New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-19
SENATOR DUBOIS SUGGESTS.

SENATOR DUBOIS SUGGESTS.
Senator Dubois thinks the next Congress Will
not attempt to deal with the tariff question as
a whole. but will put back the duties on WOOL
primarily because more revenue Will be found
necessary but also because 1.-The most objection
.able feature of the new tariff law is its dis
"criminaton against the farmer and against all
"Wostprn interests The Eastern manufacturers
"and such raw materials as iron and coal are
'pre,ty well protected. The restoration of wool
go thc dutiable list Is the thing in which the
West is most Interested" These are but two
of many gooC reasons why there should be pro-
lection for the wool grower Yet Mr. Dubois can
hardly suppose that it would be OF advantage to
the wool-grower if the protection Of the woollen
manufacture were por at the same time restored
Unless the duty on wool should enable the wool
growers TO get somewhat better prices than they
can get now 1t would do harm and no good
whatever. Rut If wool should be made dearer'
even by moderate percentage the manufact-
ure. which is even now pressed severely by FOR
eign competition and In great danger In many OF
its branches. would be condemned TO destruction
The closing of woollen mills. II IS obvious, would
mean reduced demand for domestic wool and
more slaughter Of the sheep
The duties on woollen goods have been nom
inally reduced a little over onehalf How much
more they have been reduced in fact no one can
exactly tell. because no one knows how much
the different classes Of woollen goods are now
undervalued In 4 single instance which has re-
Gently become prominent, goods are peneved by
the best judges TO have been fraudulently IN
voiced AT only two-thrds OF their true valuation
abroad This cnts off a third Of the duty also,
because under the present tariff the duties on
woolen goods are exclusively ad yalorem. Ihus
an article which actually cost abroad ST. and on
which the duty under the present tariff II fairly
enforced would have been A. cents, was invoiced
so low that the duty was actually reduced to 30
cents. 1t is impossible to say how extensive
these frauds are, because large part or the
goods Of this nature comes In under invoices TO
houses so called which are in fact mere clerks
or selling agents for foreign manufacturers. The
invoices represent no actual purchases OF goods
whatever The Government is defrauded. and
the American mills are subjected 10 an unfair
and runous competition.
Being well aware Of these facts, Senator Du-
bois can hardly expect 10 secure from Congress
a restoration Of duties on wool without proper
specific duties on manufactured goods. and II the
tage 1t would only harm him. But the endeavor
to revise the duties on woollen goods Is likely
to prove one Of the most difficult tasks in the
whole labor Of tariff revision. Perhaps there IS
no other schedule In the tariff for which the
President and Democrats in both Houses will
contend more unitedy To the President the
wool question has :, sort Of personal Importance.
because it Is the one thing which he strongly
H.. ,t.1
his agitation for tariff reform, that has been
done by Democratic Congress. 1t Is scarcely
to be expected that he would consent TO resto-
ration Of the duties wool. nor is 1t likely that
Democrats from the manufacturing States few
In number though they are, can be brought 10
consent to a restoration Of duties on wool with
out a corresponding change in the duties ON
woollen goods.
But there are still other difficulties in the way.
Mr.. Dubois urges that some Increase Of revenue
will be found imperatively necessary, and
therein he Is doubtless right. But the duty on
wool, II as high as 1t ever has been, would fall
far short Of meeting the deficit In revenue. 1t
would leave the same problem TO be solved and
the same difficulties to be overcome In other d.
rectons. Roughly speaking, the deficit under the
existing tariff exceeds S45,OO0,000 year, while
the duty on raw wool would probably not yield
more than fifth Of that amount The problem
would remain for Congress to provide for the
deficiency in other ways. 1t Is not improbable
that the change which Mr.. Dubois urges may
be one Of those which the Republicans in Con-
gress will decide to present TO President Cleve-
land. then throwing upon him the responsible
ity Of leaving the Government without adequate
revenue, If he interposes veto. But 1t seems
evident enough that the one change suggested
by Mr. Dubois will not Of itself suffice.