Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1894-08-24
GOOD THINGS IN THE TARIFF BILL.
(Sioux City Tribune }

(olOuA OACy AIAOuuc.)
Such extended notice has been given
in the democratic press, to the unsatis
factory provisions of the new tariff bill
that fairness requires that some sort Of
recognition be bestowed ON the good
therein, lest the impression grow tina,
the bill is wholly bad. If there be in
any quarter such belief it is erroneous
On the contrary there is much in the
measure to excite the warmest cOmmen'
dation. II the definite pledges made by
the democratic party had not excited
such high hopes, and if the legislative
product Of the session were not constant
ly compared with these hopes, it is al
together likely that in every tariff reform
breast there would be jubilation that sc
much had been accomplished. Even as
regards sugar the trusts protective duty
is reduced, according to the testimony Of
such an ardent friend of the trust as
Senator Aldrich, from the Mckinley
tariffs 60 cents per 100 pounds to an es
timated 40 cents; while concerning iron
ore and bituminous coal, two other items
of determined controversy as to which
the house was beaten, the Mckinley
duties were cut almost ene-half, or from
rs to 40 cents per ton.
Leaving out of consideration the re-
ductions which were made in every
schedule, cuts which range from 10 to 6C
per cent each one of which will tighten
the amount consumers of the country
must needs pay INTO the pockets OF the
protected manufacturers and other pri.
vate interests, the increases in the free
list are sufficient cause for the greatest
qualification.
First in Importance is free wool. For
more than generation there has been
a struggle going on to accomplish this
reform and ten years ago any congress
which had achieved it and had done
nothing else would have considered that
it had ample grounds for claims upon
the gratitude Of the country. The value
of raw wool imported into the country
in 1898 was Sls, s,5OO.00O, and the DUTY
paid thereon was Ss,2OO,OOO, Concur
rent with this free listing of raw WOO
are sweeping reductions throughout the
entire wooden schedule which will result
in many poor family receiving clothe!
which hitherto it has been compelled tt
| ho +
| the government in the duties and, tht
larger amount which has gone to manu-
| facturers on account Of the larger price
they have been enabled to exact on &C
count of the tariff wall behind which
they could control the domestic market
the changes in the woolen schedule alone
should mean saving to the people o1
the country of more than S100, 900.
With free wool there is also free lum bel
and salt, both articles of prime necessity
to the west. The value of the imports
of these articles and their manufacturers
in 1898 exceeded 81 900, 900 and the duty
paid thereon was more than 81, 500 900.
saved to the people, there must be added
to the amount of duties paid the amounts
that the lumber and salt barons have
been able to exact from the consuming
public. Binding twne is made free of
duty, also bagging for cotton burlaps,
and grain bags made of burlaps. The
duties on all kinds of agricultural imple-
nents are removed, thereby making
it practically impossible for implement
manufacturers. as they have often done
in the past, to exact larger prices for
machines at home than they do abroad.
At least even with the closest combina-
ton they can charge no more at home
than the cost of freightage back to Am
erica is above the foreign price.
1t is possible to go on and multiply
almost innumerable instances in which
the duties have been lowered in the in
terest of the consumer. The average ad-
valorem rate of womens and children's
dress goods, coat Innings and similar
IaOflCS unGer Iuc MCNlnley Ldilu was
1921 per cent. Under the new bill the
average rate is 40 to so per cent. The
duty on woolens and worsted cloth was
100 per cent .henceferward it will be 40
per cent The duty on woo!en knit goods
is cut down from "a per cent. to 35 and
40 per cent. The Mckinley duty on
plain china is 55 per cent: the new bill
puts it at 30 per cent, and so on through
the earthenware, glass, metal and other
schedules. Nearly everywhere there is
wholesome tightening of the protective
burden and much that gives encourage
ment to the most unqualified tariff re-
former,