The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-01-23
SAMPLES OF FREE TRADE.
Two Industries Frustrated bys Democrats
Tariff.

Two Industries Frustrated bys Democrats
Tariff.
II was the habit of the free traders
during the late campaign 10 say that
the Gorman-Wilson bill would not have
failed if il had been more Of free trade
measure. To their view its scale OF
duties was too high, the difference be-
tween il and an ubiquitous republican
tariff being one of degree and not OF
Kind. Give US what we asked for,
they said, land the manufacturing
prosperity of the United States will
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 max
ing times good. One of these. the lum-
Der industry, we discussed in recent
issue. IL was there shown that free
lumber had deprived the country of .
market for sl3,Oo0.000 worth OF its own
lumber. and al the same time had di-
minished the customs revenue by more
than $1,000 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. The free traders
were again gratiied. They had asked
for free wool. and the tariff on the sta
ple OF the great sheep-raising states
was wiped out. Did times improve?
Did the wool industry fourish? Did the
wheels begin 10 move and the wages be-
gin TO Jingle? Let Us see.
Under the republican tariff law Of
1890 we imported. in 1893, over lli.oco.-
900 pounds of wool. valued al Si3.ooo,-
600. In 1895. under the Gorinan-W Wilson
law. we imported aiS,o0o.oO0 pounds OF
wool. valued at S33.77o.o00. Over So
100000 worth more OF wool was i'm
ported under the democratic tariff law
than under the republican tariff law.
The imports Of wooden goods in 1924
amounted TO sl6.so9. coo. ard in 1895 10
S57.f94.ooo.
We find. Furthermore. thatthere were
a7.2.3.o 200 sheep in the United States.
in 1892. valued AZ Sl25.2Qa.Q00. On tie
~ Of January. 1895. there were 3S.2s>,-
600 sheep in the United States. valued
at S55.coO.ooo. q decrease of 100000 in
the number of sheep and of S6o.ooo.oo9
in value. The imports OF sholdy had in
creased SO. 200. 900. In wooden goods. up
TO one wear ago. the differencewas more
than S5ooo0,0oo in favor OF the foreign
manufacturer and against the domestic
producer. The total loss in these three
items TO the American wool grower and
wage-earner in American " DOL factories
was more than s52.00o.o00.
For the year just closed the Com
nercial Bulletin of Boston makes the
following report:
The year goes ont under a cloud The
small sales are largely composed of foreign
woods. notably Australian. There IS E;;le
or no inquiry for feeces OF any kind. The
sales Of the week were l.ess.stN pounds do
nestle and $500 pounds foreign. aEa!rs;
J $500 pounds domestic and $500 pounds
foreign las; week. and 7.S55,QQc pounds do
nestle and az. 20 pounds foreign for the
same week last year. The sales 10 date
snow decrease OF {5,,ii.7s5 pounds doE1'cs-
tic and H.lH.71Q pounds foreign from Tie
sales 10 the same date Il iscS The receipts
10 date show decrease Of 1885 bales do
nesiic and i7,0d 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
traiions Of the economic results OF Cob
denisn. and tie disaster which has
come TO them is an index 10 what a.
complete free trade schedule would
have visited upon the remaining in
dUstries.
The lesson is one for al thinking men
TO ponder. especially now when the late
supporters Of the young free trader Of
the Platte are trying 10 show that his
election would have made times better
than they are now.-San Francisco Ar
gonaUt.