Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-09
THE ISSUE OF 1896.
Republicans VIII Put Forward the Tar
Question.

Republicans VIII Pint Forward the Tariff
| Question.
The republican party will make the
tariff campaign issue next year. That
is shown by the attacks now being
made on the present tariff. In print
ing the reports of our exports last
month, republican papers invariably
point to the decrease as compared with
our exports in March. 1894. And not
only do they try to frighten the timid
In this way but they endeavor to show
that there will be no restoration of
business until new tariff law is en-
acted. They attribute the decrease in
March and every monthly decrease
since August to the Wilson bill. Even
Bradstreet's has assisted in circulating
this report Its issue of last week con-
tains an article on the country's for
eign trade In March, taken from the
Philadelphia Press. The statement is
year to April is very unfavorable''
and that the nine months cover only a
little more than the period of the new
tariff"
Every person as well informed on
these matters as the managers of Brad
streets knows that its reported de-
crease in exports after the new tariff
law took effect was no more caused by
that tariff than the previous decrease
during the summer was. Every such
person knows that the monthly decrease
since September-some of the provi-
sions of the new tariff law did not take
effect until the beginning of the present
year-has been much smaller than
that OF the summer months, when the
Mckinley bill was in force. Our ex-
ports were SIS, ZOO. 900 lighter between
May and October 1 lastyear than dur
ing the corresponding period of 1s9a
From October to March the loss was
only $50, 600, 900.
We find, therefore, from the govern
ment reports that while the monthly
decrease averaged S11, OOO, 900 for the
five months ending with September,
the average for the next five was only
81, OOO, COO This is certainly fa~ora-
BILE showing. It indicates a notable
improvement in our foreign trade since
the new tariff went into effect. As
already stated, some of the provisions
of the Mckinley bill were still in force
In December. Now, if we begin our
comparisons with the opening of the
calendar year, the result will be still
more favorable. Our exports of do
nestle merchandise-coin and foreign
merchandise alone excluded-amount-
ed in the first quarter to S199, OS6, 059. as
compared with S211, 900, IA in the first
three months of 1894. The loss was
less than $4,000, 900 under the new
tariff, while in three months under the
Mckinley law last summer it was
$50, 600, 900.
Another fact should be remembered.
Exports We're heavier in the early part
of last year than in the corresponding
period of any preceding year. with but
single exception. While our exports
this year have not quite come up to last
years figures, they are IS, 1000. 600 ahead
of the record we made in the first quar-
ter of disappearing the panic and
under the Mckinley law.
There is nothing to be ashamed of in
the government report on our foreign
trade since the Wilson law took effect.
Instead of being unfavorable, it is a
very favorable report. The new tariff
law is working all right. 1t is increas-
ing the revenue and giving us market
every month for more of our surplus
products than we sold abroad, on an
average, during the life of the McKin-
lev law-St Louis Republic