The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-08-15
SILL PuLllNa WOOL

importer OF New York, wrote recently
to Senator Plumb protesting against
duty or Russian camel's hair and against
increased rates on coarse and mixed
wool. such as are used in carpet making.
1t was shown by Mr.. Windmuelier that,
as We have no camels, it would be fool
ish to place protective duties on camefs
hair to build up a new industry, and
that the same is true of coarse carpet
wool. since next to none is produced in
America The only effect of these
duties, therefore, would be to increase
the price of carpets to our own people.
In reply to this letter Mr.. Windmueller
received the following letter from the
Kansas Senator:
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON, ID. C.. July II. 1890.
Louis Windmuelier, Esq, New York:
Dear Sir: have read what you say about
the duty on Russian camers hair Will give
this matter full consideration, and except
for something which do not now foresee
will support the position which you take. ]
do not object to the rectIfcation of the in
equaltties OF the tariff but have not been
able to convince myself nor have L been
convinced by the reasoning of others, that
there should be any general increase of the
duties now imposed, especially upon art icles
which go into general consumption among
our people Yours truly.
PRESTON B. PLUMB.
1t was Senator Plumb who introduced
the resolution in the Senate to require
the Finance COMMITTEES to give reasons
for changes in the tariff. But this reso-
luton called out such a rigmarole of
glittering generalities about creating
new industries, protecting American
interests" meeting increased competi-
ton abroad" and so on, that it would
have been as we'll if Senator Plumb had
never introduced the resolution at all.
With regard to the wool duties, for ex-
ample, the committee said: 1.-The de-
mand from the representative wool
growers of the country that the rates
upon wool should be largely increased,
has led the committee to recommend
the adoption of the classification herein
suggested, which it is hoped will result
in uniform and honest classification of
wool"
That is funny. The wool-growers de
manded" largely increased rates upon
wool, and the committee gave them "a
new Classification" But this was by no
means giving a stone instead of bread,
for the ''new classification results in a
large increase of duties. though the
committee neglected to assign any
reason for that increase beyond the
demand from the representative wool
growers of the country"
This affords another example of how
the protected interest of the country are
allowed to write their demands" into our
tariff laws The theory of protection is
that the lawmakers examine the con-
dition of the country and then decide
that protection" is needed, and this is
accordingly given. In point of fact, the
thing is never done in this way; but the
hungry interests come fiocking to Con-
gress to impose their demands" upon
committee that usually knows very
little about trade and industry and is only
too willing to have its action guided
by men who know what they want. This
is the way tariff bills to defend "Ameri-
can interests" are concocted. 1t is the
men who want to fill their own pockets
who rush before committees of Congress
and pirate about protecting American
labor from disastrous foreign compe-
tition."
AS the Senate committee had no rea
son to give Senator Plumb further than
1.-The demand of the representative wool
growers of the country" Mr.. Wind
mueller undertook to show the Senator
that there was no good reason to in
crease the duties on cancels hair and
coarse wool; and he undertook to show
up also the iniquity of the uniform
and honest class fication" which the
committee said it had given at the ''de-
mand of the representative wool-grow-
ers of the country"
Tho present rates and the increases
are as follows on coarse woods: On wool
valued at II cents pound or less the
duty is ~ cents pound, which is
equivalent to "a. 60 per cent sd valorem,
and this is changed by the committee to
80 per cent for woods valued at Is cents
pound or less; on coarse wool worth
more than IL cents a pound the duty is
cents, which is equivalent to 80. AS per
cent, this being raised in the present
bill to so per cent on wool above Is
cents a pound.
So much for the duties; but here is
where the uniform and honest classifi-
cation" comes in and effects doubling
up of duties in way to delight the po-
litical shepherds of Ohio who made the
demand" The bill provides that if
any bale of wool of one class contains
any portion of wool of higher class the
whole bale must pay the duty of that
higher class; and further, that if any
sorting of the wool has taken place the
duty shall be doubled.
This is what the political shepherds
demanded" and what they got Mr..
Windmueller shows that inasmuch as
all carpet woods are sorted before i'm
portation, the rates put down in the bill
will have to be doubled; that is to say,
on woods worth 13 cents or less the duty
will be "a per cent; on the higher grades
100 per cent Our political shepherds
know how to make demands" for their
own interests. The plea that the polit-
ieal shepherds make>is, not they have
any carpet woods to sell, but that these
imported carpet woods are sometimes
used to make cloth for the peoples
clothing from the shepherds
standpoint, is a thing to be stamped out
by the iron heel of Mckinley Tariff
bill Carpet woods must be made
SO expensive that the wicked manu-
facturers shall not be able 10 put
them into our clothing, in order that the
political shepherds may get higher
prices for their wool This will mean
dearer carpets for the people; but what
do the shepherds care for that? They
arc looking out for number one!
Meanwhile it is highly instructive to
note that shoddy men are clamoring for
the Mckinley wool duties. They want
to feather their nests too. They see
that high prices on wool will cause
larger demand for their humbug stuff,
and therefore they have taken a great
liking to Mckinley, and nobody is now
support ng the Mckinley bill with more
ardor than the shoddy men
The Tariff 7 AZ In South America.
IL IL -. L.