to wool and woolens. The foundation of these provisions was laid in 1861; but in 1867 the existing rates were established, after a long and exhaustive investigation, and with concurrence of the two interests which had theretofore been in opposition. The basis of that legislation was this: That upon the several grades of imported wool a duty should be imposed sufficient to promote the growth of sheep husbandry in the United States. A specific duty was then imposed on woolen goods, as near as possible equal to the duty put upon the wool which entered into the manufacture. This was not protection, but simply an equivalent duty, which placed the woolen manufacturer on the free-trade level. To this specific duty was then added a duty of 35 per centum ad valorem on woolen goods, as a protection to the manufacturer against foreign competition. This adjustment of the laws has remained substautially unchanged for thirteen years (now fifteen), and during the six years preceding the adjustment the law contained similar, though less complete, provisions.

The characteristic feature of this adjustment is the application of compound duties. While, in the opinion of the Commission, compound duties are generally objectionable, and their elimination is recommended in all the other schedules, there seems to be exceptional reasons for their retention in the schedule of woolens, although four commissioners, viz, Messrs. Ambler, Porter, Underwood, and McMahon, refused to assent to the retention of compound duties in this schedule, or in any case. The woolen industry is the principal and the only one of any magnitude burdened by a duty on raw material, and is therefore peculiarly entitled to the facilities for the arrangement of its defensive duties found in the system of compound duties for overcoming this difficulty. Besides, no system of specific duties could be devised to adequately cover the vast variety of fabrics produced in this branch of manufacture, while on the other hand a system of pure ad valorem duties, it is believed, would admit an injurious competition of foreign low shoddy goods with the sounder American fabrics, thus displacing the consumption of domestic wools, a competition equally obnoxious to the wool grower and manufacturer. Moreover, besides the general objection to ad valorem duties growing out of the prevalent system of undervaluation in the importation of foreign goods, an ad valorem duty so high as to cover the compensatory duty would be invidious and liable to arbitrary reduction, on the inconsiderate view that it is purely protective to the manufacturers. Justice to this branch of industry would seem to require that the distinction between the compensatory and defensive duty to the manufacturer should always be kept in view, as it is in the existing adjustment.

In the reductions in this schedule which the Commission proposes, ranging for the great bulk of fabrics from 18 to 40 per cent., the aim has been to make the reduction apply most effectually to the cheaper goods of necessary consumption, with a view of benefiting producers as well as consumers, for reasonable prices to the consumer mean increased consumption, and of course correspondingly increased stability and lucrative employment to the producers. An entirely new clause is proposed, providing for a very large reduction in the duties bearing upon the lower-priced woolen fabrics, including blankets, and removing the excessive duties upon those articles which have been the subject of much complaint. Comparatively less reduction is proposed on the finer, lighter, and more costly cloths, involving more labor in their production, upon the ground of public policy, which demands the encouragement of the higher branches of manufacture.

A comparatively less reduction is proposed on dress goods for the reason that they are now subjected to an exceptional foreign competition, the importation of dress goods for 1880 having amounted to over 68,000,000 square yards, while the American production for the same period amounted to 40,000,000; that is, the home manufacturer of one

square yard of these goods was met in the market with one and seventenths yards of foreign goods.

The proposed clause in relation to all wool merino goods is a new provision, and has in view the introduction of fabrics never yet successfully made in this country. Many of these goods constitute staple fabries subject to few changes of fashion, and the manufacture of them would furnish an increased demand for our finest wools; and as they are the choicest woolen fabrics for female apparel, their manufacture would be a most desirable acquisition to our national industry.

In considering the rates of duty in this schedule, the Commission has not been unmindful of the great variety of fabrics embraced in the woolen manufacture, their utility as well as their beauty, the immense outlay of capital required in their production, the artistic taste and technical skill necessary to success in the higher branches of the manufacture, and the vicissitudes to which the manufacturer is subject by the caprices of fashion, nor of the important consideration that, there being no exports of domestic wool, upon this manufacture depends the prosperity of a leading agricultural interest, the sheep husbandry, diffused in every State and Territory.

SCHEDULE L.-SILK.

It is an interesting fact that in 1860 the importations of silk manufactures into the United States amounted to $32,961,120, and that twenty years later (1880), after the successful introduction of the silk manufacture in this country, the imports amounted to $32,188,690; while on the other hand the value of the product of our own silk manufactures has increased from $6,589,171 in 1860 to $41,033,045 in 1880. Thus, while the population of the country has increased 20,000,000, and its wealth proportionately, the importations of this class of goods have remained practically the same, the larger proportion being now supplied by the home manufactures.

The following exhibit from the report of the special agent of the census, William C. Wyckoff, shows the growth of the silk industry for the last four decennial periods:

The slight changes in phraseology and classification of the silk schedule recommended by the Commission were inspired by a desire to simplify construction and to facilitate its enforcement.

To this end the Commission has substituted specific for ad valorem duties wherever the former could be made to apply. The duties recommended indicate a reduction from existing duties of something more than 23 per cent.

SCHEDULE M.-BOOKS AND PAPER.

The industry of these manufactures is deemed sufficiently important to warrant their classification under a separate schedule.

SCHEDULE N.—SUNDRIES.

The report of the Bureau of Statistics for 1881 gives the total value of "the principal and other imported merchandise entered for consump tion in the United States," including the dutiable and free list, as $650,618,999.63. Of this amount $202,557,411.68 came in free of duty. The total amount of duty collected on the dutiable merchandise imported was $193,800,879.67. The total products of the manufactures of the United States, as already shown, amounted in 1880 to $5,369,667,706. In each of the preceding schedules the Commission has shown, as far as possible, the relative importance of the industries included in the several schedules in the United States during the last forty years; that is to say, the number of hands employed, the value of the material consumed, the amount of wages, and the aggregate value of the product. In the same way an attempt has been made to ascertain the value of the product represented by what may be called the sundry schedule. In this work it was found impracticable to select anything further than the principal items, such as boots and shoes and leather manufactures of all kinds, agricultural machines, musical instruments, jewelry, oil, India rubber and elastic goods, brushes and brooms, clothing, carriages, and a score of other articles of manufacture of less importance.

The aggregate value of all these products, so far as the Commission has been able to enumerate them, was, in 1880, $1,159,989,616, leaving a remainder unenumerated of $945,825,550. In this work absolute exactitude is not claimed, as the classification and methods for taking the census have differed under different superintendents and management, and perfection in classification is impossible. The subjoined table, which gives the value of the products for the several schedules, as rearranged by the Commission, is, perhaps, as nearly correct as a comparison of this kind could be made.

It will be seen that the largest amounts are represented by the provisions schedule and the sundries, which latter, if the computation had been carried further, would in all probability have included most of what is given under the head of "remainder." Next to it comes the value of the product as represented by Schedule C, metals, and which in itself amounts to within $46,000,000 of the entire imported merchan. dise, including the dutiable and free list for year 1881. The object of this presentation is merely to bring out as forcibly as possible the great industrial progress of the United States during the past forty years, and to show the enormous amount of manufacturing necessary to supply the home markets for the wants of fifty millions of people. In other words, while the total imports are represented in round figures by $600,000,000, the total home productions of our manufactures would be nearer $6,000,000,000.

In addition to the above table, to make this general-statistics table complete, and that a ready reference may be made to the special items of imported merchandise, the following statement showing the values of the principal and other imported merchandise entered for consumption in the United States during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, is herewith appended:

Animals, living

FREE OF DUTY.

Articles, the growth, production, &c., of the United States, exported and brought back, &c...

Cotton, unmanufactured

Dye-woods, in sticks

Fish from the Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, &c.

Fruits, including nuts...

Fur skins of all kinds, not dressed

Guano

Hair, unmanufactured.

Hide and skins, other than fur skins

Household and personal effects, &c., of immigrants.

India-rubber, crude, and milk of...

Ivory, animal and vegetable, unmanufactured

Machinery for the manufacture of beet sugar, and imported for that

purpose solely.

Oils, fixed or expressed, and volatile or essential.

Painting, stationery, &c.....

Platinum, unmanufactured, and basis and retorts of.

Paper materials...

Seeds.

Silk, cocoons, raw, waste, &c

Tea...

Tin, in pigs, bars, or blocks....

Wood, unmanufactured

All other articles, free of duty, except from Hawaiian Islands...

Articles free of duty from Hawaiian Islands:

Rice of all kinds

Value. $1,550, 227 06

4,879, 168 98

492,561 49

373,250 00 23,560,046 15

1,047,678 00 56,901,888 39 787,933 00 757,352 00 1,680,886 19 2,265, 673 59 743,961 71 2,774, 428 00 399,551 68 874,727 00 27,756,990 07 2,416, 562 53 11,022,002 05 873,200 00

40, 431 00 1,497,590 43 311,243 00 294,635 00 5, 233, 575 40 314,344 30

12, 352, 963 00 21, 004, 059 33 3,971,756 67 3,657,343 49

7,348,306 00

Books, engravings, and other printed matter, bound and unbound.

Braids, plaits, flats, laces, trimmings, &c..

Brass, and manufactures of...

Breadstuffs, and other farinaceous food, not otherwise specified

389,016 80 20,600 00 35,036 63 4,927, 020 74 1,402 00

5,373,076 17

202,557, 411 68

3,917, 823 93 848,958 80 2,560,588 99 2,340,384 00

494,249 01 9,208,956 23 150,406 30 3,160, 419 85

3,238 50 20,328 15 14,888, 493 15 132,536 00 193,405 93 2,417, 399 34 2,073,954 78

39,120 50 564,923 54

Referring especially to the changes made in the "Sundry" schedule, it was found that it contained a total number of 272 sections, having from time to time been made the receptacle of many dutiable articles that