The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-30
ONE INJECT OF THE WILSON


TARIFF.
A Republican pager whsch nevR loss -
opportunity % give quiet dig At Repub-
ltcan doctrine WAIVE the pubic against the
notaon that the great surplus n the Brit
nh revenue n due 10 the operation Of the
Wilson bin. Nobody ~ an familiar with
Che conditions would make such an absurd
claim OF course. the enormous increase
in British manufacture of certain lines Of
goods - not entirely due to the greater
exports to this country. but there q no
getting away from the fact that the wooden
mzis IN England exported . larger guam
tity % this country in 1886 than In 1891. and
that our own production has fallen on very
materially. Some Of the increased trade
of Great Britain II due to the expansion
Of trade in India and the British colonies.
bu; II cannot be due to free silver. because
the colonies do not have free silver and
silver has only recently been demonstrated
in India According % the theory OF the
free salverites, the business Of India, in
stead Of increasing. should have fallen Oh.
The protective policy OF the Republican
party has a double object. Taxation Is
absolutely necessary in order TO meet the
expenses of government. and protective
tariff has the effect OF making foreigners
pay part OF the tax for the privilege Of
usually adjusted 50 that those who are
able to indulge in the purchase Of Injuries
from abroad shall bear q large portion OF
the TAX. measure which restricts am
portation Of foreign goods stimulates the
manufacture Of home goods and 80 affords
employment to q larger number. These
are very primitive explanations Of Repub-
Rcan policy, but they were pretty SUCCESS
fully controverted in the minds Of the
American people when they voted for the
adoption OF . contrary policy.
The danger to be avoided in . protective
tariff Is that 1t may subject the people to
exorbftans demands by American manu-
facturers. who would be enahled to impose
prices for shear products far in excess Of
. fair profit. together with the cost Of
mzrsr3Ai AM labor employed in their pro-
duction- Experienoe has shown that IN
very few cases has the tariff permitted
this; and ~ improvements have been ef-
fected in American mechanics the tariff
has been revised % - TO meet the new
conditions.
II was recently shown in these columns
that the wooden manufacturers Of Brad
ford. England, were jubflan over the
great increase in production and the con-
sequent employment of labor In 1895 over
that of 1894 The mills there have been
wages was considerably greater. We are
now enabled to show that. on the other
hand. on an average the wooden mills of
this country have been running on half
time only: thas is. taking into account the
number OF those running on fun time and
part time with those entirely closed for
the last year or 50. only one-half the ca
pscsty has been utilized. In 1880 there were
In this country es.ss7 looms running. and
the average number OF employees was 2ie.-
is2: the number of looms now running Is
only 3s2is. and the number OF active en-
ployes IL only io9.5sl. In 1880 the wooden
mills OF this country paid their employees
s76.ese.7ia. and as the pay roll is practically
cut In two there Is loss to the wage
SIS. ~. 81 a year.
The imports for the first nine months Of
1896 excesd IN value by over si.ooo. 90 the
value of the cloth imports OF the entire
largest previous year. 1880. while In guam
tity they are almost double. being si.ii4sio
pounds, II is estimated that by the test OF
quantity the imports of woolens are more
than 100 pes cent greater than ever before.
and ali OF this increase Is taking the place
In the markets formerly supplied by the
domestic manufacturers
one effect OF this change IN the concs-
tons Is that whereas. under high tariff.
only the best wooden goods were imported,
our markets are now flooded by low
grade OF goods in which the cost OF the
material is frequently not over two or
three cents a pound. The filling yarns arc
composed of refuse In which cotton and
wool rsgs have been ground together an
dlScriminyteiy. Upon casual Inspection
the fabric viii stand beside a sound Amer
lean product into which there enters 50 60
IS per cent. of the new wool. The result
- that Amerscan manufacturers have been
forcssi ny this competition TO the use OF
similar materials and !, was recently
stated. ugoa what seems TO - good au-
thcrfsy. that more ssoddy has been used
In American sooSss during the past year
than ever before With q reasonable ,arr
Engltsh goods % a substantial grade could
b imported AZ pgscsx which would compel