Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-02-06
A rRIsurE FROM The ENEMY.
Tariff Reformers Have Scored = Marked
Triumph on the Wool Schedule.


The address of S. n. ID. North belol
, the ways and means committee of II
house of representatives was by all odd
the most interesting and enlightenin
disclosure that the tariff hearing hO
called out, II indeed 1t is not the mos
important contribution to tariff llterg
ture and thought that has appeare,
since Grover Cleveland's celebrate,
tariff message of 1887.
1t was a genuine surprise. 1t was
terrible shock to .he fanatical protec
ZIONIST. 1t IVES tie highest tribute t,
the principle OF tariff reform that coulC
be paid. Between the position of the
free traders, as tho protectionist press
denominutes tariff reformers, and the
WOODEN manufacturers us represented
by Mr.. North, there is scarcely one iota
of practical difference. In other words
the wooden manufacturers, speaking
through their official representative,
proclaim to the world their acceptance
of the policy of the free traders. This
Is a great advance towards the final
and satisfactory settlement Of the tariff
question.
The corner stone of the tariff reform
structure was free wool. That was the
key note of President Cleyeland's tariff
message in 1887. The center of opposi-
ton to tariff reform WAS massed against
free wool. The free traders, accepting
the enemy's designation of tariff re-
formers, said that free wool would be q
boon to the people because it would
give them cheaper and better clothing;
that it would be a boon for the manu-
facturer because it would enlarge and
cheaper the supply of raw material;
and that it would not injure the Ameri-
can wool grower because the wool i'm
ported would not compete with the
home clip; that the American grower
would be likely to be benefited by the
building up of the American wooden
manufacturing industries. President
Cleveland set forth these views nine
years ago, and they were combatted
with such intensity by both the manu-
facturer and the grower that for very
consistency extreme views in the OPP
posite direction were incorporated into
the Mckinley law. What is Mr.. North's
testimony to-day? We quote from the
press report of his speech:
Never, until he had had experience under
free wool, did the manufacturer realize the
he suffered under a wool
duty, and the impossibility of any COM
pensatory duty ofrsetting these disadyan-
The concentration of American
purchases upon the woods which can be
under the duty increases the price
compared with that which would be paid
II all woods were available, and the course
Of the market under free wool has indicated
that the enhancement of the price Is about
four cents per pound. a duty has another
effect in cheapening the price of the wool
cannot be imported, SO that the for
manufacturer. added to all the other
which he naturally possesses,
8 able to get his wool cheaper from a ause
indirectly out of the duty.
All the restrictions of the old law were
put there, Mr.. North insisted, to embarrass
and impede the manufacturer In his choice
If wool. They have that effect. and are
additional disadvantages for which he
gets no equivalent. Mr.. North declared
hat these restrictions were not required,
because there was hardly any occupation
for which the opportunities were SO few
Is In the sale of wool.
1t was necessary, he believed, to recite
.hese facts, that congress and the Amer
can people should understand the econom-
C Disadvantages of a duty on wool. The
manufacturers did not appear to resist the
of a wool duty. They were
wiling to make sacrifices in order that the
policy of protection might apply TO all
that need protection. They
greed In advance to a degree Of protection
DUAL to that to be imposed on their goods.
They simply demanded that there should be
10 return to the restrictive rates Of pre-
'ious wool schedules.
1t was d great and important fact that,
Is the manufacture had now developed
lere, the use OF foreign woods had become
Any duties on wool. the pur-
,ose OF which was to exclude and pro-
libit its importation. would restrict the
American manufacturer to such fabrics as
an be produced from domestic wool. The
fleet of such restriction would be to In
.rease the importation of foreign woods In
manufactured form and diminish the de-
nand for American woods and the employ
VI AAtA1 va
Mr.. North declared that no American
manufacturer bought foreign wool for any
for which he could use domestic
WOOL, and that foreign wool was not used
0 displace American, and that. while it
id not displace it, Its Importation increased
he market for American wool.
Pretty substantial testimony In favor
Il free wool, is it not? A thorough ac-
,nowledgment Of the correctness of the
of the free traders, is it not? 1t
must be remembered that Mr.. North is
10 mere theorist, as he once regarded
resident Cleveland, and Roger Q,
ILLS, William l.. Wilson and other free
raiders. lie is not an emissary from the
.obden club, paid by British gold
lie is the representative and spokesman
f the practical men in business. He is
he secretary of the Wool Manufacture
RS association, and the views he pre-
must be accepted as the views OF
ne practical wool manufacturers. And
theorizing free trader has put the
for free wool stronger than
id Mr.. North for the manufacturers.
hey are converted to the belief in the
cry foundation of tariff reform, free
tool, after only two years practical
Experience in its use. And these two
ears have been most unfavorable to
BUSINESS experiments Of any kind.
We regard this confession as the most
effect that the campaign of ed.
cation has produced. Sound ideas upon
ocnomic policies have been driven into
he heads of the most yirulent enemies
f tariff reduction. 1t is an encouraging
ign. 1t cannot fail TO have an effect
br good upon those who would plunge
he country into protective madness
gain. 1t leads to the hope and belief
hat the time may not be long distant
hen manufacturing New England will
ecome what it was before, the strong
old of free trade in America.-Utica
\. W Observer.
He Laughs Best.
A certain w~ell-known merchant in