Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-27

can productS and manufactures during the
first fifteen months Of the present tariff,
as contrasted with the exports Of the first
hfteen months Of the tariff Of 1890, was
*22O,S53,320 The excess of exports over
imports during the first fifteen months of
the tariff of 1890 was $213. 972, 96S, but only
,&6, ~, 623 under the first fifteen months OF
OF the tariff of 1894, q loss under the latter
or $157,214.3 45. The net loss in the trade
balance of the United States has been 1885,
TSs GOT during the first fifteen months oper-
alton OF the tariff of 1894, as compared with
the first fifteen months of the tariff of
1881. The loss has been large constant and
steady at the rate Of $13, 10000 per month,
or $a@StO for every business day of the
year.
Losing in Both directions.
We have either been sending too much
money out of the country or getting too
little in, or both. We have lost steadily
In both directions. Our foreign trade has
been diminished and our domestic trade
has suffered incalculable loss Does this
not suggest the cause of our present de-
preston and indicate it's remedy? Conf
dence in home enterprises has almost who.-
ly disappeared. Our shops are closed or
running on half time at reduced wages and
small profit If not actual loss. Our men
at home are idle, and while they are idle
men abroad are occupied in supplying us
with goods. Our unrivaled home market
for the farmer has also greatly suffered
because those who constitute 1.-THE great
army OF American wage-earners-are with
out the work and wages they formerly had.
III they cannot earn wages they cannot buy
products.
They cannot earn If they have no employ
ment, and when they do not earn the farm
er's home market is lessened and impaired
and the loss is felt by both producer and
consumer. The loss of earning power alone
In this country In the past three years is
sumcient to have produced our unfortunate
business situation. II our labor was well
employed and employed at as remunerative
wages as in 1892, In few months every
farmer in the land would feel the glad
change In the increased demand for his
products and in the better prices which he
would receive.
Not Open MINIS, but Open Mills.
1t is not an increase in the volume of
money which is the need Of the time, but an
increase of the volume of business; not an
increase Of coin but an increase of conf
dence. Not more coinage. but more active
Use of the money coined Not open mlnts
for the Unlimited coinage of the silver of
the world, but open mills for the full and
unrestricted labor of American working
men, The employment of our minis for
The coinage Of the silver OF the world would
no, not bring the necessaries and comforts of
life back to our people. This will only
come with the employment of the masses,
and such employment is certain to follow
the re-establishment of a wise protective
policy which shall encourage manufacture
ing at home.
Protection has lost none of its virtue and
Importance. The first duty of the republi-
Can party, If restored to power in the coun-
try, will be the enactment of a tariff law
which Will raise all the money necessary to
conduct the government, economically and
honestly administered, and so adjusted as
to give preference to home manufactures
and adequate protection to home labor and
the home market. We are not committed to
any special schedule or rates of duty They
are and should be always subject to change
to meet new conditions; but the principle
upon which rates Of duty are imposed re-
mains the same. Our duties should ALWAYS
be high enough to measure the difference
between the wages paid labor at home and
in competing countries. and to adequately
protect American investments and Ameri-
can enterprises.
Our Farmers and the Tariff.
Our farmers have been hurt by the
changes in our tariff legislation as severely
as our laborers and manufacturers, badly
as they have suffele ed. The republican plat
form wisely declares in favor of such en-
ccuragement to our sugar interests las will
lead to the production on American soil OF
all the sugar which the American people
USE
1t promises to our wool and wooden inter-
ests the most ample protection" a guar
anty that ought to commend itself to every
patriotic citizen. Never was more grev-
Gus wrong done the farmers of our coun-
try than that so unjustly inflicted during
tie past three years upon the wool growers
of America. Although among our most in
oCstrious and useful citizens, their interests
have been practically destroyed and our
wooden manufacturers involved in similar
disaster AT no time within the past thirty
six years, and perhaps never during any
previous period, have SO many of our WOOL
en- factories been suspended as, now. The
republican party can be relied upon to cor
rect these great wrongs, If again intrusted
with the control Of Congress.
Reciprocity.
Another declaration of the republican
platform that has my most cordial support
Is that Which favors reciprocity. The
splendid results of the reciprocity arrange
n,ents that were made under authority OF
the tariff law of 1890 are strikingly sug-
gestive. The brief period they were ir
fcrce-in most cases only three years-was
rot long enough to thoroughly test their
great value, but sufficient was shown by the
trial to conclusively demonstrate the i'm
portance and the wisdom Of their adoption.
In 1892 the export trade Of the United
States attained the highest point in our his
tory. The aggregate of our exports that
year reached the immense sum of 81 $780,
27S, 14S, a sum greater by s10,D0,000 than
the exports of any previous year. In 1893,
owing to the threat of Cnfriendly tariff leg
islation. the total dropped TO $s47. Go 1874.
Our exports of domestic merchandise de-
creased $1,000, 900, but reciprocity still Sc
cured us large trade in Central and South
America, and larger trade with the West
Indies than We had ever before enjoyed.
The increase of trade with the countries
with which we had reciprocity agreements
was S3,56O,515 over our trade in 1892, and
SIG 44O. 721 over our trade in 1891. The
only countries with which the United
States traded that showed Increased
exports in 1893 were practically those
with which we had reciprocity
rangements. The reciprocity treaty be-
tween this country and Spain, touching
the markets of Cuba and Porto Rico was
announced September !, 1891. The growth
Of our trade with Cuba was phenomenal.
In 1891 we sold that country but 114,441
barrels of flour; in 1892. 1866, 115; in 1888,
GIG, 4O6, and In 1894, 6222,24S barrels. Here
was a growth Of nearly 800 per cent, while
our expectations of four to Cuba for the
year ending June 30, 1S95-the year fol-
lowing the repeal of the reciprocity treaty
fell to 1896 barrels, a loss of nearly
half our trade with that country. The
value of our total exports of merchandise
from the United States to Cuba in 1891
the year prior to the negotiation of the
reciprocity treaty--was $12,22i SsS; in 1892
SIT 1858 579: in 1888. s24. Isl, $685. in 1894 So
125,321, but In 1895, after the annument
Of the reciprocity agreement, it fell to only
$12, SS7, 661.
Many similar examples might he given of
our increased trade under reciprocity with
other countries, but enough has been
shown Of the efficacy o: the legislation of