The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-03-24
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A TARIFF AND ANTI-TARIFF
SCENE.
Correspondence of the Bait. Patriot.
WASHINGTON, March 2. 1916.

Correspondence OF the Bait Patriot
WAsHIsGToS, March 2, 1916.
The ways and doings Of the British
Free Trade party in this country, and
their co-workers and co-adjutors, the
Lordly Manufacturers of England, are ra-
pidly developing themselves!
The proceedings of Congress being
dull to-day, accepted an invitation to yis-
il the room Of the House Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads, where |
found Mr.. Homer, brother to Sidney
Homer, whose anti-taria letter appeared
in the last number of the "Union," ex-
hibiting about 200 specimens of goods of
English manufacture, with like goods Of
American production, and prices attached
to each-in order to convince members
of Congress that our Tariff ought TO be
struck down'
don't know whether | enjoyed an
hours time more heartily. Mr.. Homer
is gentlemenly person, who seems to
understand the wants of the English
Manufacturers admirably well Indeed
he told those present that he had resided
in Manchester, England, for ten years,
engaged in sending British goods to. this
country, and that he left England 10 re-
side in the United States in l842. He
has amassed large fortune, and seems
to come to instruct Congress in behalf of
'.Sir Robert Walker" on the one side.
and the Manufacturers Of Manchester on
the other. He brings letter of instric
tion and recommendation from Mr.. Alex.
Henry. great capitalist in Manchester,
which is dated January 3, 1916, and was
received per the steamer Hibernia. A
part of this letter, Mr.. Homer exhibits
TO those who wish to puruse it, The Bri
fish writer Of it, in speaking of Mr.. .Polk's
anti-tariff message to Congress, exclaims
"A second Daniel come to jugdment!
A second Sir. Richard Cobden!" He
praises the message very much-thereby
showing how highly it is appreciated by
the British Manufacturers!
In regard to Mr.. Homer's mission to
instruct Congress into the belief that it
would be best to break down the Ameri-
can Manufacturers and exhault those Of
Great Britain, Mr.. Henry writes: 81 ain
glad that you, whose long experience as
our Importer, enables you so well to un-4
derstand the subject, have takcnit in hand;
for if the object Of those at Washington
be to obtain sound information and arrive
at just conclusions in the proposed altera-
tons Of the present tariff, the information
which you can lay before them will be
highly valuable.
There were presentin the room while
| was there, Messrs. Stewart, Collamer,
and Hubbard, of the, House Mr.. ethered
of Baltimore. Also two or three anti
tariff MEMBERS who left. You may well
imagine that such gentlemen as have
named would, under the circumstances,
put some searching questions to Mr.. Ho-
mcr, coming there for such purpose and
so recommended! And | assure YOU that
they did put them! Mr.. Homer answer
ed as well perhaps as any free trader
could-but never have seen man $50
completely cornered. ri
He exhibited two pieces of calico which
he said had been manufactured by Sena-
tor Simmons, of Rhode Island, who sold
them one for IL cents per yard and the
other for IA or Is. Mr.. Wethered said
there was mistake in this, and wentilp
10 the Senate and requested MIR. SIM
mons to come down into the Committee.
room, who readily assented To- thcrequest.
He said the pieces in question were none
of his manufacture, and from the quality
the best piece was not worth over -12a
cents, and the other not over lOa per
yard. Those persons from whom Mr. Ho-
mer had obtained tyem, had deceived him
Mr.. H. said the manufacturers of this
species of goods made profit of from
60 to 80 per centum. Mr.. Hubbard ask
ed him why then more persons did not
invest their capital in such probable busi-
ness, He asked Mr.. Homer why HE
did not embark in the business! The
latter replied that he wonld invest $780,
900 III it, if he did not fear that SO rnany
would rush into the enterprise as to bring
down the profits, By competition, SO low
as TO destroy business, Mr. Stewart asked