New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-24
FOOL AND REVENCE.

That troublesome question about the revenue
remains. The Democrats do not get nd OF IL
bv shutting their eyes nor by asserting that
fargo increase of revenue would follow nduc-
ton of duties. This if true, means that I'M
norts would increase if duties Of 80 per cent
on vooilon goods yield 100000, the i'm
mort, must more than double in order to get an
increased revenue from duties OF less than 40
Ter cent. The goods now imported c"suh2
So. 900 900. are pckoned to represent at least
10000 900 pounds of wool in the raw state.
In order TO get Il larger revenue from duties OF
.ess than 10 per cent the imports must be gieat
enough TO supplant Ss6,OO0.OOO worth OF
goods and 3i0,OOO000 pounds of raw WOOL
which should be produced in this country Nor
is that all. The duties on raw wool now yield
SG.5OO.OOO TO avoid decrease OF revenue
the imports of goods must be increased enough
10 Weld S41lO0.00 which with duties aver
aging less than 40 per cent would require inc
importation Of goods costing in foreign ports AZ
least $40. OOO. 900. These goods would repre-
sent a CONSUMPTION Of 440, 100000 pounds Of
raw wool. or 27O, 900 600 pounds more than the
nresent imports represent. Neither growers nor
manufacturers will consent to such increased
competition. Because the Democrats dare no'
p,opose il. they are in trouble about the revenue.
Mr.. Springer imagines that consumption OF
woollcn goods in this country would greatly IN
crease il they were cheaper. But there Is no
evidence that the goods worn by the millions
would be cheaper Neither is there evidence
that a reduction in price on such articles OF con
SUMPTION would bring corresponding increase
/, the quantity consumed THE Louisville
Courier-Journal" reasons that consumption would
expand 90 per cent because removal OF all
duties on sugar has to that extent increased the
quantity used. But that is absurdly illogical
the price OF sugar has been reduced fully a.
third. while even on Frcc-Tradc theories re-
duc,ion Of duties on voollens from 30 to 40
pcr cent could at the utmost only lower the prico
from $50 10 40 which is much less than third
Nor dos consumption Of clothing change 50
readily Woocn clothing costs less than half
what it cost in this country years ago. but the
consumption per capita has not increased in any
such proportion In 1867 imports of goods were
valued M Si5.7i6.75O, or ~ . per capita; in
1891 imports were but Si3,235, 40, or only
GS cents per capita Meanwhile, the consump-
ton Of wool in manufacture here has risen from
1873. 900 pounds in 1867, or 90 pounds per
capi.a. to 49, 100000 pounds in 1891. or 6.s
pounds per capita. Reckoning both imported
and domestic goods, the consumption per capita
has increased scarcely any if at all, though the
nrice Of woolen goods has declined at least one
hall
The increased imports must be at the expense
of a reduced production by home industry. But
there is no evidence that the price Of goods to
consumers would be lowered. The American
goods are now kept low by competition between
home manufacturers; the imported goods arc Ne
duccd in price in order to sell At all. With
lower dutic, and destruction of the home manu-
features the foreign makers could charge what
they please, and they would also have to pay
more for wool than they do now, because the de-
mand 10 furnish goods for the American market
would be greater. II is therefore very qucs-
tionlbc indeed whether consumers would get
their goods cheaper by single cent But if q
reduction Of one-half In price under Protection
has not increased consumption materially, there
is neither logic nor sense in asserting that an
uncertain and at best n small decrease in price
would double the consumption The millions in
this country do not wear more suits of clothes
in wear because they can get them little
cheaper.
Thus the problem Of revenue remains Mr.
Springer must somehow contrive to raise
S6.5OO.OOO in place OF tho revenue on wool
which he proposes TO cut off, and $1,000, 900
In place of half the duties on woollens, which he
proposes to reduce. Whero will he get the
needed S24, 900 600? The duties as they stand
raise that sum without taxing American con-
sumers penny, while giving employment to
thousands of American workers whom Mr.. Spring
er would drive out of woolgrowing and wool
manufacture. In what way is he to put an ad-
ditional tax on these laborcrs, even while he
dcprives them of work and wages?