New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-18
THE MEANING OF WOOLLENS DUTIES

THE MEANING OF WOOLLENS DtIIES.
II was 10 be expected that all Free Traders
would denounce the Dingley Tarn bill with ex-
ceedinC bitterness 1t was also 10 he expected
that some would dishonesty assert that Nc
Kinley could not have been elected if It had been
known that he would favor a high protective
tariff" A tariff high enough 10 protect thor-
ouohlv is exactly what he publicly advocated
everv day during the whole campaign from his
doorstep In Canton. Any man who pretends he
did not know II advertises himself before all the
world as q falsfer The question what rate of
duty is necessary thoroughly TO protect in each
particular branch Of industry IS one of prac-
,,ca, knowledge and not of theory and 1t is alto
pother likely that many people did not realize
what rates of duty might be found necessary 10
insure effective protection, in branches of manu-
facture with which they were not familiar. But
they deliberately voted for full and enectve
protection, with their eyes open, and without
doubt will sustain the measure or duties fonhd
necessary In each instance.
If Is possible that the duties proposed ON some
grades of woolen goods are unnecessarily hlgh'
bur il NAV be suggested that dsinterested ana
na,rlotlc men of the highest qualifications, after
studying the subject with access TO all sorts OF
information for months. have come TO the oppo-
s,te conclusion. and the public must be pardoned
for surprising that they may have learned IN
,bose months more than has occurred TO hasty
critics in few hours. 1t requires considerable
courage TO set up an impression, not 1ortned
by any prolonged and careful investigation
against the judgment Of men who have been
devoting their whole time for months to the
comparison and weighing Of facts bearing upon
a problem The Tribune. at all events, Is not
Impatient 10 dissent from the able men who have
framed this bill. They certainly consulted with
President Mckinley himself as to every impor-
tant feature of IL. and his knowledge as an ex-
pert on this subject is extensive.
The difficulty in adjusting duties on woollens
ia tbreefold. There Is first the unavoidable ad-
vantage which foreign manufacturers have In
their ability 10 select from all varieties OF free
wool the mixtures that produce most cheaply
desired result. while the American manufact-
urer II agriculture is to be adequately protected
cannot select with the same freedom. To what
extent this necessarily enhances the cost OF par
ticular kinds Of goods only the most skilled ex-
merits can Judge. But in addition there is the
fact that withdrawal Of the American demand
for wool must tend TO make 1t cheaper for for
eign manufacturers, so that the measure OF diff
ference which now exists between the cost OF
materials to them and to American manufact-
urers NAV be widened Third and above all,
there is the impossibllity Of determining how far
shoddy is or can be used with effect In foreign
production, resulting in greatly decreased cost,
and often without any inferiori'y OF quality
which ordinary purchasers can detect.
To build up the American manufacture Of
goollen goods has been one Of the hardest tasks
~ In all the thirty-sx years Of protection. 1t