New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-15
VOTV BY THEIR UORh \

4 conservative Democrat -What aces 'h''
mean? Apparently it means Democrat VINO
is not in favor of the Democratic PLATFORM
In recent conversation the phrase was uScd by
= DISTINGUISHED Southern Democrat with OBJ
vious reference to the demands OF the Reform
Climb of New-York. The party, he thought
was not going TO cut its throat by yielding to
these eytlavagant and unreasonable demands.
Rut this same distinguished Southern Demo-
GRAFT Thought Speaker Crisp worthy and com
petent representative OF the party w WAT Mr'
Crisp means may he Dc termired from the acton
of the Committee on Ways and Means which
he created last winter
This committee reported, and the House
under the leadership Of Mr. Crisp passed blIiS
+, abolish all duties on tinplateS ana on WOOL
not TO speak Of other additions to the Tree
list. and to reduce the duties on Woollcn goods
to an average of 30 per cent The imports OF
wool this calendar year yield not far from
IS. 700. O0O in duty. The imports OF unpIi'cS'
over coo. 100000 pounds. yield moro IMAM
s13. coo 900 to the Treasury. The abolition
Of these duties would therefore take away about
500 0OO. 600 Of The revenue for this year But
il was officially reported that the reduction OF
dut;os ON woollcnS would 50 increase the reye-
me as to make up for these reductions. ChaiI-
man Springer chosen by Speaker Crisp for
that place. now estimates that the increased
revenue from the lower duties on WooHehS
vould make I'D for the loss by placing wool
and tinplatos on the free liSt.
TIE imports of woocns this yelryield about
$50 OOO, 600 revenue. In order t. compen'at"
for the loss of $50. 600 by abolition OF
the duties on wool and tinplatcS. the revenue
from wo- lens must be ceased to SJO,0OO.-
600 At 80 per cent duty. 4 revenue OF
$50 OOO. coo could not be secured from less
than $4,000, 600 worth of imported woollen
goods Mr.. SpringerS theory is that the I'M
ports of woollen goods must be increased
81 OO. 900 600 year. Instead of buying over
$40 600 600 worth Of wOOllens from other
countries and $500, 000, 600 worth from Amer-
can mills this rcformer would have us buy
over $40. 600. 600 worth from other countries
and $500 600. 900 worth from American mills,
80 that mills would be closed having at least
a quarter Of the productive capacity Of all the
mills in the country.
This is eminently conservative. Let no i'll
natured person speak OF 1t as Free Trade Tor
that would be a gross and unUauanted SANDER
Free Trade might close all the American mills
bu, reduction Of duties TO 80 per cent accord
ing to Mr. SpsingcrS highly conservative cal
culation. would take in enough foreign goods
70 close only about a quarter Of them. There
fore on his own reckoning, Mr.. Springer is
only a quarter of Free Trader. He would
de.trov only quarter of the American indus
try for the benefit of foreigners
Let il be observed that his reasoning lacks
accuracy IF the bars are let down far enough
TO permit foreign goods worth S143,OOO'O 600
to come in during single year, 1t Is safe to
say that the quantity imported would be much
greater. When a dam has once been broken,
the size of the original hole docs not determine
the quantity Of water which will rush out.
There is reason which Mr. Springer takes
mains to overlook. The demand for American
wool would shrink more than 1O0,00O,OOO
mounds. if foreign goods worth 100000, 900
| should be added to the imports i'll place OF
| American goods now consumed. Instead OF
! selling TO manufacturers 30OOOO,O0O pounds,
| American wool growers would find market
for less than 100000, 900 pounds, and that
means that much greater proportion of them
would cease TO raise wool at all. Then the
manufacturer. dependent upon foreign markets
only for most of his supplies, would be quite
at the mercy Of his foreign competitor.
This is only conservative Democracy. The
genuine and unauthorized Democracy would
vine out the duty on woollenS altogether, be-
cause it is not a duty for revenue only since
the same amount could be raised by duties on
sugar with far less interruption Of foreign trade
For the present, let us hope that the conScrva-
tive Democracy Of Speaker Crisp will get the
upper hand. a year or two of experience under
this kind of tariff would be quite enough.