Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-17
FREE TRADERS DAY
Before the Tariff COmmission-Protests
Against the System Which Robs
Peter to Pay Paul.
Argument OF W. w. Wilmer, OF the Iowa
Free Trade League-A Tariff for
Revenue Only.

DIS MoINEs, IA, September 16.-In the
Tariff Commission session here to-day John
b. Alley, OF Lynn, Mass, here in connection
withsa lawsuit, gave dissertation on the
history OF The shoe and leather business In
| this country, tracing 1t back to the time OF
President Washington, who, in tour through
New England, wrote of Lynn as the shoe
town OF America. Mr.. Alley attributed the
| prosperity of that business largely 10 the
1aet that Congress, in 1871, passed the first
tariff act Tor the protection of the boot and
shoe manufacturers, who were now in a con-
dition to compete with the world.
A manufacturer of brass patented articles,
w. w. Wilmer, of Des Moines, made a free
trade argument. He explained the creed
and tenets Of the Free Trade League of Iowa
They wanted the same opportunity for free
trade with Australia, Brazil, Germany,
France and England as with Pennsylvania
and Massachusetts,; they believed that a
| purely revenue tariff meant free trade; they
| did not demand that customhouses should
be abolished or burned down, or duties
should at once cease on all articles of i'm
| port. On the other hand, they were per-
Iectly willing to supply the government by a
duty on imports as long as a policy looking
toward free trade was inaugurated. They
believed that the internal revenue tax
| should be maintained in preference 10 any
protective tariff. The taxes and duties on
NANOhOl anu tODdCCO S0OulQ De mdIntalQe0.
A slight duty should also be imposed ON tea
and coffee. As long "a there is no discrimina-
ton between wool and wooden manufactures
the tax on wool would not be regarded as pro-
--The-sxpenaitareso f-the govern
ment should be reduced. They opposed the
excuses of the river and harbor6fll. Even
In view of the supposed difference in Wages
between American and European workmen,
he would not ask a proportionate rate of
protection. He admitted the relative cheap
ness now of furniture, carpets, crockery, ETC.,
and defended the principle and practicable
Hy OF an income tax
g. w. Werum, linseed-oil manufacturer,
made statement, and requested that the
duty on linseed be left as it is He gave
statistics to show that capital employed in
manufacturing in Iowa was after twenty years
at the highest. less than one-twentieih
was employed in agriculture. The number
OF persons employed in manufacturing
was but one-forty-sixth OF the popula-
ton. Under the tariff protecting the WOOL
grower. hocks OF sheep had dwindled in Iowa
At the rate of 10000 3 year. Woolan facto-
ries had fallen from that of eighty-Gine in
1867 to forty In 1882. The farmers of Iowa
did not want a dollar of the tax taken off
banks, patent medicines, perfumery, whisky
or tobacco. The use of those articles could
well afford to pay taxes. The farmers, me-
chanics, merchants and laboring men of the
West asked no government aid in tariff or
other subsidies to help them make money,
but emphatically protested against subsidies
Tor cotton, wool, iron or wood-pulp mills for
the lumber interests of Michigan or the
sugar interests Of Louisiana. The pension
roll was already large enoug b without adding
to 1t the great army of manufacturers. He
therefore asked the Commission to recon-
mend reform in which the o6ious practice of
robbing one citizen to enrich another may be
G. l. IL Il
that on these views he represented the senti-
ment of more than three-auarters of the
farmers of Iowa.
Mr.. Cue was subjected TO a long examina-
ton by Messrs. Amber, Underwood, Oliver
and Mcmahon, but did not weaken on any of
his points. President Hayes also called his
attention to the fact that the decline in sheep
husbandry which had taken place in Iowa,
Ohio, Illinois and other States had been
more than compensated by its increase in
Canada and Texas, and the 5000, 900 pounds
of wool produced in the United States in
1860 had grown to 300,000,000 in 1881. 1t
was certainly as fair an inference that this
increase of production was the result of the
tariff as thatthe decline of sheep husbandry
in Iowa was. Mr.. Cue made this admission
NJ. E. Andrews, OF Des Moines, manager of
the Western Newspaper Union, made a state
ment on the subject OF paper. He did not
consider the duty on paper burden, because
he got better quality of paper for the same
money that they would have to pay for Ca
madam paper. Still there was no necessity
for duty on paper. Its abolition would be a
practical benefit. Its inability and incon-
sistency were shown by the fact thst Ameri-
can paper was now shipped to Canada and
other foreign countries. He then suggested
that paper, rags and wood-pulp be put on
the free list
Mr.. Gunnell made an explanation as TO
The decline IN sheep-raising in Iowa, and
attributed 1t to several reasons-the want of
protection against doge, the decline in the
price of wool following the close of the war,
and The fact that the raising of cattle, wheat
and corn promised better results.
The Commission will hold its next session
at st. Louis on Monday.