Middletown transcript., 1898-04-16
SPECIAL WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington. Abr. -. 1898.

While every man and woman IS IN
terested in the exciting subjects which
have been prominently before the pub
lie mind in Washington during the past
month, it may be interesting to turn
aside for moment to consider that |
subject which, at this time last year.
was engrossing public attention, the
new tariff.
It is subject which will especially
interest the farmers just now, for the
new law, having been in operation for
more than half-year, it is practicable
to begin to measure its effect upon all
classes and especially upon thegreat in
dustries of agriculture and manufac-
turing.
The Treasury Department has just
issued statement covering in detail
the operations of the new law during
the first half-year of its work, also
showing the importations and exporta-
tions for January of the present year.
It is especially interesting to the farmer
because it gives him an insight into
the work of the new tariff law COM
pared with that which preceded it and
particularly as to its effect upon his
own industry.
Some facts relative to the first six
months work of the law have been al
ready alluded to. but it is well enough
in this connection to point out the fact
that the total importations of articles
Of food and live animals in the first
half-year Of the new law fell nearly
$40, 900, 900 as compared with the cor
responding six months of the preceding
year under the Wilson law.
1t is proper to assume that the new
law had come into fair working order
by the time it reached itssixth month.
and as the Treasury report just issued
covers the sixth month of its operation
| In detail, we will consider that alone,
comparing it with the corresponding
month of the preceding year under
the Wilson law. The sixth month un-
der the new tariff law is January, 1898.
The articles of food and live animals
imported in January, 1898, under the
Dingley Jaw amounted to $12, 1913, ,448
In value against $15, 400 .295 in value
in the January of the preceding year
under the Wilson law.
| Now for details: The Importation of
horses in January, 1898, under the
Dingley law am ounted to only S10,97S
in value against S21, 1854 in January of
the preceding year under the Wilson
law. Meantime the exports of horses
in January. 1898, amounted to S562 ,140
as against $685.. 8.295 in the preceding
January, thus showing reduction of
so per cent in the importation of horses
under the new law and an increase Of
so per cert in the expectation of horses
The importations of sheep in Janu-
ary of the present year were SIG, 1855
against $31 ,319 in the corresponding.
months of last year. OF barley The inn
portatious in January we're only 5000
bushels against 161, ,625 bushels in the
preceding January under the Wilson
law. or oatmeal the January, 1893,
importations were oEly ,476 bs.against
58, 1922 lbs. in the corresponding month
of the preceding year. while the expor.
tation of oatmeal increased from
3,777. .788 lbs. in January, 1897, to
| /, ,149, ,3O2 lbs. in 1893. OF cnic6ry, the
January, 1898, imports were only 3,O55
lbs. against 944, ,035 In January of the
preceding year. There was slight
falling off in the importation of eggs,
the number being in January last,
&c. 207 dozen against 21,072 dozen In
the preceding January. while the ex-
! ports In January, 1893. were 163, ,00S
dozen against SO, ,875 dozen In the pre-
ceding January. OF fax. the January,