New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-17
TucOGTS AND THE TdHffF

Has sccrctay Carlisle ob.cVel the Imports
last vecll->IG1OO, 900 ut this city alone IL
he looks & the bottom of the matter there may
occur I, him obstacles in the way oi tarIli re-
RIM which he may not have fully realized
In the lat Two weeks the amount n NcW-l crk
,lopc WAS S3o.Gl.71l and the inc ease over
the corresponding weeks last year about
- 600 900. Yet the total imports in Marh,
$500 amount Il 10 SsG.j7O. j33, and were
,h.u, - 600 600 larger than in March, 1891
a, those were about $40, 900 larger than IN
March. 1890 Who i prepared to say what TINS
means The laws have not been changed
breaking down the barrier, and letting IN goods
which prot GIVE duties have shut out. Nhcn
,b,, has been done. what will be the value OF
imno,is and how will the country pay for
them ~
I'm Mo the value was about SSIG.Oooooo.
Tbs wear an increase app arN OF about 9lo,-
400 600 each month. If continued IT VIII
make the total for the year Sl,0Oo,0Ooooo.
Only fourteen years ago, in the year before
snocic RESUMPTION. the amount was about
s31a 600 600. and the population has not
doubled within that time. The Tact 10
which serious thought must be given Is that
tic consumption of foreign products has cnor-
mousy increased. The habits 81 the people,
their modes Of living and enjoyment have
greatly altered, and il will Mt be found easy
| to change back again for many years. Is ME-
Carlisle certain that the theories which an
| swcred Thirty years ago will answer now
Under the constant stimulus OF duties Tor the
| defence Of home industries the condition ana
habits of the whole Nation have wonderfully
| altered II is true that wealth has accumulated
| in the hands Of a few thousand persons. and
they spend mole freely, bur their expenditure
i, but 4 drop in the bucket. The wages OF
labor have Substantially doubled. Being able
| TO cNpcnd twice aS much, the millions satisfy
| their want, - such an extent that what were
once rare luxuiicS have become the ncrc sites
| f everyday He Consumption OF all things
has grown almost beyond belief. From 80
| bounds for each person the consumption Of
sugar has grown to 60 pounds. From eight
cigars for each person the consumption has
| grown 10 seventy. From 50 pounds Of iron
for each person the consumption has grown to
moro than 1872 pounds. These arc but samples
of a change which is almost universal.
| The root OF the matter is that 10000, 600
wages paid in 1860. In manufactures millions
now average $500 yearly whereas in the same
occupations the average was about $3.50 year
". Including farm labor. the average for all is
new more than $500, against about $500 yearly
thirty two years ago. This means difference
between 81 900 900. 600 and So ,00O, 000. 900
yearly i'm the receipts of tho wagc-clrnerS alone
| They receive -. 600, 600, 900 more, and there
fore can Incl case their purchases by that cnor-
| nous sum- or so much of it as they may please.
Roughly speaking, while the work ing popula-
ton has doubled its power to purchase has
increased foulf II. The new modes and habit,
of life have become as necessary t. the 20, :
600. 600 wagc-earncrs of this day as the far
moro restricted allotment of comforts was to
| their fathers
Throw wide the doors and let in for
eign goods more freely, and people will buy
more largcIy-as long as they arc able II
must be so. If reduced duties are to yield neccs-
sary revenues Now about $500, 900 900 is
realized by duties on 500, 900, 900 of imported
goods. but if the duties are reduced to an
average of % per cent. imports of $500, 900,
| 900 will be n eded t. yield the slmc revenue
Shall gold be paid for the additional 800,
900, 900 yearly, and if not, how shall the debt
be paid? Or is the remedy to be found in en-
forced economy of the 10000, 600 wage-earn.
ers? Ii workers who now produce in this