The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-04
THE FLOOD OF IMPORTS.

Events attending the revision of the
tariff afford another illustration of the old
familiar maxim, mo one can make an
omelette without breaking eggs" While
Congress is celebrating on the new sched-
ules to be adopted the importers are busy
in bringing IN foreign goods under the ex-
listing duties so as to obtain the advantage
which will accrue when the duties are
raised.
Reports from our special correspondent
at Washington published yesterday are to
the effect tina: the statistics of the Treas
ury Department justify the conclusion
that foreign goods are being brought into
the country so rapidly there is likely to be
nearly years supply on hand when the
new tariff goes into effect. The retroac-
tive clause of the bill adopted by the
House seems to have had little or no effect
on the imports, as the importers have
reached the conclusion that either it will
be stricken out by the Senate or else be
declared invalid by the courts. At any
rate. they are acting in the belief that if
the clause proves to be imperative they
will gain by making their importations
now, and if it should be sustained they
will not lose much by going ahead in
stead of waiting until after the bill is en-
acted.
AS result of these conditions the i'm
portations for A ril have been phenome-
nally large. The total imports last
August amounted to less than $50, 900, 900.
In Decem Der they rose 10 500, 900, 900, while
for the last month they reached the great
sum of $S0,000,000. 1t is also noted that
the increase has been particularly large in
non-dutiable articles, showing that the
Importers are taking every advantage of
the free list of the Wilson tariff in order
to obtain large profits when the protective
measure comes into force.
This increasing food of imports very
naturally causes uneasiness in CONNER
cial and industrial circles, and will I'M
doubleday have a bad effect upon the
country for some time TO come. 1t will
largely counteract the good effects of pro-
lection for many months, possibly for
whole year, and prevent American pro-
ducers from receiving the full benefit the
measure is intended to provide. In spite
of all this however, it would be unfair to
accuse the Senate of any undue delay in
enacting the bill. A tariff, If it is to be
equally beneficial as revenue bill and as
protective measure dealing equally with
all the diverse interests OF the country,
must be carefully and deliberately con.
sidered.
The West has important in terests which
were not fully protected in the bill as it
passed the House, and we must look to
the Senate to protect them. This we
have every reason to believe the Senate
will do. and bad as may be the effects of
the large importations from abroad it
would be better to stand them for time
and perfect good tariff bill rather than
to make undue haste and impose upon
the country a measure which would be in
adequate to its permanent welfare. We
can never have rest from tariff legislation
and trade disturbances until that legisla-
ton has been settled by being settled
right, and any deliberation necessary to
that end will not be on the whole dis
advantageous to the people.