Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-04-15
Tariff on Lead.

in his lecture at the court house, in this
village.
The Tariff on lead and its products is
now three or four times more for revenue
than for protection, COR the reason that the
q. S. imports three times as much as her
mines produce. Let US examine the
figures. The duty on imported lead
ranges from 35 70 l52 per cent. and
averages about so er cent. gold, ad
valorem. being 2cts per ID. on bars and
pigs, and cts on the other products, cx
cept on sugar lead, which is 90 cts per ID
The total i,nporta,ions Of lead and its pro
ducts for the fiscal year ending June 3Oth
1898. was Ga. see, 334 TO-, valued in gold p
S2.7S4,573 67, on which govr..n,nen
rived a revstne Of $,..3oa, 4oi Al
The average annual prc,mction of lesd ir
this mining district according to the mos
reliable information at hand, docs not ex
coed, if it reaches. $4,000, 900 ID ; and il
is probably a high estimate to admit that
third Of the annual consumption of lead
and its products in the U S. is the pro,
duct Of her own mines. Therefore deduct,
ing the amount cf excise lax paid by
smelters on lead, from the amount gained
by protection to the lead producers, and
there will be considerably less than half n
million dollars. mere bagatelle in con,
garrison with what We pay other regions
for lumber, coal. iron, wooden and cotton
goods, &C. &c. even the proximated
slalf million dollars, does not 60 to the
miner or common iaborcr, although they
have 10 pay an undue proportion of the
forced contributions going to other local
tiles. Miners wages are now S so currency
against Sl.25 gold, when lead brought
half as much as now, for which he can buy
barely half as much as he formerly could
with his 1925 in gold. Hence without
taking into account the losses incurred in
prospecting. if a balance sheet were struck
between the profit realized on our lead pro-
duc?d here by reason of the tariff, and the
amounts lost on white lead, paints, and
other products of lead from the same
cause, it would probably be seen that the
miners loose more than they make by the
operation. Therefore, if government were
not needing the revenue, it would be for
the interest of the country to admit lead
free Of duty; and there is no doubt that al
least nine men out Of ten here IN the mines
would be the gamers thereby. We are told
however that if the duty ON lead be low
er6d, our mines cannot be worked. For the
reasons first given, the speaker held diff.
ferent opinions stll if it was clear that
the statement be we'll founded and that
lead mining will not pay without outside
contributions and charities, by all means
let it slide. NJ business can be profitable,
to the country at large that is obliged to look
beyord its own resources for it's life and
growth, and which assesses its losses up
on these employments that are selfsupport
ing and profitable, the country must bt
impoverished just to the extent of such
losses. Besides, If lead MINES cannot be
followed here without loss, unless supported
: BY forced contributions, then every dollar
wrang f ON The people for its support is
taken from one to whom it belongs anc
given without consideration, to another
who has no just claim to it.
1t is not probable that the duty on lead
&c., will be removed at present, becaus,
government ne, DIS the revenue derivc(
from is importation; still for purposes o
revenue, the duty is too high and il tn,
duty on lead and its products were re
duceG to revenue standard, importation
would be encouraged and taimng would g
on as usual. Worthless diggings NIGH
be abandoned, but rich loaeS would b
wrought with more vigor than ever. Will
mining schemes and speculatons might b
repressed and if our mines finally peter
as many fear. the event would be forestalle'
by the presence Of population prepared
to improve onr various other industrial
resources. Aside from the mineral re
sonces OF this mining region, for mos
other purposes it is unsurpassed by any
country; and many thoughtful people
believe that our whole lead district would
be richer to day if a pound Of mineral has
never been discovered IN it. Let no on,
conclude, however, that because it is de
monstrahly impolitic to undnly stimulate
The mining interest that therefore the leat
business is dead or necessarily improbable
The point made is this. namely: that i
lead mining needs artificial aid and stimu
lation, foreign contributions and charities
to keep it alive, because unable 10 tax,
care Of itself, then to continue such
business would entail positive loss to the
country and ultimately ruin all concerned
In its prosecution
--->-sss-----