The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-10

Something more will be expected OF the
exfsa session Of congress than answering
thf;qaession Of men Of business as TO what
is % be the standard Of value in the future:
whether IL is 10 be silver dollar depseci-
ated nearly 20 per cent. and violently fac
tua.ing In actual value In the worlds ex-
ehanges from day to day, or whether il IS
TO s;e the gold dollar Of great commercial
nat:ons. While our commercial world
NEEDS assurance that there is to be al end
70 she waking Of the 'free silver" spook
unsai we have ~ international ratio be-
tween gold and silver agreed upon by the
great commercial countries OF the world.
our:corame rcial world needs also to know
what to expect in the way Of tart It changes.
QUO currency must be founded on q stand
ard Of assured stability: and business
NEST know accurately wha. rates OF taxes
are 10 be put upon imported commodities.
Until the country knows what solution
congress means 70 make OF the issues Of
finance and the tariff there can b no res
toration OF confidence. no unlocking Of
capital. no stop to the contraction Of credit
ana the paralysis Of eli enterprise. The
Democratic party 10 in control Of the gov
esfimeut: and. a. ex-Pres!dent Harrison
puss it. President C!eveiand's ability to
dive his Wild team" is TO be tested. The
coantry Is fnenaeed with the legislation OF
thsspsrty Of lunatic and dishonest finance,
an4 10 also menaced with the prospect Of
tariff changes. which chill the confidence
OF 10th manufacturers and producers in
the.tuture of American industry.
Nobody knows what the Democratic
congress will do with the tariff II is ex-
pee:ed, however. that wool will be placed
on the free list. and. If it is. then the tariff
on xooIens will naturally be swept away.
Manufacturers OF course don't want to buy
am wool il in a few months the tariff is
changed 10 that it will be IL cents per
pound cheaper. Merchants do not want
10 buy cloth at present prices il in short
time they can buy imported goods for less
mss.iey. IL is the uncertainty that is stag
na.sng business. What this country needs
10 q settled business policy and q stable
currency. Ii the tariff on wooden goods Is
reh.oyed our manufacturers must Of course
hase 10 reduce prices to meet those of
foreign manufacturers. 1t costs US on an
average 81 per yard to manufacture where
it cpsts the English 80 to 20 cents. II the
tariff il taken away wages must be re-
dusied. There can be no other result. II
weseli goods for less money We must pay
iess wages. II the Democratic congress
sha.uld enact free wool and leave duty on
manufactured goods the wool growers
woaidn't stand that. They would say If
tbs manufacturers have free wool they
shiuld have free cloth. Besides that
wcsild kill the wool-growing industry here.
ana eventually the price of wool would be
as aigh ns before.
Inieiligent manufacturers and wage
wqskers expect that the tariff will be
smashed in the interest of the importers
OF the Northeast and the planters Of the
soaih. who want the cheap goods of Eug-
laid in exchange for their cotton. II the
Scathern Democrats DO as they have al
ways tried TO do. We may expect q free
trfie" tariff, whose effect will he to close
Northern factories. furnaces and work
shops.
Che return 10 sound finance on the part
of congress is no. certain, bu. even were
this; assured today there would stiIl re-
main the uncertainty O! tho tariff ques-
tisfn. A free trade tariff. such as was
pledged by the national Democratic con-
veption. would give the Northern pro-
da:ser aud manufacturer such black eve
rs they have not had since the presidency
- MarsAr Van nn-au