The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-09
THE FICTION OF HIGH TARIFF
Inconsistent Assaults Made on the
Present Law.
Republican Charge that it Favors
trusts Shown to Be False. Inn
ports of Iron Falling Off and
Exports Increasing. Light
on the Sugar Question.

The Republicans assert that they
mean to mako the next presidential cam
paign solely OH the high tariff issue, says
the Philadelphia Record But it is
good while till the election of 1896, and
before that time the Republicans may
have occasion to change their minds In
1916 the Wings protested that they
would mako the repeal of the FREQ trade
tariff of that Year the issue III 1S4S but
they forgot ull about the tariff, and
nominated for tho presidency a Mexican
war hero, who was elected by reason Of
democratic division Oh the Slavery ques-
ton. The tariff of 1894 promises to be-
come III short time as popular as was
the tariff of SAG
AT any rate, the Republican organs
will be obliged to reach some ground of
consistency in their assaults Oh the new
tariff before the beginning of the cam
paign of 1896. BY that time the popular
mind will have been too we'll instructed
i'll regard to the character and effect of
tho now law to DO longer deceived by
confused and contradictory Protcctionist
clamors. In n recent article tho Cleve-
land Leader made tho rash assertion
that the tariff which hns superseded tho
Mckinley act lis full of favors to the
trusts. " Tho answer to this is in tho
substantial reduction of duties on steel
rails, steel beams, refined sugar, copper,
cordagc, linseed oil, white lead, cotton
ties and every other article with which
the trusts and monopolies are concerned
Ii tho trusts enjoy any advantages in the
new tariff, they are trivial in COMPARE
son with the favors granted them by tho
Mckinley act. The champions of the
Mckinley tariff are. the last who should
complain of the favoritism of the new
tariff law. Compared with that measure
of spoliation the act of 1894 is n wise
and beneficent reform.
About the same time with this asser-
ton of tho tariff organ in Cleveland the
Plttsburg Commercial Gazette told its
readers that twice the quantity of iron
and steel are now sent here that used to
como in, and our wage earners are de-
prived of just that quantity of work,
low as wages arc" The returns of trade
show that during the eight months end
ed Feb rs, 1895, the Imports of iron
and steel amounted insvalue to S15,-
orb, $780, against $l4,273, IO1 i'll the cor
responding months of 1894 This slight
increase consists almost wholly of tin
plato and fine cutlery. During Febru-
airy, 1895, the imports Of tin plate de-
clincd i'll comparison with the imports
OF February, 1894, under the Mckinley
tariff. During February, 1895, the in
crease Of imports of iron and steel over
the imports OF February, 1894, amount
ed to tho insignificant sum of $l4,4SS.
On the other hand, the exports Of iron
and steel manufactures of the United
States amounted i'll value during the last
eight months TO SEQ, $50, $40, against
Sl9,297, 41S i'll the corresponding months
in 1894
While the imports of iron and steel
are stationary or declining under the
new tariff, the exports arc steadily in
creasing 1t is not easy to see how 'our
wage cTncrs" are deprived of work.
under that operation. Another tariff or
gan bemoans the want of protection
for American saws under Democratic
free trade. This history is us brief as
the chapter on snakes i'll Ireland. No
saws are imported into this country.
American saws are held i'll too much
esteem ut home and abroad to permit of
foreign competition.
And now comes the New York Trib-
unc with an analysis to show that under
the first half years operation of the new
tariff the people are getting only 40
per cont OF their imported goods free of
duty, while under the Mckinley law
they got 56. per cent free of duty. Yet,
according to Protcctionist authorities.
tho new tariff is the wicked measure
that by it's additions to the free list has
brought ruin upon the industries of
the country.
The hand that Turks beneath tho analy-
SIS OF The Tribune is exposed by tho fact
that under the new tariff tho important
article OF sugar is subject to revenue
duty, while under the Mckinley tariff
tho American people paid higher tax
on sugar, from which tho treasury de-
rived no revenue. BY the Mckinley act
the duty on refined sugar was levied in
such way as to put tax of half a cent
pound upon the entire American con
sumption of sugar, foreign and domestic,
without bringing 81 to the federal treas
ury. AT the same time the Mckinley
tarllf raised the duties on many articles
soaS to prohibit their importation These
two facts, the prohibitions in the Nd
hlniey tariff and the partial restoration
of the sugar duties, explain why the
percentage OF actually imported goods is