The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1895-08-03
Wilson Law and Imports.

have not been realized. Instead OF
increasing, imports have fallen off
since that law took effect, as com
pared with the period of Mckinley
ism prior to the panic. The Govern
ment report of imports for the first
eleven months of the fiscal year be
ginning June 30, which has just been
issued, shows a decrease of over
500, 100000 from the corresponding
period of the first year under the
Mckinley law, $S5,000,000 from the
second years and $126,000,000 from
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1898.
These were the three years immedi-
ateiy preceding the panic. The Nc
Kinley bill was in force during the
entire 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 $714,000,000 to over $771, 000,-
900 and in 1928, the last year pre-
ceding the panic, they reached the
enormous sum of 1896, 706,378. The
average for the three years, with
June omitted from each. was nearly
$775,000,00e, as compared with
500, 302,8lI, the value of our i'm
ports for the eleven months ending
the 3lst of last May. True, the first
few weeks of the year 1894 were
covered by the Mckinley law, the
Wilson bill not being passed until
August, but making due allowance
for that, the monthly average was
nearly $10,00o,000 larger under the
Mckinley than it has been under the
Wilson law
Instead Of an increase, there has
been decrease in every leading class
of imports excepting raw wool. In
the eleven months ending with May
our wool imports amounted to 1922
$50, 000-an increase of $2,650,000.
On the other hand, imports of wool
en- goods were nearly 100000 low
er than in the corresponding period
of 1892 3, and So, 100000 lower than
the average for the entire Mckinley
period before the panic. The impor-
tation of breadstuffs-grain and
their products-fell from So, 1000,
the average for the Mckinley period
emitting June, to $2,777,000 last
year. A republican Washington
correspondent calls attention to the
great increase in barley imports over
the year 1884. The fact is that
our own barley crop was failure
last year and good deal of foreign
barley was imported in consequence
Compared, however, with the amount
imported in the first eleven months
of 1901 under the Mckinley law,
we find decrease the last fiscal year
Of over 100000,
Republicans may profess to think
$l,S90,523 a big sum to pay for for
eign animals 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 May 81, 1898, our ami
nal imports amounted to respective
! ly $4, 36S, 000,$3, 95S, 900 and $4,671,-
900.
Nor has there been an increase in
cotton goods. On the other hand, a
slight decrease is reported as com
pared with the greatest business year
of the Mckinley period-that of
1892 3, In earthen, stone and china
ware we find, instead of an increase,
a decrease of over 100000.
The reduction in the duty on glass
and glassware did not increase the
value of portations. This class of
imports was smaller in the eleven
months covered by the report than
in any corresponding period of Nc
Kinleyism preceding the panic. 1t
averaged then $7,773,000 and the
value of last years, emitting the
June imports, was $6,000,0O0. Nor
did manufactures of iron and steel
increase to $21, 213,670. They de,
creased to that sum from $35,000,-
900 in 1901, $25,000,000 the follow
ing year and $31 100000 in the last
year of McKinleyism before the
panic.
Republicans find no more consola-
ton in meat and dairy products. AS
this class of imports is less than it
was in the greatest years of the Nc
Kinley period, the Wilson bill could
not have. increased it. And ''the
farmers and poultrymen of the coun-
try may be interested to know" not
that more eggs were brought into the
United States last year than in any
year of the Mckinley period-for
such was not the case-but that the
., number was considerably less than
in any year of that period up to the
panic.
The only other article specially re-
ferred to is sugar and we must con
graduate our Republican contempor.
aries on having correctly reported q
-. large decrease here. AS already sta.
ted, raw wool is the only article in
which there has been an increase
. Other imports have fallen off as com
pared with the heavy business in for
eign goods under the Mckinley law
; The Republic has noted before the
magnificent increase of wages under
t the Wilson law. Whether large i'm
: ports are an indication of prosperity
q or the reverse may be argued The
Republican theory is that imports
show impoverishment. On their own
0 contention, the Wilson bill has en-
a couraged all staple American indus
e tries Republic.