Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-09-15
FOREIGN BLANKETS.
MAI. Mclxinley Punctures the False
heed that the Duty IL added to the
l D~sA

II
heed that the Duty is added to the
Price.
Extract from Maj. McKinleys Speech, May IS, $751;
On the 2sth Of March, 1887, the United
States Government advertised for bids for
the purchase Of blankets for the use of the
Medical Department Of the Army. This
was in 1887, under the present Administra
ton. There we're foreign bids, and there
were American bids. Now, if the President
is right in saying that the duty is added to
the cost, then the foreign cost, duty added,
ought to be just equal to the American price.
Now, what are the facts Of this transaction
AS have said, there was foreign bid and
there was an American bid. The foreign
bid was for four pound blanket for med
ical purposes, to be furnished for $2.2s 40.
For the same four-pound blanket for the
same purposes the American bid was So So,
there being difference Of 80 $40 cents.
Who do you suppose got the contract
There was foreign bid and an American
| bid, and the difference between the bids was
80 cents on each blanket. Now tell me
which manufacturer, the American or the
| English, got the contract Is there any
body here who would not have given it to
the American, there being a difference Of
only 90 cents between the bids1
Is there any gentleman on this floor who
would send abroad to get a pair Of blankets
merely to save 80 cents on them, thus taking
away from the American manufacturer and
the American farmer and the American la
borer that much business? However that
may be, that contract did go abroad. Eng
lish labor, with foreign wool, made those
z,ooo blankets for the use of our army.
American labor was boycotted, and they
came in without paying any duty. The
Government took advantage Of the law that
stands on the statute book, and admitted
them free Of duty. There being so little
revenue in the Treasury, it was necessary,
of course, to save every penny; SO they took
advantage of that law which permits the
United States to bring in goods free Of duty.
Now let US look at the figures. The
duty on blankets of that quality is IS cents
a pound and IS per cent. ad valorem
Eighteen cents pound upon 1000 blankets,
four pounds each, is $I,44o; IS per cent.
ad valorem is SI,576.4o, making total
duty upon those 2, 900 blankets, which were
bought from a foreign blanket maker, Of
$3,oI6.4o The cost OF these blankets free
of duty amounts to S4,s with the duty
added the total would be $7,s2o.4o.
| Now, if the President is right, and if the
| Chairmen OF the Committee on Ways and
Means is right in saying that this duty is
added to the price to the American consum.
er, then $4,000 is exactly what the
American price would be.
| Now, then, gentlemen, what was the
American pricee The American pr,ce wa:
$3.50. That is, its was $4,000 less thar
the foreign cost, duty added. Without any
duty, the difference between the cost Of the
American and the cost of the foreign blank.
cts, the whole 1000, was about 5000. Now,
you see the American manufacturer does
not get the duty, and that, submit, is suf
6cient reason why he does not give it to his
workmen. am very sorry, Mr.. Chairman.
that the President of the United States did
not know of this transaction, which had &C.
Cured under his own administration, SC
that he might have avoided making the
blunder which he made in his message wher
he said that the duty was added to the cost
And do not know what those around me
may think about it, but am very sorry thai
our Government went abroad and bough
those blankets just to save 80 cents apiece
on them. Laughter and applause on the
Republican side.
ment of ours, which is supported by its OWL
people, and not by foreigners, would patron
ize its own people. l think that is an ex
ample Of patriotism which should be set BY
those charged with public administration
l wish the men who pay the taxes to supper
this Government. to pay the President
salary and other expenses of the Govern
ment, would be patronized when the Govern
ment has anything to buy, don't your Ant
are you not a little ashamed Of this transac
ton, all of you? do not know whether
the like was ever done under any forme
Administration or not; but it never ought t
be done, except in time of war or great pub
lie necessity, by any future Administration
Of any party. Applause on the Republican
side.]
A WOman's Desp air.