The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-03
IN IMP0RTANT PROTEST.
The New England Boot and Shoe In
terest on the Evils Of stProtection.'


An important document, signed by three
hundred and fifty boot and shoe manufactur-
ers OF Lynn, Beverly, Worcester, Haverhill,
Boston and Marblehead, Mass, and Ports
mouth and Dover, N. a., is published in the
New York Evening Post, OF Thursday. 1t
shows that 'protection" having been run in
the ground, they are finding out its evils even
in the hot.bed of its growth, New England.
The protest is addressed to their fellow-manu-
facturers and to the public, and as this indus
try is one OF the leading manufacturing in
terests of Baltimore, and the cost Of shoes is
an item that touches everybody's pocket, the
facts stated by the New England manufactur-
ers are of general interest. Their Importance
is indicated by the statement that this interest
is la ger In the value Of It's product and the
number of hands employed than any other
single industry in the country. The protest
says:
The tariff tax upon our leather amounts to
thirty-fve per cent From the earliest period
of our history Americans have enjoyed such
advantages in the manpfacture OF leather as
have enabled them 10 undersell all competing
nations. This tax, therefore, Is totally unne-
cessary as protective measure. The duties
on cotton and silk rubber webbing are thirty
i've per cent, respectively, >, AS lew OF lhese
goods are manufactured In this country, these
protective duties are benefits to the few and
burdens to the many. The duties on lastings
and serges are eighty-fve per cent. Although
these high protective duties have been levied
for four years, they have succeeded IN stimu-
lating only two establishments TO engage IN
making these articles, aid that to limited
q
ducts is too inferior to supersede the use OF
the imported goods. The combiHed taxes
upon ali the articles forming the materials OF
our industry, yield the government revenue
of only So. 100000, while they impose upon the
manufacturers Of boots and shoes tax OIL slS,-
600, OOO-which must eventually be paid by the
wearers of these necessary articles.
The direct consequence OF these protective
taxes is such an increase in the cost of our pro-
ducts as prevents our competing with the man
ulacturers of boots and shoes in other coun-
tries, OF late years there has been an Increase
of twenty-five per cent. in the productive pow
er OF given amount OF capital and labor en-
gagged in our manufacture through improved
machinery and new processes. This gain,
which should have resulted In cheaper boots
and shoes, has been completely nullited by
protective taxes. The legislation Of our own
country has driven our products from the mar
kets of Canada, Mexico, the West Indies and
South America, which we had enjoyed lot
more than century. 1t has transferred the
manufacture OF our products to- great degree
to Canada where it enjoys greater advantages,
and is subject to fewer impediments in the
prosecution OF business. Thus, our country
has to this extent lost the benefits OF this In
dustry and given her wealth to others, through
q system of tariff taxation, proiessedly framed
to foster and encourage American industry,
but which eXpels it from America and increas-
es the wealth OF other nations.
We believe that an entire removal Of all
protective duties would greatly advance our
Industry, as we should then have the markets
of the world In which to sell our products, thus
largely Increasing the labor employed and
the profits Of manufacturing. We, moreover,
believe that the enhanced wealth and comfort
of our own people, consequent upon change
OF system, would be evidenced In an Increased
consumption Of our goods. A reduction in the
duties levied upon the articles used In our
manufacture Is demanded by the interests OF
all capitalists and laborers engaged In the boot
and shoe Industry.
The very same results have followed from
like cause to many other industries in this
country. The shipbuilding interest is destroy
ed in great part by the same process Time
was when many other of our manufactures
went abroad that do not now, being excluded
from competition by the high cost O. produc-
finn