Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-17
BENEFITS OF M'KINLEYISM
Shown in a Manner That Democratic
Orators Can't Refute.
FIGURES NOT EQUAL TO LYING.
The Value of Exports for Year Exceeds .
Billion Dollars
FOR THE FIRST TINE IN HISTORY
rrRon A STAFF CORRESPONDENT


WASHINGTON, July 16.-The commerce
of the United States with other nations
under the Mckinley tariff law is not likely
to be an object of attack by Democratic free
trade orators during the coming campaign.
Figures can be made to lie, but the figures
prepared bv the Bureau of Statistics OF the
Treasury Department have always been ac-
cepted by the disputants of both parties as
unquestionably accurate.
The data for comparative statements of
the foreign trade OF the United States dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 80, 1892,
have lust been finished as to totals by the
Treasury Department. / am able to give
these totals at least week in advance of
their official publication. / can emphasize,
however, the statement that these figures
are not estimated, but are absolutely veri-
fed, and are given us by the full authority
of the chief OF the Bureau of Statistics of the
Treasury Department. Unlike most figures,
these are eloquent. They afford a vindica-
tion Of the Mckinley tariff which will
undoubtedly cause some strong protection
speeches in Congress next week, which the
anti-protectionist railers against what they
call high taxes and the imbecility of the
American citizen to buy the products of
other nations will be unable to answer.
Figures to Knock Out Free Traders.
Here are the figures in which the free
traders will certainly find their Waterloo in
the Presidential campaign: For the first
time in the history OF the United States
the value of its exports is 81 ,030, 335, ,626
This shows an enormous increase over the
exports for the same period of last year of
S145, ,S45, SIG The imports exceeded the ex-
ports by the magnificent sum, representing
the balance of trade in our favor, of S202,-
944, 342
The total sum of our foreign trade, in
cluding imports and exports, reaches the
amazing figure, 81 S57, 726, 910; of the impor-
tations, the value of those free OF duty for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1892, was
S45S, ,001, ,145, while the value of the dutiable
articles was 1863 800, 1S9.
These figures speak for themselves, but
figures Of even more eloquence in favor of
high protection are the following: The per-
cenlage of value of imports free of duty
compared with those dutiabie for the last
fiscal wear was So s. 1t is only necessary
TO compare this with the same percentage
for previous years to show the beneficial
effect OF the Mckinley tariff.
The Imports Free From Duty
The percentage of imports free from duty
was in 1891 only 80. Is; in 1890, 81. 19, and in
1889, "a 81. This, of course, shows that
under what free traders called the enormous
taxes of the Mckinley tariff act the Amer
lean citizen, whether laborer or capitalist,
is now actually availing himself of larger
foreign market than ever before, while at
the same time the balance of trade is SO |
enormously in his favor as to reach the i'm |
pressive figure in a single year of 500, 944,-
3i2
But overwhelming as these figures will
be to the free traders, even more unanswer-
that the actual ad valorem percentage of
duties collected on the total imports into
the United States during the fiscal year Just !
closed was 20.65. Just compare this with !
the same percentage for 1891, which was |
2S 60, for 1890, which was 2& g. and for |
1889, which was 2a.69, and any intelligent |
student of figures can see that the ratio of |
taxation upon the average imported prod |
uct has, instead of being increased, been |
enormously reduced, alike to the poor and |
the rich citizen of the United States, under |
the Mckinley tariff |
Free Trade Arguments Useless.
The arguments of the free trade orators
who opposed the Mckinley bill in the last |
Congress, and whose misrepresentation |
largely caused the Democratic majority in |
the present House, will fall to the ground |
before this simple statement of fact, which |
cannot be questioned or assailed as to
accuracy, and which absolutely proves that |
the practical operation of the Mckinley |
tariff act has resulted in an unprecedented |
value of exports tor this country: an enor-
nous balance of trade in favor of the
United States; consequent appreciation of
the visible wealth of the country; the abso-
lutte proof that the imports free of duty ex-
ceed those dutiatle by a greater percen tage
than has appeared since the last Democ ratio
administration; and, finally, a convincing
refutation of the claim that the general
effect OF the Mckinley tariff would be to
raise the duties on imports to an uncon-
scionable degree. by the cold fact that the
average percentage of the ad volorem
duties on the total imports for each fiscal
year has decreased from 29.69 in 1889, to
20. 65 in 1892 /.