Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-19
Criticism of Mr. Bleakies Letter to the
Tariff Reform League.

Criticism of Mr.. Bleakie's Letter to the
Tariff Reform League.
To the Editor # the Boston Journal
The letter of Mr.. Robert Bleakie. read al
the dinner of the Tariff Reform League, 18th
ult, is a remarkable production-remarka-
bic for its statement. and assumptions.
so far As profit TO himself is 10 be consd-
cred, Mr. Bieakie is a successful manufac-
tHrer of WOODEN goods. or goods purportihg
to be WOODEN. and his success has developed
within the tinie since the protective system
has prevailed in this country.
Mr. Bleakie's first remarkable statement is
that the WOODEN industry established
under a low tarif and had its greatest pros
perity then" and that there has not been
nearly the development ia the WOODEN manu-
featuring Industry during the years of high
tariff that there in the ten years of low
tariff lust before tine war.
Like MIR Blrakle, too have had some
experience with "oolen goods as dealer ID
y oolen goods and manufacturer of clothing.
My experience, perhaps, numbers as many
wears as his own, and my memory Is better
than his if his statement here quoted Is 10 be
taken as test.
Now was a large buyer of wooden goods
in 1860 and for several years preceding, and
| well remember the character and kinds of
WOODEN goods in the market. The great bulk
of purchases for clothing purposes were for
eign goods. We had American satnets, cot
ton warp cloths, and union cassmeres' but
even of these not large supply many were
imported OF all wool goods made in this
country We had a few low grade black doe
skins and black cassmeres and small num-
Der of mills were making low and medium
grades of fancy cassimeres. Edward Harris
was making limited quantity of fairly good
cassmeres, but at prices that confined their
use to the custom tallors.
Allovercoatings other than American goods
mentioned above were imported. made the
black cassmeres manufactured at Nassai-
boro, Maine, into overcoats, using heavy
cotton drills for interllnlng. Broadcloths
were imported from Berlin and Aix-la- Cha
pelle and other places. Notwithstanding the
low tariff of that day, averaging 10 per cent
on the whole importation, clothing was much
higher in price and poorer in quality than
to-day Never was the time when the people
of this country could supply themselves with
useful and stylish clothing so cheaply as now
doubt if there is any country where the
masses can clothe themselves SO well for the
where their labor will bring half so much
clothing and food as this tariff ridden land.
In lst;O one could count on his fingers the
number of mills making respectable WOODEN
goods in New England and the Middle States.
The larger WOODEN mills in Lowell Lawrence
and some other places had been reorgaRized
within few years previous to 1850 at the
eNpens. of the original stockholders, and
sometimes the creditors, and a limited pros
peritv attended the new companies, because
they had obtained the plant at a nominal cost !;
how long that prosperity would have contin-
ued had there been no rebellion. and no
change of tariff, is "A matter of conjecture
only. To-day only the finer qualities of
wooden goods are imported. The wholesale
buyer, for clothing purposes use almost en-
trely American goods The wrong classih-
cation of worsted cloths by the Treasury
Department has induced an added importation
of these goods. but the preference is still for
American goods of same cost even in this
line. of course am speaking of the medium
grades of worsted cloths used in the general
clothing trade.
In the class of woolens made by Mr..
Blcakic there has been no foreign comoeti-
ton for 90 years, and no one knows this bet
ter than himself. This brings me to anoth-
or remarkable statement in his letter For
cign made fabrics are coming in in larger
quantity than ever. Something must be
done. Two things are suggested. The high
protective tariff people clamor for an increase
of duties on manufactured goods. This
would result in an increase of prices to the
consumer all around and end in decrease in
the consumption of wool. People who are
now wearing woolcns would be forced to fall
1. 4. 81, i'm A ftnr Mr.
Blcakie has pointed out any number of ex-
amples of the great prosperity of WOODEN
manufacturers, and given statistics of the
superior Development of this industry in the
ten years prior to 1860, he may then perhaps
tell who is now "clamorng" for an increase
of duty on WOODEN goods. The manufactur
ers of worsted cloths justly ask to be placed
in the same classification with other WOODEN
manufacturers. and the Secretary of the
Treasury indorses their claim. This tariff
might be doubled and it would make no diff
ference with medium WOODEN goods-say all
wool cassimeres, 25-ounce weight, double
width costing 81 30 and under. The com
petition in this class of goods is entirely be-
tween American manufacturers. and has been
these many wears If the present tarlff on
WOODEN goods is materially reduced, Mr..
Beakie and others making this class OF
woolens may be compelled TO dispute the
market with the foreign product in addition
to the home product which he says is now
over abundant. Mr.. Bleakie expresses a
fear that people now wearing woolens would
be forced to fall back on cotton clothing
again" Perhaps it is 10 prepare people for
this dire event that he so deftly mixes in
cotton with wool as to make people think they
are wearing all wool.
But the gist of Mr.. Bleakie's letter is, he
wants free wool. He says then The exist
ing. or even a less duty on the manufactured
article. would suffice to protect the American
workmans wages and preserve the American
market to the American manufacturer.
1t is evident that Mr. Bleakie does not
want a much less" duty on his goods than
at present and that he does want legislation
that will preserve the American market to
the American manufacturer" This must
have been ''cold comfort TO an audience
enthusiastic over a revival of 'CalhounIsm."
aud who propose to give the markets of the
world" to the American manufacturer by
letting the foreign manufacturer drive him
ont of the home market.
| might he disposed to discuss this matter
of free wool. but defer it at present, because
of the last of Mr. Bleakie's remarkable state
ments in this letter, viz. There is not the re-
hottest possibility that the wiping out of this
wool tariff will ruin single wool grower.
The price of wool is controlled by influences
with which the tariff has nothing to do. Cali
fornia wool is sold at from TO 10 cents less
a pound today than it was few years ago,
and the tariff has not in the meantime
changed particle" If this be why
NEEDLE with il; What difference will this
pipng ont of the tariff make to Mr.. Bleakie:
A. W. BEARD.
The Wool Men in Hermony and in
Earnest.