The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-01-23
SAMPLES OF FREE TRADE.
Two Industries Frustrated by q Democra a
Tariff.

Two 1nuusNrien trOstrAteu by a DemofrA ~
Tariff. 4
IL was the habit of the free traders
dnring the late campaign TO say that
the Gorman-Wilson bill would not have
failed il il had been more of free trade
measure. To their view its scale of
duties was too high. the difference be-
tween it and an ubiquitous republican
tariff" being one OF degree and not OF
kind. Give us what we asked for
they said, "and the manufacturing
prosperity of the United States win
rival that of England"
We are reminded of this boast by the
fate of two great industries, the raw
material for which was placed on the
free list, in exact accord with the
choicest Golden club formula for maxi
ing times good. One OF these, the lum-
Der industry. we discussed IN a recent
issue. IL was there shown that free
lumber had deprived the country OF u
market for $l3,o00,000 worth OF It's own
lumber, and at the same time had di-
unfinished the customs revenue by more
than $l,5O0,0OO, thrown 100000 men
out OF regular work and wages. and had
made no appreciable saving in the cost
OF building houses. The free Traders
had had precisely what they asked for,
and times were never before SO hard
in the lumber trade.
Then as TO wool. Tho free traders
were again gratified. They had asked
for free wool. and the tariff on the sta
pie of the great sheep-raising states
was wiped out. Did times improveP
Did the wool industry flourish? Did tho
wheels begin TO move and the wages be-
gin TO jingle? Let us see.
Under the republican tariff law OF
1890 we imported, in 1898. over III ,000,-
600 pounds OF wool, valued at $i3,000,-
600. In 1905, under the Gormau-Wilson
law. we imported 24s,O00,000 pounds OF
wool, valued az $33,7700oO. Over $2O,-
100000 worth more OF wool was inn
ported under the democratic tariff law
than under the republican tariff law.
The imports of wooden goods in 1894
amounted to sl6,soo.oo and in 1898 to
s57.d04,000.
We find, furthermore, that there were
47,273,0O0 sheep in the United States,
IN 1892. valued az SIPS, 900. On the
1st OF January, 1896, there were 3s,2os,-
600 sheep in the United States, valued
at sos 900 900, n decrease of 100000 in
tho number OF sheep and Of S60,000,OO0
in value. The imports OF shoddy had In
creased So 100000. In wooden goods, UP
TO one year ago, the difference was more
than $50, 100000 in favor Of the foreign
manufacturer and against the domestic
producer. The total loss in these three
items TO the American wool grower and
wagc-earncr in American wool factories
was more than $62, 100000.
For the year just closed the Com
mercial Bulletin OF Boston makes the
following report:
"The year goes out under a cloud The
small sales are largely composed OF foreign
woods notably Australian. There is little
or no inquiry for fleeces Of any kind. Tho
sales Of the week were 90. 500 pounds do
nestle and $4,000 pounds foreign. against
l.o05CO0 pounds domestic and $4,000 pounds
foreign last week. and 7,265,00O pounds do
nestle and 2,35i.000 pounds foreign for the
same week last year The sales TO date
show decrease OF 47,ll4,763 pounds domcs-
Tic and 3i1ii,TO0 pounds foreign from the
sulcs 10 the same date in 1905 Tho receipts
20 date show a decrease of 1856 bales do
nestle and i17,0d bales foreign"
This is an exhibit OF what comes Of
giving free trade "a fair show" in a
country like the United States. Lumber
and wool stand out as concrete illus
trations OF the economic results of Cob
denism, and the disaster which has
come TO them is an index TO what a
complete free trade schedule would
have visited upon The remaining in
dustries.
The lesson is ono for oil thinking men
60 ponder. especially now when the late
supporters Of the young free trader Of
the Platte are trying TO show that his
election would have made times better
than they are now.-Snn Francisco Ar
rCnaut