The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-06
THE TARIFF.
A PROTEST AGAINST THE TARIFF OF THE
SHOE 2rANUFACTURERso OF THE UNITED
STATES.

AC Ii Viz A1Ie'Ai
utacture of boots and shoes, desire to call |
the attention of their ellow-manufactur
ers, and of the public, to certain facts IL
Illustrative of the bearing of the present
tariff upon their industry. The legisla
ton Of other countries has aimed to secure |
for manufacturers and artisans the raw
materials Of their industry at the cheap
est possible rates. Every country pursu
ing this policy has rapidly developed It's
manufactures The opposite system has
generally prevailed in our country, and
has retarded the naturally vigorous
growth Of our industries. Whatever
measure of prosperity they have attained
has been in spite of an adverse and de
pressing system of taxation, and is due to
the intelligence, skill and industry of our
people. These have enabled them to
triumph over both natural and artificial
difficulties.
The tariff tax upon our leather amounts
to So per cent. From the earliest periods
of our history, Americans have enjoyed
such advantages in the manufacture of
leather as have enabled them to undersell
all competing nations. This tax, there
fore, is totally unnecessary as a protective
measure.
The duties on cotton, land silk rubber web
bling are 35 and so per cent. respectively.
AS few of these goods are manufactured
in this country, these protective duties
are benefits to the few and burdens to the
many. The duties on lastings>ar serges
are IS per cent. Although these highly
protective duties have been levied for
four years, they have succeeded in stimu
latirg only two establishments to en-
gage in making these articles, and that to
limited extent. Moreover, the quality
of their products is too inferior to super
sede the use Of the imported goods.
The combined taxes upon all the arti-
cles forming the materials of our industry
yield the government revenue of only
$3,5O0,O0, while they impose upon the
manufacturers Of boots and shoes a tax OF
$18,000,0 00-wh1ch must eventually be
paid by the weareTs of these necessary ar
ticles.
The direct consequence of these protec-
tive taxes is such an increase in the cost
of our products as prevents our competing
with the manufacturers OF boots and shoes
In other countries. Of late years, there
has been an increase of 25 per cent. in the
productive power of a given amount OF
capital and labor engaged in our manu-
facture through improved machinery and
new processes. This gain, which should
have resulted in cheaper boots and shoes,
has been completely nullifed by protect
i've taxes. The legislation of our own
country has driven our products from the
markets of Canada, Mexico, the West Ii
A 1a7ioo oh yHynh o6
enjoyed for more than century. 1t has
transferred the manufacture of our pro-
ducts to great degree to Canada, where
it enjoys greater advantages, and is sub
ject to fewer impediments in the prosecu
ton of business. Thus, our country has
to this extent lost the benefits Of this in
dustry and given her wealth to others,
through a system of tariff taxation, pro-
fessedly framed to foster and encourage
American industry, but which expels it
from America and increases the wealth of
other nations.
In addition to the direct influences of
the tariff upon our production, the system
of protective duties indirectly imposes
grievous burdens upon it by increasing
the cost of our buildings, engines, ma
chinery, tools, and supplies, as we'll as
railroad transportation. 1t raises the
price Of house rent, fuel, food, clothing
and all supplies, so as TO render extrava,
CANT wages necessity to our workmen.
This apparent increase of wages, however,
yields no substantial benefit to our work
men, because it is all consumed in the
enhanced cost of living
We believe that an entire removal
OF all protective duties would greatly adj
vance our industry, as we should then
have the markets of the world in which
to sell our products, thus largely increas
ing the labor employed and the profits of
manufacturing. We, moreover, believe
that the enhanced toe0Lth and comfort of
eur own people, consequent upon change
Of system, would be evidenced in an in
creased consumption of our goods A re-
duction in the duties levied upon the ar
t1cles used in our manufacture is demand
90 by the interests of all capitalists and
labOrers engaged in the boot and shoe in
dustry.
The magnitude of our industry, which
Is larger in the value of it's product and
the number of hands employed than any
other single industry in the country,
should insure a careful consideration of
our reasonable demands. While the iron,
the cotton, and other interests are con-
stantly deferred to by our legislators
when they request protection, it W i'll not
appear unreasonable that the boot and
shoe industry should claim from their
fellow-citizens and from Congress care
tul consideration of the injuries inflicted
upon it by this policy of miscalled pro-
lection, and the manifest advantages
which would result, at least to the largest
manufacture in the United States, from
its overthrow.