New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-20

d m
ucpated and then by the partially realized tariff
reductions made by the act OF 1894
ADJUSTMENT OF DUTIES TO SECURE PRO-
lection
Another imperative duty resting on this Con-
gress is so 10 adjust duties In such revision of
the tariff to secure needed revenue to carry on the
Government will better protect the many indus
! tries which have so seriously suffered the last
| three years from unequal foreign competition and
| from the consequent loss OF purchasing power OF
| the masses of the people. upon which the demand
FOR products and the prosperity of every citizen
! depends
The feasibility OF uniting In tariff both reve
nue. and protective qualities has been aptly demon
strated by the results OF the protective tariffs in
force from 1881 to 1893. at which latter date the
tariff Of 1890 practically nufed By the antei-
i patton Of revision on on-protective basis The
| working Of the wool and woollens schedule OF the
tariff OF 1880 protective basis. and OF the same
schedules in the tariff OF 1884 antprotective
| basis is exceedingly instructive this point.
THE importatons Of clothing wool In 1893 under
the tariff OF 1890 about 40o)OoO pounds. ana OF
manufactures OF wool about $3.50 1000. mainly goods
worn by the wel-to-do. who think It the tnlng 10
foreign made cloth, and who are willing to pay
| the duties imposed upon It. From these importa-
tons Of wool and woolens in 1898 the Government
| derived a revenue OF about sii,I0O.ooo.
The mportations OF clothing wool In the hscal
year 1896 exceeded 127 100 600 pounds-three times as
much as In lS93-and OF manufactures OF wool more
than twice many pounds in 1884, as in 1888 and yet
| the revenue derived by the Government from this
| enormous increase In the imports OF wool ana
! woolen in the fiscal year 1896 was only 23.0Oes-
loss OF s2l 100000 from that realized in 1873 IN
| other words by pacing wool on the free list and
| reducing the duties manufactures OF wool, the
| Treasury ost s2 100000 OF revenue our farmers
lost market for the 50 1000 OO pounds Of wool which
| they raised in 1892 in Of what they
| raised in 1861, well nearly 10 cents
| per pound in price involving loss 10 them OF
nearly s300O0oo per annum already on this one farm
product and our manufacturers and their working
! men lost A market only for the goods whicn
Increased foreign imports had supplanted but also
| a market for goods which the farmers and masses
| OF the people were able to purchase In 1893 ou;
which they could buy in 1896 because OF loss
Of employment and purchasing power
| Beyond this It has been demonstrated that oy
| placing wool on the free list to the injury OF the
| farmer and manufacturer. who have not been
| thereby enabled 10 increase exports OF manu-
| features OF wool Cas IT claimed would be the
easel we have greatly increased the use OF shoddy
by diminishing the purchasing power OF the masses
| and thus compelling them to seek the cheapest
| cloths
RESTORATION OF THE DUTY ON WOOL
| 'Enightened by this experience IN revising the
tariff with view OF securing both revenue ana
nro,action 20 our farmers we have restored wool
70 the dutable list the same duty as II bore IN
the tariff Of 1890 G1 cents per pound for the great
mass OF clothing wool In the unwashed condition.
and a revenue duty OF 80 per cent on carpet woo's
| below 10 cents and 80 per cent above) and nave
| made the compensatory duties the equivalent OF
these duties so as TO place the WOO manufacture:
on the same basis as TO materials as his foreign
| compettor-whch is necessary In order that the
| farmer may have market for his woodland nave
| then given the manufacturer a compound duty
40 and 80 per cent ad valorem duties Of both the
| tariffs o. 1890 and 1894.
| "The wool and wooen schedule is substantially
that OF the tariff Of 1890 except that few KINDS OF
wool classed under that and previous acts as car
net wools which have been largely used for cloth
| ing purposes and whose for purpose not IN
tended by the OLD classification has ca used much
| irritation among wool growers have been trans
ferre1 from third class TO hrstclass WOODS; ard me
| exclusively ad valorem duties which have been
previously given 10 the manufacturer as protec-
| ton against his foreign competitor employing
| cheaper labor, and which enabled the latter oy
| under valuation OF the wide variety OF imported
| woollens whose value could not be definitely de-
| termined 10 avoid large part OF the duty appear
ing on the face Of the tariff. have been converted
| as largely as possible into specifics equivalent to
| whatever the present law processes TO give.
I'VE believe that the enactment OF this schedule
| into law will only restore 10 our farmers the
wool growing industry. which mas been so serious
| ly Injured by free woo-our focks having dimn-
| ished more than one-fourth since lS92-but VIII also
be e ee Tesy crpPed by the tariff OF ss and the
loss OF the purchasing power of the masses OF our
s 1SK n Ui he eve 4 rom that
| source which. because OF the character Of the
! practically derived from luxuries.
INCREASE OF THE DUTY ON SUGAR.
| I'VE have increased the duty on sugar from the
40 per cent ad valorem imposed by present tariff
| on raw sugars NOW only nine-tenths OF cent per
pound on raw sugars polarizing 50 degrees on &C
| count OF the decline Of sugars. although about IA
cents when the tariff enacted in 1880 10 i63
| cents, with a countervailing duty on all sugars
! equivalent TO the net export bounty paid by any
the same time afford sufficient protection 10 en-
able our own farmers and planters Ultimately to
| sumption. The production Of cane sugar is large
and under proper PTceGon bse gTo gs IN
least twenty-three States of our Union. which only
! seven years ago regarded Of doubtful prom
ise Is no longer experiment, but demonstrated
success with sucn protection as we recommend
ception OF sugar production by Germany France
| about two-thrds of the worlds sugar
| THE time has come when every effort should be
thus diversity and promote our agriculture; and no
crop in sight affords more hope Of success or
| greater advantages the whole country Even
| with the present low prices OF sugar We paid in
the last fiscal year TO foreign countries about So
900 pad TO the Sandwich Islands for sugars import
ed free Of duty under our say OF IRE s
! rise to 5000 COO To open up such and val
! liable crop TO our farmers (who are finding the
| competition Of Russian and Argentine wheat Sc
| rious drawback is a boon which Congress should
| not hesitate to give, especially at a time when IL
| can be done In the interest OF revenue
| 1--WE have made the duty on refined sugar above
| No 10 in color one eighth of per cent per pound
| additional to that imposed on raw sugar Of the
| same saccharine strength. a protection to the
refined Industry in this country, while this is less
than the dnerential given by the present aw Zone
| eighth of cent and about one-nftleth OF cen:
| carried in the a-round 10 per cent ad valorem
| dutv) vet from the most careful investigation we
can make we believe this reduced diferential vii!
maintain the refining industry in this country espe
ciailv in connection with the counteryailing duty
| bOun