Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1895 — SUMMIT IS REACHED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SUMMIT IS REACHED.

GOTHAM EDITOR CLIMBS TO THE TOP OF MOUNt MENDACITY. A System of Jugglery with Figures That Free Traders Practice—ln venf tions Used to Deceive Casual Read-' ers-Know-It-All Writers Caught. Godkin in a Corner. The editor of the New York Evening Post Is never so-unfortunate as when he writes upon the tariff question. Mr. Godkln’s recent silence in this direction had almost led us to believe that he was beginning to comprehend the vastness of bis ignorance upon this subject. As a juggler and falsifier of figures Mr. Godkln’s ability is so well known that it hardly needs fresh confirmation, but

it is well to point out that his most recent effort to uphold the existing “tariff reform” measure was entirely devoid of the slightest semblance of fact or veracity. This Baron Munchausen of the “Tariff Reform” party says; “That under the McKinley tariff the importations of woolen goods were greater than under the present tariff. If a schedule of exportations of woolens were made up for thg corresponding periods, they would probably sliOw a contrary result—that is larger exportations now than then.” Mr. Godkin was too lazy to add together each month’s figures of our imports aud exports, but he published an imaginary half year’s imports simply by cutting in half the returns of our imports for the year ending June 30, 1592, comparing them with our imports of woolens during the six months ending Feb. 28, 1895, which latter were given at $17,353,292. Mr. Godkin conveniently forgets to tell his readers that his tariff reform rates on woolen manufactures did not take effect till Jan. 1, 1895, aud that during three months only, ending March 31, 1595, our imports of ail woolen goods reached SIG,260,500 as follows: Treasury Department values of Gorman tariff imports of woolen manufactured goods for three months, January, February and March, 1595: Carpets and carpeting $473,537 Clothing, ready made, etc.... 315,852 Cloths i... 7,400,040 Dress goods, women’s and ehildren’.s 0,793,128 Knit fabrics. 205,935 SbnwlA 69,927 Yarns 505,978 All other 496,097

Total $16,200,500 Godkin figures, six months to February 28, 1895 $17,363,292 The foregoing statistics that we give in detail are taken from the monthly reports of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department, the totals for each month—January, February, and March—being added together. Godkin was too lazy to do this, blit forced a balance for half of a year that is not yet ended. Whether among his other Imaginary talents he deems himself to have been gifted by the Almighty with a foreknowledge of our trade in foreign woolen goods, or whether he has received advance information from his

English friends as to the extent of their exports during the coaling months, we are unable to say, but people will be inclined rather to rely upon the statistics of the Treasury Department than upon any divvy of an'idiagiunry “year’s Importation by two” that Editor Godkin is pleased to juggle. As the present tariff on woolen manufactured goods took effect only on January 1 last, therefore a proper comourlsou of its workings with the McKinley tariff can only be instituted by showing the vftlue of our Imports of foreign woolen goods during the earlier months of the McKinley tariff, Immediately subsequent to its passage, taking the same number of months directly after the passage of the Gorman tariff. These Imports we give from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 1800, Immediately after the enactment of the McKinley tariff, adding thereto a line showing the value of the Imports during the first three months of the Gorman tariff, and

also appending the Godkin divvy computed from our imports of a year that has not yet ended, divided by two; Treasury Department values of McKinley tariff imports of woolen manufactured goods for three months, October, November and December, 1890: Carpets and carpeting $330,032 Clothing, ready made i 395,650 Cloths 2,248,746 Dress goods 3,708,702 Knit fabrics 127,743 Shawls 127,878 Yarns -. 159,881 All other 1,023/703 Total $8,122,335 Gorman tariff, three months’ imports, Jan. 1 to March 31, 1895 $16,2G0,500 Godkin figures, six months to Feb. 28, 1595 .$17,383,292 A comparison of the figures of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department shows that our imports of foreign woolen goods under the first three months’ operation of the Gorman tariff reached $16,260,500, as against imports worth only $8,132,335 during the first three months’ operation of the McKinley ( tariff. Under tariff reform, in three months, we have bought double the quantity of woolen goods from Editor Godkin’s foreign friends, who, no doubt, will appreciate the effort made on their behalf in the Evening Post and recognized the master juggler’s eraftiwork in his very successful efforts to reaeh the summit of Mount Mendacity.

Free Trade Results.

A very extensive view of the commercial and financial record*of English trade is given in the London Economist It appeal’s that the imports of foreign countries retained for English consumption would have shown an increase of 9.95 per cent in 1894 as compared with 1893, with the exports of English goods 3.35 per cent larger than in 1893, if allowance were made for the decline in prices last year. As a matter of fact, however, the actual values showed an increase of 0.9 per cent in imports and a decrease of 0.9 per cent in exports. 1 In 1894 these was an enlargement of the foreign trade of the United Kingdom, but at prices that Indicate stagnation. The smaller margin of profit derived from trade in 1894 showed that the average prices of that year’s imports were 7.91 per cent lower than in 1893, while the average prices of exports were 4.27 per cent lower. As the Economist says, “It meant not only more and more work for no more or even less nioney; but when prices were persistently slipping away, the value of stocks deteriorates, and losses accrue.” It would' seem, however, that there has been at least a little silver lining to this dark cloud, and that the English manufacturers did not transact such a bad business as appears upon the Burface. Owing to the lower prices, the English imports cost $150,000,000 less than they would have cost had the prices of 1893 been maintained, whereas, the loss in their exports reached only $48,000,000. In textile industries there was a gain of $46,350,000 through the lower value of raw materials imported, as against a loss of $25,000,000 in.the lower prices of yarns and fabrics sold to other countries, making their gain in this respect over $21,000,000 at the expense of the producers of the raw material and the purchasers of their manufactured goods.

Germany Feels Aggressive. So long a 3 the discriminating duty against German beet sugar imposed by the recent tariff law is maintained, Germany seems determined to interpose obstacles in the way of the importation of American products. First was the prohibition against cattle; next came restrictions on canned goods; then a commission to ascertain if American cotton could not be supplanted- by other kinds of German manufactures, and now the State Department has been notified, through its consular representative at Bremen, of a proposed change in the German customs tariff, by which the duty on cotton seed oil will be increased 250 per cent, over present rates. Among the many additions to existing duties this seems to be the most Important, and it is said to meet the wishes not only of the protectionist oil manufacturers of Germany, but of the Agrarians as well The present duty on American cotton seed oil is four marks (one dolfar), and it is to be raised to ten marks. If, however, the imported cotton seed oil is to be used for soap, it may be offici ally drugged until unlit for food, whefl it is to bo admitted at the rate of eigh-ty-five cents.—Baltimore Journal of Commerce.

Southern Coal Interests. Of the 83,100,088 tons of coal produced In the Appalachian or Atlantic seaboard coal field in 1892, practically 23,000,000 tons—to be exact, 22,008,583 tons, <n- 27% per .cent.—were from Southern mines. The value of this coal at the mines was $20,083,543. Its production gave employment to 37,837 persons an average of 240 days In the year. With the exception of farming, coal mining probably gives employment to more persons in the chief coal producing States of the South—Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama—than any other industry, and anything that interferes with the prosperity of this industry causes widespread disaster In these States, not only to the miners and those Interested, but especially to merchants, farmer, aud railroads which depend so largely for their prosperity upon coal mining. There must be no free coal.

A Tale of the Wind.

There’s a tidal wave a'comlng, Grover C., Grover C., It’s In the air a’humming, Woe for thee; Don’t you hear the voters yell? Listen to the tale they tell, That your party’s going to G rover O. ■ l .

JUGGLING WITH FIGURES.

REACHES THE SUMMIT.