Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-24
HIDES AND TARIFF.
The Allegheny Tanners Exercised
Over the Proposition
BEFORE CONGRESS TO TAX HIDES.
The Shoe and Leather Reporter Announces
Its Position
FOR THE BENEFIT OF LEGISLATORS
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH
SATTTRnAN March % 1901 4

SATURDAY March Y, 1880. !
The hide and leather trade has been very
quiet the past two weeks. Heavy steer
hides have seldom been as dull, and never
as low in the history of the trade. Harness
leather was in fair demand the first two
months of the year, but within the past two
or three weeks has Stacked up and stock
begins to accumulate in the hands OF our
home tanners. The present lull is attributed
by manufacturers to the wretched state of
country roads through Pittsburg's field of
trade operations.
Our harness makers report lots of orders
and once weather permits the accumulations
at the Allegheny tanneries will no doubt soon
disappear as they have been in the habit of
doing in years gone by.
Home tanners are considerably worked up
concerning the proposed duty of l16c per pound
on green hides.
Tanners Don't Like IL.
Already the Ways and Means Committee of
the House of Representatives has taken action
in favor of the duty. Said one of our leading
tanners to-day: II consider that this legislation
will be very adverse to our industry. The
leather trade desires to be let alone by the leg
islators. A duty OF l14c on green will add &c to
the cost of leather, an increase which, OF
course, will in the end fall on the consumer.
ut has been between Is and 20 years since
there was duty on green hides, and III that
time there has been a steady growth of our ex-
port trade. In 1851 the first hides we're exported
from this country and in that year the total
exported was 5U2 600. The hides exported in
1859 were in round numbers 100000 In the
latter year there were imported into the United
States from South America, Africa, China
and other countries 2 AZ, 27S hides. The feeling
among local tanners is adverse TO any duty on
hides, and we propose to bring all the pressure
we know how gainst this tamperlng with our
interests by Congress"
In connection with this subject the current
number of the Shoe and Leather Reporter of
New York contains the following editorial,
which gives no uncertain sound:
Looking Backward.
1t is reported that majority OF the men,
bers of the Committee of Ways and Means in
the House of Representatives have agreed to
report a bill in which duty OF one and half
cents pound is to be levied on hides. This is
so long a step backward that is is difficult to
believe that the committee are in earnest The
impost on hides was removed is wears ago after
a vigorous appeal to Congress made by some of
the strongest representatives of the leather
producing industry in the country, and con-
CURED in by the whole fraternity without an
exception. The abrogation of the tax was fol-
lowed by considerable export traffic in hem
lock sole leather, which has continued and been
increasing ever since. 1t Is SO IldnlleSLlN IN
violation of the principles of political economy
TO tax 4 raw material of this nature that we
have never for moment imagined such
measure would be proposed.
Every tanner. shoe manufacturer and shoe
dealer In the United States ought to sit down
at once and address to his representative re-
monstranee against taking hides out of their
proper place on the free list. At present prices
of hides, the proposed duty would be not only
burden. but a burden most inequitably distrIb
uted. For example. on La Plata hides at l315
cents pound, the market price today the
duty would be IL per cent ad valorem. On
Buffalos which sell at a cents pound the
duty would be 50 per cent ad valorem. What
could be the motive of the members of the
committee for making this extraordinary
recommendation? Haven't the tanners had
trouble enough already in lifting their business
out of an 1nremunerative condition, that they
should be offered up as victims of legislative
oppression? We cannot make up our minds
that majority of the members can be per-
Suaded TO sanction the innovation. Our trade
has some representatives in the popular branch
OF Congress, and they are protectionists. We
takeit for granted they will oppose the imposi-
tion of duty on hides, and that they will make
their opposition felt should there be need of it,