Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-01-28
a TRleUTE From TIE ENEMY.
Tariff ReRormers Have Scored . Marked
Triumph on the Wool Schedule.


The address of S. n. ID. North before
the ways and means committee of the
house of representatives was by all odds
| the most interesting and enlightening
disclosure that the tariff hearing has
called out, if indeed it is not the most
important contribution to tariff htera-
ture and thought that has appeared
since Grover Cleveland's celebrated
tariff message of 1887.
It was a genuine surprise. It was q
terrible shock to the fanatical protec-
ZIONIST It was the highest tribute to
the principle of tariff reform that could
be paid. Between the position of the
free traders, as the protectionist press
denominates tariff reformers, and the
wooden manufacturers as represented
by Mr.. North, there is scarcely one iota
of practical difference. In other words,
the wooden manufacturers. speaking
through their official representative,
proclaim to the world their acceptance
of the policy of the free traders. This
is a great advance towards the final
and satisfactory settlement of the tariff
question.
The corner stone of the tariff reform
structure was free wool. That was the
key note of President Cleveland's tariff
message in 1887. The center of opposi-
ton to tariff reform was massed against
free wool. The free traders, accepting
the enemy's designation of tariff re-
formers, said that free wool would be
boon to the people because it would
give them cheaper and better clothing;
that it would be boon for the manu-
facturer because it would enlarge and
cheaper the supply of raw material;
and that it would not injure the Ameri-
can wool grower because the wool i'm
ported would not compete with the
home clip; that the American grower
would be likely to be benefited by the
building up of the American wooden
manufacturing industries. President
Cleveland set forth these views nine
years ago, and they were combatted
with such intensity by both the manu-
facturer and the grower that for very
consistency extreme views in the OPP
posite direction were incorporated into
the Mckinley law. What is Mr.. North's
testimony to-day? We quote from the
press report of his speech:
Never. until he had had experience under
free wool. did the manufacturer realize the
disadvantage he suffered under a wool
duty and the impOssibility of any COM
pensatory duty offsetting these disadvan-
tages. The concentration OF American
purchases upon the woods which can be
bought under the duty increases the price
compared with that which would be paid
if all woods were available. and the course
OF the market under free wool has indicated
that the enhancement of the price is about
four cents per pound A duty has another
effect in cheapening the price of the wool
which cannot be imported. SO that the for
eign manufacturer, added to all the other
advantages which he naturally possesses,
is able to get his wool cheaper from cause
growing indirectly out of the duty.
All the restrictions of the old law were
put there, Mr.. North insisted, to embarrass
and impede the manufacturer in his choice
of wool They have that effect, and are
thus additional disadvantages for which he
gets no equivalent. Mr.. North declared /
that these restrictions were not required,
because there was hardly any occupation
for which the opportunities were SO few
as in the sale of wool.
It was necessary. he believed, to recite
these facts, that congress and the Amer
lean people should understand the econom-
ic disadvantages of duty on wool. The
manufacturers did not appear to resist the
restoration of wool duty. They were
willing to make sacrifices in order that the
policy of protection might apply to all
products that need protection. They
agreed in advance to a degree OF protection
equal to that to be imposed on their goods.
They simply demanded that there should be
no return to the restrictive rates Of pre-
ViOus wool schedules.
1t was a great and important fact that,
as the manufacture had now developed
here, the use of foreign woods had become
indispensable. Any duties on wool, the pur-
pose OF which was to exclude and pro-
hibit its Importation, would restrict the
American manufacturer to such fabrics as
Pap "a nF06IHRd from domestic wool.
effect of such restriction would be to in
crease the importation of foreign woods in
manufactured form and diminish the de-
mand for American woods and the employ
ment of American machinery.
Nj. North declared that no American
manufacturer bought foreign wool for any
purpose for which he could use domestic
wool, and that foreign wool was not used
to displace American, and that, while it
did not displace it, its importation increased
the market for American wool.
Pretty substantial testimony in favor |
OF free wool, is 1t not? A thorough ac-
acknowledgement of the correctness of the !
position of the free traders, is it not? 1t |
must be remembered that Mr.. North Is |
no mere theorist, as he once regarded /
President Cleveland, and Roger .. /
Mills, William l.. Wilson and other free !
traders. He is not an emissary from the |
Golden club, paid by British gold
He is the representative and spokesman |
of the practical men in business. He is |
the secretary of the Wool Manufactur- |
crs' association, and the views he pre- |
sents must be accepted as the views of |
the practical wool manufacturers. And
no theorizing free trader has put the
for free wool stronger than |
did MIR. North for the manufacturers. |
They are converted to the belief in the |
very foundation of tariff reform, free |
wool, after only two years practical |
in its use. And these two |
years have been most unfavorable to |
business experiments of any kind.
We regard this confession as the most /
striking effect that the campaign of ed
ucation has produced. Sound ideas upon |
economic policies have been driven into
the heads of the most viruient enemies /
of tariff reduction. 1t is an encouraging
sign. 1t cannot fail to have an effect |
for good upon those who would plunge /
the country into protective madness
again. It leads to the hope and belief /
that the time may not be long distant /
when manufacturing New England will /
become what it was before. the strong
hold of free trade in America.-Utica
IN W Observer.
He Laughs Best
A certain weli-known merchant in
town is just now enjoying himself inn
He was a Bryan man during
the campaign. Other Wholesale mer-
chants. who opposed Bryan. used to