San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-05-07
=hc Raw Material Of Type.


Chicago Tribune OF Al ril 18th.
The interminable subject of the
tariff seems TO be never-endlng ana
always with us. Vet while We have
had it discussed In The Tribune, from
all points apparently, there are other
subjects and articles of concern to the
people as we'll as sugar, wool, flax,
hides and tin.
We take issue with an article in
paper when it says: The same man
wants a high tariff on goods that he
manufacturers in order TO protect him
against foreign competition" We
are manufacturers of printing mater
ial-type founders; and the raw mat
eriaI used by us consists mainly OF
lead, tin and antimOuy. On an equal
basis we have no fear of competition
from any portion of the globe. we
do, however, ask Il fair show in any
tighl.for business. That is we 60 not
want high tariff to protect US, but
we do want the raw material which
enters into the composition OF
type laid down at our door
as cheaply as at the doors
of our foreign competitors. Under eX-
isting circumstances this is not the
case. The duty on lead is now two
cents a pound. The price has ruled
at about ga cents per pound in this
market for some months past, while
the price in London is about one cent
per pound lower. And yet in the
lace of fact like this there are those
who advocate placing q duty on Mex
lean lead. silver ores for the express
purpose of still further running up
the price of lead. 1t is true, lead is
is not an article that can be worn or
eaten, but there is not an editor or
printer on American soil who is not
vitality interested in keeping lead
down to a low figure. The cry that
is made by a few persons that Next
can lead-silver ore should be taxed
comes from persons who are
interested in Colorado mines, or
from persons who have not
carefully studied the question. 10
subject this ore to duty when so
much American capital has been in
vested in Mexican mines, and at
time when all good citizens should be
using eVe"y means in their power to
promote trade between ourselves ana
our Mexican neighbOrs, would be an
outrage almost beyond belief. We
believe it to be the duty of every
newspaper man in this great Amerl-
can reading nation to raise voice
in protest against this great injustice
so loud that II may be heard in the
halls of congress before the bill now
pending passes.
The duty on lead should not be
more than one cent per pound. Anti
unIlADl6
at 10 per cent ad valOrem,
should be free, since there is
none smelted in this country. Tin is
already on the free list, where it be-
longs. These three metals are the
chief compOnents in type metal.
When the American typefOunder can
procure them at as low rates as hi
foreign competitor he does not ask Il
lures, although he pays the state,
county, city and other taxes, from
hich his foreign competitor is eX-
empt, and pays wages from % per cent
to 30 per cent letter than either Eng
lish or German.
The tariff on type is now p per
cent. In the bill now before congress
it has not been changed. On type
metal the tariff is to be the same as
on manufactured type, or two cents
per pound on the lead contained
therein. This should be reduced, as
tar as the lead is concerned, to one
cent per pound or Is per cent. ad va
loren. The manufactured type can
be reduced also to ID per cent. al va
lorem, and it will be all the protec-
ton any type founder requires, and
that is solely on account of the labor
he employs, and not on the cost OF
the material. But such proceeding
as taxing Mexican lead-silver ore
would without doubt raise the price
of lead and be heavy blow to type
founders and other manufacturers.