many articles heretofore on the
dutiable list, thereby, it was claimed, in
creasing the aggregate of free goods from
about 80 per cent to nearly so per cent. of
the total importations. This change is
clearly marked in the statistics of the
seven months ending January 81, 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 pro-
portion of free imports was 3715 per cent.
If sugar had been entered free, the proper
ton would have increased to Is per cent.
In the corresponding seven months Of
1890. it was 80 per cent.
If we compare the months Of January,
1891 and 1890, the effect Of the new law is
still more apparent.
January, 1891 January, 1890.
Free imports. 80. $27,5 ,951-44 S19,77S8g 5-3l
- or+S A &c