New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-14
THE COST OF UOOLLEy CLOTHING.

Since Mr. Wilson fixed his place in history by
the passing Of the worst tariff bill ever known.
one so disgraceful that even his party CHIEF
denounced II as bill of perfidy and dishonor,
and its leading journals as packed from end
to end with favors TO monopolies' measure so
calamtous that it prevented recovery from the
worst panic for fifty years. which panic the
prospect of such measure had caused, there
las been no necessity 10 consider the economic
opinions Of the said Wilson as of the slightest
consequence Nor are they now. He can gain
attention as he does. only by making assertions
so flagrantly untrue that they call for correction
In a letter TO The New-Yo Herald" he asserts
that the pending Tariff bill will Immediately in
crease the cost and degrade the quality Of the
"Woollen goods consumed, and reckons that
this increase will be at the rate Of ten cents per
pound TO wool-growers. or TO all about $4,000
600 yearly at a cost TO the people of So 30 per
ipbabitan or S1SO000.O 900 in increased cost of
clothing.
There are some things which every public
man conspicuous enough TO have been leader
Of the House and member Of the Cabinet
must be presumed to know. Mr.. Wilson pre-
sumably knows what he and other people have
paid for their clothes during the last five
years, and beyond possibility of dispute knows
that there has been 10 such reduction in
cost of clothing actually purchased by the peo-
rle since the Mckinley tariff was in force as
would warrant a notion that restoration of its
duties would raise the cos. quarter. The
plain fact is that on nearly all grades Of cloth
ing used by the millions there has been no ap-
preciabe reduction in cost. The kinds which
enter into the consumption of the more wealthy,
i>ooouco oit importpd or cOrrpsDOn0iDC in an
pearance or quality with imported goods. have
been TO some extent reduced. but ey this small
part of the total consumption has not been re-
duced by fifth in cost. If the present tariff
has not made the cost to consumers 20 per cent
lower than it was under the Mckinley tariff. it
is obviously unwarraned TO assert that return
TO Mckinley duties would make it % per cent
higher.
Presumably Mr.. Wilson will seek to escape by
claiming that If the tailor and ready made cloth
ing dealer and dressmaker have absorbed most
of the benefits so that the consumers have
gained very little, that is not the fault of his
tariff But It is not the tariff, but his assertion.
that is now on trial. If there has been scarcely
any decline in cost of clothing to consumers.
from whatever cause. resulting from reduction
Of duties it is downright deception 10 claim that
the restoration Of MCKINNEY dullcs Oh NoohehH
will cause n great increase The truth per
fectIy well known 10 Mr.. Wilson is that tie
people do not wear cloth, but clothing, OF which
the cloth constitutes bur a small part OF the
cost OF wOmen's dresses the woollen dress
goods cost about third Of the final cost Of the
dress and OF mems clothing such AZ the millions
wear not third. That part Of the cost only
would be reduced if the cloth were made cheap
er. or Increased if the cloth were made dearer,
and instead of affecting the entire cost of wool
len clothing. say $40 per capita III Mr.. Wilson's
reckoning the cost Of the cloth would affect
less than n third Of that or SO 30 per capita. on
which an advance Of quarter, If actually made.
would mean about ~ cents. But there Is no
ground for the assertion that the cloth has been
reduced ~ tina, ratio. or would be rendered
dearer IN that ratio.
II is the fact that this country cannot protect
its wool growers without mourning some addi-
tional expense for woollen cloth. Deceptive
oxaggeratlons Of that increased expense may
be brushed aside worthy only OF con
tempt. But the honest Protectonlst frankly
faces the fact that In the presen, development
of the wool-grOwing industry It's full protection
Involves some Increase III the cost Of cloth. Ihit
industry has never yet been 50 efficiently de-