Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18
WORKINGS OF THE NEW T ARlFF


Washington, July 14.-Worthington G.
Ford, the chief Of the bureau of statistics,
has completed "a most interesting review
of the operations of the new tariff law to
June l. The figures contained in it are in
tercsting in that they show the working Of
the new tariff law which was in operation
nine of the eleven months covered by the
report.
This report refutes many theories that
were advanced at the time when the new
tariff law was under discussion. 1t was
then maintained, for instance, that the
new law would greatly increase the aggre-
gate of free importatons. But the figures
of Mr.. Ford show that the imports of arti-
Giles free Of duty were larger under the
Mckinley bill. The value of articles adj
niitted free of duty for II months ending
May 81, 1894, was s3i9. 391 ,344 For the IL
months ending May 81. 1895, with the new
tariff law in operation, the value of arti-
cles admitted free of duty was 1882 iS6, III.
1t was asserted moreover, that the num-
Der of articles upon which duties would be
imposed would be lessened by the new
law. The official figures, however, show
that the amount of dutiable articles was
very materially increased under the new
law.
These returns make it clear that the new
tariff operates to increase the importation
of articles produced in this country, and
brings foreign goods into more direct COM
petition with the products and manufac-
lures of this country. In the detailed
statement of imports it is interesting to
note the increased importations of arti-
cles produced in this country. For in
stance. the value of animals imported for
the period above mentioned was 81 262, ESQ
for 1894. For 1895 1t was 81, 800, 523 The
importation of breadstuffs increased from
GA in 1894 to s2,777, AS in 1895. The
value of the imports of manufactured
cotton, which is admitted free. increased
from s2,655,C97 in 1894 to SIZES, 766 in 1895.
In the manufactures of cotton, which
come under a greatly reduced tariff, the
Increase OF importations during the II
months period mentioned is very marked.
The value Of these imports for that period
ending in 1894 was s21 ,404, while for the
same period ending in 1895 the value was
s3l, 443, 561. In articles of stone, earthen and
China ware the increase in the value of
importations was s1,7O9,3O9.
The farmer of the West and Northwest
opposed the new law on the ground that it
would result in large importations Of wool.
Such has been the fact. There was large
increase in the value of the importa-
ton of manufactured wool in the period
covered by the treasury statement. The
value of free wool imported under the new
tariff law amounted to S2l, 3l9, 1888, and the
amount that came in under duty before
the new law went into effect was 81, $50 1877.
making a total Of nearly 500. 900. 900 worth
of wool imported during the IL months.
while the value of that imported during
the IL months ending in May, 1884, was
only $780, 992 There was also an increase
In the manufactures of wool upon which
the tariff had been reduced. For the II
months ending In 1894 the value of these
importations was S.432,875, while their
value this year was 1872, 750,2l7