Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-07-20
PRESS COMMENT.
Wilson Law and Imports,

the Wilson tariff bill would flood the
country, as it were, with European
goods. Their croakings have not been
realized. Instead of increasing, imports
have fallen off since that law took effect
as compared with the period of McKin-
leyism prior to the panic. The govern
ment report of imports for the first
eleven months of the fiscal year begin
ming June 3d. which has just been issued,
shows a decrease Of over 100000, 900
from the corresponding period of the
first year under the Mckinley law, $685.
100000 from the second years and $685.
100000 from the fiscal year ending June
30, 1898. These were the three years
Immediately proceeding the panic. The
Mckinley bill was in force during the en-
tire period with the exception of the first
few weeks of the year 1901.
These three years of McKinleyism were
noted for large imports. In the first one
imports increased from less than $714,-
100000 to over $771 100000, and in 1892. 8,
the last year preceding the panic, they
reached the enormous sum of S796,7
1873. The average for the three years,
with June omitted from each, was nearly
$775,00o,oO0, ae compared with $670,3o2,-
81, the value of our imports for the
eleven months ending the 31st of last
May. True, the first few weeks of the
year ls94-5 were convered by the Nc
Kinley law, the Wilson bill not being
passed until August, but making the al
lowance for that, the monthly average was
nearly $l0,000,OO0 larger under the Nc
klnley than it has been under the Wilson
law.
Instead of an increase, there has been
decrease in every leading class of i'm
ports excepting raw wool. In the eleven
months ending with May our wool i'm
ports amounted to $22,s80,0 OO-an in
crease of $2,650,000. On the other hand,
imports of wooden goods were nearly So
OO0,O0O lower than in the corresponding
period of 1928, and $3,5OO,OOO lower
than the average for the entire Mckinley
period before the panic. The importa-
ton of breadstuffs-grain and their pro-
ducts-fell from $3,735,OOO. the average
for the Mckinley period, emitting June,
to $2,H7,00O last year. A Republican
Washington correspondent calls attention
to the great increase in barley imports
over the year 1894. The fact is that
our barley corn was a failure last wear
and good deal of foreign barley was i'm
ported in consequence. Compared, how
ever, with the amount imported in the
first eleven months of 1901 under the
Mckinley law, We find decrease last tis.
cal year of over $1,OOO,0OO.
Republicans may profess to think ST.
S90,523 big sum to pay for foreign ami
mails in eleven months, but alongside of
what we paid under the Mckinley bill.
it is small sum. In the corresponding
periods OF the three years ending Nav
81, 1898, our animal imports amounted
to respectively $4,36S, 900, $3,95S,O0o and
$4,67l,0O0.
Nor has there been An increase in cot
ton goods. On the other hand, slight
decrease ia reported as compared with the
greatest business year of the Mckinley
period-that of 1928. In earthen, stone
and chinaware we find, instead of an in
crease, decrease of over 100000.
The reduction in the duty on glass and
glassware did not increase the value of
importations. This class of imports was
smaller in the eleven months covered by
the report than in any corresponding
period of McKinleyism preceding the
panic. 1t averaged then $7,773,OOO and
The value of last years, emitting the June
imports, was $6,O9O,OO0. Nor did manu-
lectures of iron and steel increase to $2l.-
1859 They decreased to that sum from
p35,OOO,O0O in 1901, $25,000,O0O the fol-
owing year and $3l,O00,OOO in the last
'ear of McKinleyism before the panic.
Republicans find no more consolation
n meat and dairy products. As this
lass of imports is less than it was in the
greatest years of the Mckinley period,
he Wilson bill could not have Increased
t. And "the farmers and poultrymen of
he country may be interested to know"
Tot that more eggs were brought into the
United States last year than in any year
# the Mckinley period-for such was
lot the case-but that the number was
less than in any year of that
period up to the panic. The only other
rticle specially referred to is sugar and
We must congratulate our Republican
contemporaries on having correctly re-
ported large decrease here. As already
tated, raw wool is the only article in
which there has been an increase. Other
IMPORTS have fallen of as compared with
he heavy business in foreign goods un-
Ter the Mckinley law.
The Republic has noted before the
magnificent increase of wages under the
Wilson law. Whether large imports are
IN indication of prosperity or the reverse
nay be argued. The Republican theory
. that imports show mpoverishment
IN their own contention, the Wilson bill |
las encouraged all staple American in
lustries.