Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-02-22
Woods Tariff and Tactics.

Woods Tariff and Tactics.
We hear from Washington that
Fernando Woods revision of the
tariff is filing the city with delega-
tions of business men from all sec
tiOns of the Union, who are interest
ed in, and affected by. the proposed
modifcationslsand changes. Mr..
Wood is so beset by these delega-
tiOns that according to our friend of
the NorwaIk Gazette, he is accused
of having adopted the common prac-
tice of political demagogues, and
attempts the voIe of, Good Lord and
good devel, towards all corners.
To delegation interested in having
q certain article admitted at low
duty, he, it is said, assures them their
wishes shall be gratifed-that in
fact it is down in his bill Just as they
wish it to bs, while the next hour,
to parties Numerically opposed to
the matter specified, he makes the
same positive assertion, that it is all
down as they desire it should be.
The result is that importers and
dealers in. domestic manufactures
affected by foreign importations, do
not know whether they are on foot
or horseback, and so no orders are
sent to Europe for foreign goods and
none given or received at our own
workshops or marts of commercial |
industry. The result is that the ac-
tive, snterprising and employing |
business men of the nation are being
ground to powder between the up
per and neither milstones Every |
community feels this, and every man,
woman and child in America is made
the poorer by such an anomalous
and unnecessary condition of things.
Leading Congressman themselves
admit if no session had been had and
none were to convene for the next
three years the business of the coun-
try would be infinitely more extend
ed and prosperous.
The sIashing character of Woods
Tariff Bill-whieh is doing SO much
to arouse disquiet and apprehension
may be judged of from the way in
which it is proposed to dispose of
the type interests Of the country.
By this new revision, the duty upon
foreign made type imported into the
United States, is put at l5 cents
pound for news and book type,
which is from 40 to so per cent. ad
valorem. The rate upon job and
fancy type is 80 cents a pound,
which is from so to. 100 per cent. ad-
UalOren. This would be simply pro-
hibitory, and leave the great print
ing interests of the country, at the
mercy of few rapaciOus type found
ers, prove a tax upon literature and
knowledge, and deprive the Govern
ment of all revenues from this source,
amounting now to some $4,000.
Beside these considerations, let us
not be unmindful of the fact that !
there are 10000 printing offices in
the country, employing not less than
I2O, 900 men, while the foundries of
the country do not exceed probably, !
a dozen in number, their employees l
do not rise much above 1000 or 1
200, the injustice of this ring
is made all the more ap-
parent. 1t was the greed of these +
founders, through their combina- f
1ons that drove the printers and v
publishers of the country to make l
heir purchases, at greatly reduced h
'ates, of the Scotch type founders, u
Who not only furnished their wares c
It greatly reduced prices, but used v
METAL in casting, harder and far :
nore durable than the American ar =
icle, so that there was a double o.
,ain to the American purchaser. ii
This movement to deprive the trade tt
f these advantages, and to throw a.
S back again TO this same rapacity Il
rom which there has been SO sue al
essful a struggle h
1t is the duty of every representa- a
i've of the press to use every effort h, h
. defeat this outrageous bill, and to tt
Q this our Senators and representa- ri
nould be made sensible of the I'll
-rong, and every influence brought 6
} bear to meet it with the most pos - -
i've opposition. m