The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-24
THE RUSH OF IMPORTERS

To Get In Under tho Expiring Days OF the
Wilson TarlT show what the Cations
Earnings OF the DInEIsy Tariff Law
wan he,
WASHINGTON, d. C., Sept, 2S,-rhe
last months work of the importers UNI
der the Wilson tariff is shown in de-
tail by the official publication OF the
Bureau of Statistics, entitled, Monthly
Summary OF Finance and Commerce Of
the United states"
It shows that the importers neglected
no opportunity in that closing month tC
either put money Ia their own pocket OF
take away from the Dingley law Its
earning capacity during Its first few
months, The importation into the Uni
| ted States In the month of July, 1887
amounted to S53,79O,4O7, of which very
large proportion was made up of arti'
cles which could come In at lower rates
under the Wilson law than under the
Dlngley law, which they knew would
go into operation by the close OF that
| month.
one special feature OF the Wilson law
was its effort to bring in free of duty
what is usually termed raw material
that Is, materials In crude condition
for use in manufacturing, The July, 1897
Importation of this particular class OF
articles was double that Of July, 1896
while In the seven months ending with
July, 1887, the increase In free raw ma
terlal. amounted to $5J,OOO,OO0, or an in
crease OF over so per cent for the entire
seven months of the calendar year 1887
It will be interesting to see in what
particular articles the people who were
trying TO avoid paying the new duties
under the Dingley law especially dealt
Take the matter of live animals, for In
stance. The value OF the live animals
imported IN the month OF July, 1887
| amounted to SSji0OO,0OO, while In July
| 1886 they amounted to only S3,000,0O0
The cattle imported In July, 1897, num-
bered 27,740, while I'm July, 1895, thcy
numbered only sou. This was the last
chance OF the importers TO gouge the
| farmers by rushing In Mexican cattle at
the low rates OF the Wilson law, and by
undertaking them, bringing them in
almost free Of duty, The number OF
sheep imported in July, 1891, was G9,9Si
against 4,07S In July of the preceding
year. The importatlonJ of raw cotton
during July, 1897. amounted to G,595,9Os
pounds, against 1,76i,lO0 In July of tho
preceding year. this being due doubt
less to the expectation that the duty on
cotton which was placed In the bill by
the senate would be retained by the
conference committee. The Increase in
cotton cloths was also strongly marked,
al L., Tim
quantity imported In July, 1897, being
2,2Sl 900 yards, against l,S4iS8O In July,
1896 The increase in the duty on veg
etable fbres. such as flax, hemp, etc,
stimulated the dealers in that class OF
goods to unusual activity, the July I'M
ports of this class amounting to $liOD,-
OOO against 100000 Of the correspond
ing month OF last year,
The duty placed upon hides Of course
stimulated the importation OF this artt-
Gle during the closing days of July, be-
fore the new law went into effect. The
total imports of hides, other than fur
skins, during the month of July,nmount-
ed TO q, i3i, lG2 pounds. against 92Og,9Gl
in the corresponding month of 1896, The
Imports Of hides during the entire seven
months Of the calendar year amounted
to 100. 65S i50 pounds, against IS3g2All
pounds In the CORRESPONDING months OF
the preceding year.
The last shot that the wool Importers
and wool producers OF foreign countries
could get at the American farmer under
the free-wOol clause OF the Wilson law
was shown in the imports OF wool dur
Ing July 1897, being over 25OOO,OOO
pounds, as against 5,4jS.OOO pounds In
the corresponding month Of last year,
For the seven months of 1897 ending
with July the Imports Of wool amount
cd to 3lGOOO,OOO pounds as against lOI-
100000 pounds In the corresponding
| months OF the preceding year.
The above statement showing the Inn
portntlon OF few Of tho thousands OF
articles brought In during the closing
days and hours Of the operation of tho
Wilson law are given for the purpose Of
| indicating the large quantity OF foreign
goods which the Dingley law found In
the country and which, Of Themselves
must reduce The prices received by pro.
ducers, and also by way OF explanation
| N any explanation rs necessary OF the
| fact that the customs earnings Of the
Dlnplcy law are, and naturally must be
| Hight during the first few months Of IT,
operation, indeed the wonder Is that
they have been MS great as they art
during the two months In which chi
| law has now been upon The stntut,
| books.