Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-12
SOME RESULTS OF FREE WOOL.


to give some attention to the figures
issued by the Bureau of Statistics for
the calendar years 1891 to 1895. The
period covered is practically four years
under the tariff act of 1890 and one
year under that of 1894 Such a com
parison offers test of the many state
ments made of the disastrous effect of
the present law on the one hand, and
the beneficent resuts of Mckinley
protection on the other. So much has
been said of overwhelming imports and
of losses to the United States Treasury
through the removal of the duties on
wool and the reduction of duties on
wnolens, that official figures were
needed to prove or disprove the state
ments. Whatever may be the political
position of wool, there is no room for
questioning the commercial situation
as given in the Treasury figures.
And first as to raw woods. So long
as there was duty of more than 40
per cent on woods in the grease, with
penalty duties for bringing in secured
woods or woods improved to any degree,
there was a distinct discouragement to
an import of the higher grades of for
eign wool. The fine or clothing woods
were taxed more. heavily than the
combing or low grade carpet woods. In
no year since 1890 did the importations
of clothing woods touch 40, 600 600
pounds under duty. The year 1892
gave the highest imports, 80, 776, 300
pounds The removal of the duty at
once opened the market to this grade
of wool. and IN 1895 the imports were
l27. 600 600 pounds. Of combing woods
1892 again gave the highest dutiablo
Importation, 1000, 600 pounds; in 1895
the imports were Is, 600, 600 pounds 1t
follows that under free wool the United
States imported in 1895 what would
have been regarded as three years
supply Of clothing woods and nearly
three years. supply of combing woods.
Carpet woods, the lowest grade OF woods
IN the market, are not grown to any
extent in this country. In 1892 the
Imports were 100, 72G, 900 pounds; in
1880 lo3, 527, COO pounds.
1T does not require much attention to
measure the benefits derived from free
wool. The woods which arc of such
inferior quality as to DO only a little
removed from shoddy are no longer i'm :
ported in as large quantities as whom
a duty was imposed, woods of high
grade and line quality being substituted
for them. 1t is safe to say that what
ever extension of the wooden industry
has occurred in this country in the last
year has been in the view of develop-
ing the use of fine woods in the place
OF Turkish, Russian and Chinese woods.
For the same price better product Of
manufacture is being obtained. As
the revenue sacrificed in removing the
duties from raw WOODS amounted to
about IS, OO0, 600 year, the benefit
may be said to be purchased at a low
price. On the imports of 1895 the manu-
facturer would, under the old rate,
have had to pay nearly SIG, 600, 600 in
duties--a tax of nearly & per cent upon
the total value of all products of wooden
manufacture in the domestic industries.
Manufacturers claim to have a griev-
anco against the new tariff in that
they are able to compete with foreign
ers in only few kinds of goods That
taste, patterns and machinery should
have become specially adapted to such
woods rs the greed of tho wool growers
imposed upon the domestic market was
to he expected; and ii could hardly be
anticipated that in a single II months
a change so radical could be wrought
as to enable the home manufacturers to
meet entirely and successfully the new
conditions. That imports should in
crease was natural. In the year 1894
lmpOrtatinns were restricted to what
was absolutely necessary to supply the
market on the most economical esti-
mates That year of economy and re-
strletion naturally led ia larger impor-
tations in 1898, when conditions had
become more settled ani the general
tone Of the markets could be better
/ nutltraI Not 10 L.. 4,
the market to be met, but it's possi-
hilities ana the shortage Of 1894 were
70 be provided for Commercially,
therefore, the year 1895 should have
been not only year Of large impOrta-
lions but of importations which in
comparison to previous years might an
pear excessive. How far do the STATIC.
tics OF imports bear out this conclu-
sion?
The total imports Of manufactures of
wool for the two years 1891 and 1892
were valued at 573, 800, 600; and for lSai
and 1850 at S7G, 100, 600. 1t does not
appear on this showing that the impnr
tations OF 1880 were excessive when
taken in their true relation to the inn
ports of other years. The same com
pariaon can be made in the Rnectal
lines Of goods The imports of carpets
in 1881 and 1892 were valued ut ~, a.,2.
600; in 1884, and 1850, at -, ST., O0O. OF
wearing apparel, which includes most
of the items on which the greatest tariff
contests have been held, cloaks, hats
Of wool, knit fabrics and shawls, the
imports Of 1891 and 1892 wore &c, 800
600; in 1854 and 1888, a., 0SS, 900. IT,,
IN place Of value, quantities be taken,
the showing is even moro telling
against the cry Of over importation.
Of dress goods the imports in 1880 and
lS92 amounted TO III, OUO, 600 square
yards; in 1884 and 1888 To only u.
80, 600 square yards. The imports OF
pushes and other pile fabrics were
nearly three times greater in quantity
in 1871 and 1852 than they wer6 in 1891
and 1888. In the single item Of wooden
or worsted cloths have the imports in.
creased remarkably in quantity as well
as in value. The imports for lSD5 were
as large as the imports of the three
Years from 1881 To 1893, inclusive.
TAKEN as a whole il can not be said
tnat on the returns Of the imports foi
the live years there has been any such
increase above normal average AZ
woilld threaten the aNistanCe or pros
perity Of great domestic industry.
Inc plea for higher protection of woolau
manufactures has little standing in thu
lace Of such statistics.
Nor can much be said on the plea u
greater revenue. In 1892, which was
the year Of largest imports Of wooden
manufactures under the McKinley
tarIif, the amount 81 duties COLLECTED
was $50, 40. 80 on valuation of i'm,
! ports of 2,'i,nf, Oh This was equiva
lent to an ad yalore1 nr 81. &c nor cent.
: I'm l2Lll HIM Il -.