New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-10
THE FREE TRADE TARIFF.
NOT WORKING AS IT'S FRIENDS HAD
FONDLY EXPECTED.
soNr ASTONISHING RESULTS SHOWN BY COM
PARIsON OF THE FIRST YEARS FIGURES
WITH THOSE UNDER THE MKINLEY LAW.
laY TELEGRAPH TO the TKlaUNE.I

Tsy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRI3UNE.I
Washington. oct. s.-Some astonishing facts with
reference TO the operations OF the ne" Ialh Ia"
begin TO be apparent that the details OF the rst
full year Of its work can be examined Inc ID"
went into eject on August o. 1884, and until the re-
norts covering the month OF August 1895. COM
Melted II WAS not possible to mine full year or
rs workings and readily compare the results with
other years under other laws such an eXamlha-
ton is now possible. however. and its showngs must
prove surprise those who had fondiy looked TOT
wonderful. results from the new Jaw. as compared
with the working of those which had preceded it.
one remarkable feature in the operations OF the new
law is the great reduction in importatons OF goods
free of duty while the total importatons nave
greatly Increased. II supposed that Jaw
framed by a party which had made free trade a
CHIEF featur, IN its platform and creed would not
only materially increase the percentage OF goods
nported free of duty but largely increase the total
free inportations But precisely the reverse has been
the
In the three full fiscal wears in which the Nc
Kinley law was in operation over SO per cent OF the
goods imported came In free of duty and during its
last year the free importation formed 9903 per cent
NJ tho total Under the new law. which eX-
pected 10 add largely to the free list the free I'M
variations i'm it, first twelve months amounted TO
only 4s4 per cent of the total Another remarka be
feature of the totals for he various years under
Va rious laws is the fact that the importation OF
goods free of duty has actually fallen off under the
new law Not only has the proportion Of free I'M
portations been reduced but the quantity has
actually been reduced compared with any year
under the Mckinney law. The average annual i'm
norts free Of duty under the Mckinley law in its
fu three wears amounted $500 100000 a year. and
in It's last fiscal wear 1913 sos III In the first year
Of the new law they were only SS6'12os3 while the
dutiabe Imports which in the last year OF the Nc
Kinney law were 7D, jumped to s52lis'
under the new law Thus the free trade tariff, com
naring its operations with the Mckinley tariff.
actually decreased by many millions the amount OF
foreign goods which the people might get free or
duty while II increased by 80 per cent the quantity
on which they must pay duty.
still another remarkable fact with reference to
the workings OF the new law Is the Increased rate
~ duty which IT comp.ls the public to pay on the
uportations 1t Is curious fact that the rates OF
duty collected on the total imports in It's first year
we're A higher average for the entire amount Inn
ported than those OF the closing year or the NC
Kinley law In the last fiscal year under the NC
kinney law the average ad yalorem rate or duty pax!
on ali importations was DO per cent ana III the
first year under the new law the average al
valorem rate Of duty paid all importations was
2l.2 per cent.
Another astonishing feature Of the comparisons
q, the old and new laws is the discovery that the
new ''free-trade tariff. which was framed ostensioS
to relieve the masses OF the ~ tba aWerape
citizen more money for tariff taxation man dd the
Mckinney law in its last years operations me
smount OF duty collected under the Mckinney law
Ia lis last wear amounted 10 ~ per capita iot
~verv man woman and child In the United states;
,rbe amount collected under the 'rree-trade tafl1
a. ,s FIRST wear amounted to = 20 per capita lor the
entire populatiOn of the country.
In one thing the Democratic party was true 10
Itself i'm it's readjustment OF the taxation OF me
country While II increased from u ~ 10 y 80 thr
nor carita which the masses must pay IN tarlH
taxas il reduced the amount the whisky drinkers
must nav In internal revenue tax. the hgures ioi
the frst wear Of its operation show that the amount
Maid I'm internal revenue taxes in that year amounted
:" q 20 par capifa while the amount paid IN the
last wear OF the Mckinley law was = 10 per capita
Here then are a few OF the astonishing results OF d
comuarison OF the workings OF The new tarH III It's
nrst year with those OF the Mckinney law;
az Only 4s4 per cent OF the goods Imported came
in tree while $3.50 per cent came IN free under the
Mckinley law. -, ~, 49,. ,,.,
many millions while the quantity OF those on which
dutv must be paid increased over one-half
% The average al yaorem rate or duty col
lected on all importations under the ne" law
amounted to 2l2 per cent OF the value or the goods
instead of ~ - per cent under the Mckinley Jaw
CD1 The duty collected In the first year OF the
new law amounted to s. 30 for every person In the
United states while In the last year OF the Nc
Kinlev law IL amounted TO only VI 80 for each indi
vldual ,,,,
internal revenue taxi In the hrst year OF the new
law amounted To only 81 60 per capita. while under
the cd Jaw It was s. 10 per capita.