The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-08-05
REPUBLICAN PROrEorIoN POLICY.

Our home manufacturers depend large
~ on torelgn products for their sup.
pies OF STOCK. We may name In this
connection wool, hemp, fax, jute, etc.
Ohder Republican policy these imports
are neaVlly taxed. No manufacturing
country OF Europe has adopted the fool
lsh policy OF taxing its raw imports
OF cotton and other raw materials Of
production. The exports of cotton from
tne united States last year amounted to
upward OF 0000, ,0C0 In value, eonsId-
eraDly more than 0ne-fOurth of the total
exports OF the country. This export of
cotton was made in the cause of abso.
lnte Iree trade on the part Of buyer and
seller, the manufacturers of this cOun-
try were allowed to import 155, 900 tons
(347 .2OOOOO pounds) Of hemp, j1te, fax,
sisal grass and like raw materials
which were subjected to duties aVersg.
Ing 20 per cent. on their value. Ia It
not crime to thus tax the raw mater.
ials that are needed to give men WorkP
No other country does 1t. An exchange
thus carries out this question:
The value Of these imported materials
of linen, cordage and rope manufacture
lag amounted last year to upward Of
$1O,OOO,OOO, or more than the value Of
all the wool imported into the country
In the same time. While our manufaC-
tuTers we're paying taxes on their hemp,
fl x and Jute, the imports of linen and
other fabrics of these raw materials
amounted In value to upward of $2O.-
100000. These imports came into the
country over tariff barrier of 40 Der
cent. The heavy duties on the raw ma
terials almost neutralize the protective
duties on the manufactured goods, At
the same time these duties on raw ma
terials of linen, cOrdage, bagging, etc.,
so greatly enhance the cost of prOduc.
tion that there Is no outlet for the sur
plus products In the foreign markets Of
the world. Notwithstanding the enor-
nous importatiOns Of hemp, fax and
like products, the exports of these man.
ufactures last year amounted to little
more than 100000.
The evil effects Of the taxation of
these important raw materials of Amer
ican industry are witnessed in eVery d.
rection. Every consumer In the land ls
forced to pay taxes on the linen fabrics
which he and his family must use. Il
ia standing complaint of the New
England fishermen that they are hsndi.
capped II their competition with Cana
dian rivals by the duties which they
pay for sails, cOrdage, and other mater
ials of their equipment. The farmers
are taxed for the cords used In binding
their grain in the harvest field, and for
the bags In which 1t ls carried to mar
ket.
Kentucky produces most of the hemp
that Is raised In the whole country; but
the duties paid by the American manu-
facturers on hemp, jute, MANILA and
like raw materials last year amounted
to more than double the value of Ken
tucky's whole hemp crop. If the Gov
ernment were to remit the duties on
these raw materials, and pay the Ken
tucky farmers a bounty equal to the
whole value of their hemp crop for
abandoning its production, the people
of the United States would make money
by the operation.
But the people Of Kentucky ask no
such bounty. They and their liberal
Representatives in Congress, like the
Representatives of Texas and Missouri In
regard to wool, are willing to forego all
the real or imaginary advantages that
may be derived from the duty on hemp
for the sake Of the general advantages
of repeal of the duties on raw mater
ials. Then come to Pennsylvania and
other manufacturing States with the
generous offer to remit these burden
some taxes on production in order that
American capital, enterprise, In
dustry and skill may have a fair
field In competition with European
rivalry In the home as we'll as the
foreign markets. The bill for revising
the tariff will be called up for consider.
alton In the house this week. In the
repeal of the duties on the raw mater.
ials Of textile fabrics is its leading
feature. While the country has a gem
eTal interest In this important measure
the interest of Pennsylvania is imme-
diate and direct. Repeal of duties on raw
materials will give to 10000 textile
workers In this city larger share of
the profits Of production In the enhance
ment of their wages. By lowering the
cost of manufacturing this change Of
policy will give a mighty impetus to
the textile industries of the city, and
consequently to Its foreign and dOmes-
tic commerce.. What answer will the
Representatives of this State and city
make this week when the Representa-
tives of Kentucky, Texas and other
States producing wool and hemp come
forward with the Unselish proposition
to relieve them of the taxes on the
materials Of manufacturing industry?
What answer