New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-19
THE HOPE or Mr.. STn1 Us

Mr. Is,dor Strauss the recently elected Con
Crcssman is well known as Il business man or
ability and the opinions he has expressed III
Washington about the tariff will naturally al
tract attention Evidently he does not thinK
much Of the Wilson bill. but says he would vote
for il with enthusiasm rather than subject the
country to further delay. if at the expense OF
such delay he could frame and pass exactly the
bill he would prefer To his mind. proStratlon
of business is now due to uncertainty about the
tariff and must continue until that uncertainty
has been terminated. 1t has spoiled the spring
trade and II It is allowed TO last some months
longer will destroy the fall trade also, whereas
if the pending bill could be passed at once, MT
Straus thinks, business would instantly revive
All this seems Il little as if Mr.. Straus were
putting out an anchor far to windward so 10
speak and preparing to account for future pros
traton after the tariff bill has passed. on the
ground that it was not passed soon enough
Undoubtedly the sixty-cicht millions Of people
in this country are going TO live. ana are not
going to stop eating and drinking, wearing
clothes and occupying houses, however bad their
laws may be. In some shape. they must live
Their bare necessities must create n great de-
mand for many products. which their indus
tries must somehow supply. They may have
lower wages, and be deprived of many comforts
they have enjoyed. and find themselves I'M
able TO lay up anything IA n defence against
want but the business which their most COM
mon necessities will create must be large
enough to keep most of them at work on some
terms When men know what they have 10 90,
however bad il may be- they will set TO work
doing IT, This means that a sort Of revival in
| business is possible because many are waiting
now In the hope that the worst may be avoided,
| and at all events do not know what they have
to do. In time the labor and capital OF the
| Nation will make the best of any conditions
| that are known TO be inevitable. however In
| tolerable these may be. and in that sense re-
| adjustment OF forces would In time bring Il
measure of prosperity. All this is so obvious
| that some men imagine one tariff would DC
| found about good as another.
On the other hand it is to be hoped none Will
| live to see the full effects Of Democratic
| tariff for its results will probable ensure It's re-
| peal long befc- there has been time for foreign
competition to crush all the industries it would
| ultimately crush or for labor TO be ground
down by severe necessity as far as 1t might be
| after years Of competition between this and
| other countries For months many, and for
| years some, manufacturers would continue To
|
be suppressed. For long time the habits of
comfortable living permitted under Republican
tariffs and wages would be tenaciousy re-
tanned by many, and the fight against reduction
of wages to the freerade standard would be
long and hard. Thus the best results ever re
allied from Democratic tariff might come
with relief from uncertainty. not long after lis
adoption. But if Mr. Straus lives to see the
taI In mr. "a
he will probably find that the closing OF thou
sands of mills and mines. and the reduction OF
wages generally, will cut down very much the
ability Of the people to consume. II twenty
three million workers. counting employed and
unemployed, average $500 each instead Of 500
in 1890, the difference in value Of things they
can buy will be 81 600 600 yearly. and If OF
their diminished supplies an Increased proportion
Is to come from abroad. the demand for home
industries will he further decreased. Any such
shrinkage will be felt very pcrccptibly at tho
counters and in the cash room Of Il great popu
lar store as in the payroll Of n great factory
AS matters stand now the shrinkage in volume
OF business compared with last year averages
in all kinds about 80 per cent II there should
be recovery In some branches when the wors
is known, there would inevitably be more de
| preston in others the force OF foreign com
petition makes itself felt.
The American people have not the devoted
attachment of Mr. Siraus for frectrade
theories or for low wages. 1t may he expected
that they will resent loss of employment and
reduction Of wages in such a fashion tina
neither Mr.. Straus nor his political associate,
will ever want to try their hands at tariff re
form again.