The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-11

ahIs "ueAuoF " " OT " nv W. N-~"~
taria Law Ne ever had its Opponsnts are
many and they are noisy and insistent.
They ignore the fact that ian drafted
by them TO their entire satisfaction would
only excite the diaa pprOval and opposition
% scas ether ETOup. a universally sat
isfactOry tariff bill 10 virtually impossible.
The economic value Of such measures In
broadly determinAble on esther OF two
bases: the eject on the cost Of living and
the influence ON general industrial ac-
tivity.
While the senate committes noW en-
gagged In an investigation Of prices Of
commodities will doubtless be able TO
show that the tariff 10 not the immediate
and particularly effective cause o. high
prices. IL will not be able IN show that the
Payne ball has brought about any down
ward price movement, Supporters 81 the
ball aver that IL has stimulated business
and increased industrial activity. Proof
% this averment by AGures 10 dificut.
Recovery from the trade depression Of
1908 was well under way before the Payne
bill became q law. and the consideration
Of that ball unquestionably halted the
| trade Improvement. II 10 quite imponsi
ble To determine the force Of tho Payne
bill in the industrial and commercial
progress % the months that have passed
since ahe bill vas signed. Its influence
can be seen in q few specific instances in
the import records. bat Ia difficult Of meas
urement in the records a. a whole.
The bill was signed on August S. 1909.
and trade reports are available up 90 the
end OF February. 1910. Comparison may
he made between the imports of those
months and the imports Of the CORE
spending months OF the preceding years.
A change apparently due 20 the reduction
in the duty on iron ore from 70 cents 60
IS cents ton appears thus in the show
inE Of imports for seven months ending
with February 1908. t7.Oas. O7I: ISOe.
o.. STA. s22. and 1910. ~. SO. coz.
A reduction from - . ton to o. 50 on
scrap iron appears To have brought in
more scrap. for the importAtions for iO0s.
IIOe and 1910 have been: SIta.sss. s47,2II.
o. 2Os. OoO.
The effect Of reduction On pig iron from
o. . ton to o. so IL uncertain. The figures
are: For 1909. %. III. ia; for 1909. o.. SIs0i7.
and for 1910. q. eos. OE2.
The same 10 the case with bar iron. re-
duced from siK-tenths Of . cent . pound
to three tenths Of cent. the record be-
ing: 1905. N.iSs.s57; Isoe. tt0s O4s. and 1910.
s075. 5O2.
! Comparison OF the figures Of 1910 with
those Of 1900 only would he unfair and
misleading. The figuring out % the iron
and steel schedule in i'm entirety would
be Q tedious and almost useless task.
Many changes we're made. and most Of
them we're reductions. The seven months
record Of recent years for the list an .
! whole 10 a. follows:
ig7 s-aa.sSl. IWs 81 slss .i
ISos I!.IsI.s7s 1910 - "a ass
| Obviously the influence Of tariff reduc-
ton - not easily determined in such a
record IL cannot he great. and u NAV
BE- almost negligible The increase from
1919 To 1910 - probably indicative Of
general business improvement, ~ return
70 previous conditions. rather than a siGn
Of larger imports due TO tariff reduction
/ The conditions IN this special industry
are broadly repeated in many line.
4 There are numerous articles on which
the rates we're increased which yet show
increase in imports. The rate on cot
ton cloth was increased by a perceatAes
which cannot ne figured out. vet nearly
]
IN the 1910 term a. in the 1874 term. hut
less than WAS imported two years ago.
The rates on brandy and on cham
payne were increased. but more Of both
came in than was imported ven in
prosperous 1907 The rates on hgs.
grapes. lemons. hops aud a number of
other articles we're increased and imports
for the last seven months have been
4. n.
some items rates were reduced and
imports have decreased Other articles
on which rates we're changed shoW little
difference IN quantity purchased Ev-n
the effect % transferring hides tn the free
list - uncertain Imports have increased
enormously. but the buying movement set
IN long before the tariff was changes.
The imports OF cattle hides for the seven
months preceding the passage % ,hs
Payne ball show a value Of SIs 81. OO an
increase Of $1,000. 90 over the CORE
spending term % the preceding year and
% o. .OOO ON over the same term in 1897
! 4 very large part % the increase IN I'M
ports during the current hacal year, an
increase amounting to 500 go On for the
first eight months Of the year. has been IN
articles whose duty rates we're not cha nged
nv tho Payne Law Increased imports Of
diamonds and other gems account for
nearly 10 per cent Of that t2O0. I'D 90.
Furs account for nearly $1,000 600. goat
skins for 81 500 OO0. rIbber for s7T 90 Coz.
raw WOOL for nearly si' 600. 600. and long
! list 81 other articles unchs nged 10y the
! Payne la~ shows increases ranging from
scores or hundreds Of thOusa nds To several
millions % dollars. A large percentage
~ the articles on which the rates we're
| cha nged are imported IN comparatively
ANAL quantities. articles used in chemical
or industrial processes and only indirectly
and probably imperc~ptibly affecting the
pocket % the ultimate consumer In that
fact unquestionably lies the ground Of
the greater part Of the complaint and the
criticism. To the complainants the bene-
fits Of the asserted reduction are so indi-
rect that they are invisible. Because they
are invisible they are declared tn he
non -existent.
! IL NAV he AAid With absolute certainty
! that tariff reductions such a. are stiII
demanded by millions Of the people