, 1876-04-06


House Of Representatives have bcon consid-
cring the new Thrift bill in detail, and hearing
suggestions and arguments from the interest
ed parties. a day or tive ago tho Committee
reached thoitem Of woolen, -" Weddings, belt
ings, bindings, braids, buttons, galloons,'
etc., on which tho duty or tax Is 80 cents per
pound md TO cents ad oaIorem. AIr. EAMEs,
Of Rhode Island, appeared before tho Com
mittee exhibiting letters from some OF his
constituents, in which thoy declared TINT il
this duty bo reduced the manufacture Of this
class Of goods in the United States must
ceaso. This il tho stereotypod protest which
lnonopolists always mako In such cases. The
man who should undertake to raise cocoa-
nuts in Michigan could hardly be able TO sell
his product short Of a protection Of 600 per
cont, ind he might we'll sny tint it such q
duty wcre repealed or reduced tho cultivation
Of cocoa-nuts In this country would have 10
bo abandoned. Tho present duty On these
wooden articles is equal to est per cent
in gold, or III por cent in currency.
and it Is questionable whether the
maintenance OF manufacture at sush
heavy tax upon the general public is so
extremely dcsirnblo.. The proposition before
tho Committee is to repeal the duty of 20 per
cent al ra!orem, lowing the tax Of 20 cents
per pound remaining in forco Tho manu-
faoture Of these goods in this country is con-
fined to comparatively few establishments,
and tho fact that they charge up the pro-
toctive ta1 on tho domestic goods ia shown in
tho fact TINT in the fiscal year Of 1876 goods
OF this description to the value Of 81, ,G87, 800
were imported, which would not havo been
possible hnd not tho domestic manufacturers
had thoir goods at tho highest rate. It is q
question whether $4,000, 600 people in tho
United States shall continue to bo taxed II
per cont or perhaps twelve millions Of dollars,
| worth Of these goods, for the moro profit Of
q few persons doing business in Rhode
Island. Better import the whole amount at
o5 pcr cent, and havo the ta1 Of SO, 1000, 900
| 60 into tho Treasury, than to tax the people
| 80, ,000, 900, and have but $1,0O0,000 re-
ceiyablo by the United states.
The proposed reduction in tho tariff rates
on cotton goods has thus far failed to pro-
duce any serious ramonatEancs even from
| Rhode Island. The fact ;s, the tariff duties
On cotton goods, though averaging 10 per
cont. have ccasod to protect the manufacture
era. who have to contend with domestic over
production, which in turn admits foreign
| competition. Last year We imported so5.-
600, 900 OF cotton manufactures despite the
high tariff, which goods wero sold IN compe-
tition with domestic cotton8. During that
time tho cotton-niils, protected by duty OF
10 per cent. were working on half or ono-
third time, trying, by reducing production, to
: keep up tho price in the homo market, But
that policy hos bsen abandoned. protection
has proved suaro and n deiusion too long
and now these same rnil,a nye vorknr m fn,I
time, not merely 10 Bunnly the romo market
J but to export, The mills of Fall Rive,
undertook tl,e business first. and now tho
mills Of other placos in Massachusetts and the
mills of nhodo Island aro hnuv rro1,,a;nn
cotton tn 1o oxported to be aoll in III sora;an
.norlota IN oomnotItion will, tho a,.,,' =.
G-sot Hrito;n. which has heretofora t.s haa L., -
/ ".o,,, ~ tha foro,or ,-odo ~ H.. Ar>A ';a'