The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-17
The Tariff Bill.

The Tariff Bill.
1t is known now what the tariff bill is,
and it is safe to say that it causes dis
appointment to about everybody except
those who expect to derive a pecuniary
benefit from it. The cotton and metal
schedules are pretty nearly like those of
the present tariff. Cotton and metal
manufacturers don't need protection, and
hence are satisfied with what they have,
but in many important particulars the du-
ties are considerably higher than were
those of the Mckinley tariff.
Take for instance the duty on pocket
cutlery. In nearly all kinds of knives 1t
is higher-a great deal higher-than was
the duty for which the Mckinley tariff
provided On knives that retail at about
50 cents, the duty under the Mckinley
tariff was about 50 per cent. Under the
present tariff it is about 81 per cent and
under the proposed new tariff It ranges
from 100 per cent to 2O4 per cent This is
a sample of the way certain monopolies
are protected.
If we are not mistaken we can manu-
facture pocket knives as cheaply as they
can be manufactured in any other country.
1t is certain that the fine tools of
this country find a market in England
and about every other European country.
Why then should there be such an enor-
nous duty placed on pocket cutlery? The
only reason apparent is that the manu-
facturers of that sort of cutlery want the
chance Of selling the products of their
fs, ha
home market while selling their goods in
foreign markets at a very moderate profit.
If we are not mistaken the bill is so
framed as to permit the manufacturers,
by combining, TO get very much higher
prices for their products in the home mar
ket than they are glad to sell them for
in foreign markets In other words on
the plea that the home market is to be
kept for American manufacturers the
home consumers are to be practically rob
bed. 1t is a notorious fact that under the
Mckinley tariff American plows were sold
in Cuba and South America for about
third less than they could be had by the
farmers within mile of the factory in
which they we're made.
We doubt if any one of the schedules
of the bill will produce much additional
revenue, except the sugar schedule, and
from that. from 100000 TO S20Oooo0O adj
ditional may be obtained. The higher du-
ties will not yield more revenue on most
of the articles on which the rates have
been raised; they will simply shut out i'm
portations.
Speaking of the wool and woollens
schedule Ex-Congressman Isadore Straus,
who is partner in one of the largest
stores in New York says: THE woollen
schedule will advance every article that
the poor man needs from 25 to 80 per
cent, and, with the extra rate on wool,
the temptation 70 use shoddy and other
substitutes will deprive the only people
who need it most of woollen clothing in
the honest sense Of the word,
"There is no, Disgusting the fact at this
time that the tax which they put on the
needs of every one is not for revenue to
be derived from that tax. But for every
$40 worth of protection to the domestic
| producer only one dollar will go into the
treasury. In other words, for every dol
lars worth of woollen goods which will
be imported there will be probably $40
worth manufactured here and there will
be paid into the pockets of the producers
of this $40 worth just sufficient of the tax
as will keep the price below what the i'm
ported article win cost
II is quite safe to say that the fight on
| the bill will be a fierce one. The bill will
be passed, of course. but it is doubtful if
it's friends will be able to recognize it by
| the time 1t gets through the Senate.
The monopolies are rejoicing now be-
cause they think they see enormous
profits in the near future, but the bill is
a long way from being law yet. If it
should pass in its present shape the peo-
Pile at the next congressional election
would repudiate 1t as they did the McKin-
/ lev tariff