New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-13
NE. SPRINGERS TEST Question:

II.
Mr.. Springer begins tariff agitation at once.
l. is gratifying that he begins, just as he ought,
with wool and wOollens, proposing to take OIL
al a blow all the duties on wool and all the com
pcnsatoIy duties on wcollen goods. 1t is essen
lial to note that, in perfect harmony with the
dishonest importers who have detauded the
Government - long by invoicing fully secured
and partly manufactured wool as waste" MI
Springer would take off all the duties OF every
kind from waste, nos, tops, or other plepaia-
tons of wool intended to evade the duty on par
tally manufactured products. The duties he
would leave on wcollen goods, moreover, would
be exclusively those ad valorem duties which it
is most easy to evade by false swearing, and
which give such delightful opportunities for
cheating the Government or the home manu-
factulerS In taking off the specific duties Mr..
Springer is aware that he would remove a great
part Of the actual protection by which the man
ufactmc in this country is defended against de-
structiOn
If there is to be tariff reform" by bits and
snatches this is the best place to begin. There
are more people who really suppose that wool
and woollens duties hunt them than have that
notion about any other feature Of the tariff.
There are some manufacturers who have been
clamoling for free wool, believing that in their
especial branches of the manufacture they could
get on better with unrestricted access to outside
wool markets, and they could somehow escape
removal of protective duties on their products.
The Frec-Trade philosophers have argued more
and found more fault about the wool schedule
than about any other II the political tariff re-
formers have the courage OF their opinions this
is the precise place to begin: offer the people
free wool and cheap clothing, and see if they
understand the tariff question we'll enough to
refuse the bait.
Mr. Springer is right in saying. in his cXplana
ton of the proposed bill, that there is not the
least heed OF ling anything more to make mani
fest the position Of the democratic party on this
question That is true; It's hostility to every
Protective Tariff lis Mills BILL is repeated dec
laratiors in National Conventions and lis nom
nation and support Of Mi. Cleveland, have left
no room for doubt on that subject. The piece
meal policy is not straightforward or manly,
but it will deceive nobody. There will be the
less chance Of deception if, in beginning the so
called reform, Mr.. Springer strikes first Tor free
wool, low duties on all woollens, and the large
possible chances for frauds in invoices and i'm
por:ations.
The issue is in many respects the best for Pro-
tectonists that could have been selected. Wool
len cothng has not advanced in lrice since the
new duties were imposed fifteen months ago; on
the contrary the kinds used by nearly all tho
people are cheaper now than they ever have
Tten. Goods of those qualities, including prob
ably nine tenths Of the whole consumption Of
this country are cheap quality considered, As
in any other country where absolute Free Trade
exists Ii is not Il month since Free-Trade
journal also incidentally noticed in recording the
state Of certain markets that the NEST commonly
used grades OF carpets were selling as low Is
they were at the same time in London. But this
whole manufacture and consequently the de
mand for the wool grown by American farmers,
have increased almost as maryeCuSy as any
other branch of industry under protective duties
and far more more than the same industry has
ever increased in any other country.
The question is an excellent one TO test the
will and intelligence OF the people. If they
want an enormous increase in the demand for
American products and American labor, with
goods not higher but lower in price, and as cheap
AS such gods are in other counties, they will
send Mr.. Springer and his party to the rear AZ
they did in 1888. If they prefer to try the cx-
pertinent Of destroying the manufacture, and de-
Driving million wool -growerS of the demand for
wool. they will give the Free Traders power to
DO as they please.