New-York tribune., 1891-09-25
MP MILLS R1NTING,

Among the lunatic-l like sayings OF Mr.. Mills
of Texas, in his frantically feeble speech al
Mansfield. Ohio the most extraordinary was his
assertion about the effect of the Protective Tar
if. He began by confessing that he, Mr.. Cleve-
land and MANY other Democrats had been
wrong in claiming that the amount of duty was
always added to the price OF domestic as wen
as imported articles, for he admitted that while
some articles Of domestic production were rem
dered more costly to the full extent of the duty
on similar imported articles, as he claims, others
were not But he reclxoned that all manufact-
ured products taken together were enhanced ID
cost at least half the rate of duties on imported
articles This admission needs to be noticed as
piece of unusual folly. 1t would have cost
him no moro wear and tear of conscience to
have said that the prices of all articles of home
production were enhanced in price to the full
amount of the duty, and the people who are
capable of believing one statement would have
been quite stupid enough to believe the other
The upshot of the matter came in MIR. MISS
solemn assertion that prices of domestic manu-
featured products, he was certain, were in
creased in cost by reason of the tariff as much as
81 500. 600, 900. As no other Free Trader OF
distinction has ventured to make more absurd
statement, this from the most prominent can
didate of his party for the highest office it now
has power to fill the Speakership OF the House.
deserves some attention.
The value of all products of manufactures in
1890 was $500, $40, ,191, but the cost OF the
raw materials was 1896, ,S29, $40, 80 that the
entire addition to the cost of the materials IN
the processes of manufacture, including all the
profits of employers and all the wages OF the
hands, was less than $4,000, 100000. Mr..
Mills would have people believe that three
quarters of this entire addition was unnecessary
and due to the tariff. A sum fully one-hall
greater than all the profits of manufacture one
half greater than all the wages of labor, he sup
poses t1 have been added to the prices OF Prod
ucts by means of the extortion which the pro-
tective duties involve.
Readers are we'll aware, whether Mr.. Mills Is
or not, that products which this country exports
to all the world and which are cheaper here
than in other countries, are not enhanced IN
cost here by the tariff Bread, -four and meats,
for instance have their prices fixed by home
competition entirely, except within very lin
tied range along the Canadian border and the
same is true of boards and leather, which are
largely exported. 1t is simply question OF
fact, about these and many similar products, and
every man knows that prices here are 50 much
lower than in other countries that the duties
have no general effect whatever. But very
few such articles make mp more than third
of the cost Of all products of manufacture. Then
there are many other branches of manufacture,
such as newspaper printing, carpentering paper
hanging, painting and the like, of which the
products can in no way compete with any Of
foreign origin. and it is simply absurd to assert
that these are rendered more costly by the
tariff, excepting as it establishes higher range
of wages for labor generally. But these other
branches cover another third of the entire pro-
duction
The enhancement Of wages through protective
duties is not denied though it is to great eX-
tent balanced by the higher efficiency of labor
when protected But the entire amount paid in
manufacturing wages to labor was less than
81 900, 100000 in 1880, and if every worker
had his wages doubled by Protection, which no
Free Trader will admit, the difference would
even then be less than $500, 100000. The
truth is that Mr. Mills has been making a ran
dom and reckless assertion, which is disgrace
full to a man of his reputation,