Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-05
A Protest Against the In
crease of the Duties.
A Number of Local Dealers
Join in the Movement.
The .WOrkman's Tools to be Increased
in Price.
An Extract From the Protest-What the
Mckinley Bill Proposes to Do.
The Cutlery Combine.

The provision of the Mckinley Tariff
bill referring to the duties on cutlery
has excited great deal of opposition
among the hardware men of the country,
and number of Los Angeles firms pro-
pose to join in the general movement
to secure change. A circular has been
issued by Messrs. Graef & Schmidt, OF
New York, large wholesale hardware
firm, calling upon dealers throughout
the country to exert themselves to pre-
vent the cutlery provision from becom-
ing law. The circular is signed by 800
of the leading firms of the East. Among
the local firms who have joined in the
protest are the Tufts-Lyon Arms Com
pany, B. A. Breakey G. Duncommun
and Schoder, johnson & Co. Protests
will be sent to the Representative of
this district and the Senators of the
State.
The existing duties on cutlery vary
from 35 to so per cent ad valorem; the
House committee has recommended that
these be more than doubled, the greatest
advance being made on the lowest
priced goods, which are largely used by
Iaborers. The nature of the changes,
which are such as to seriously affect the
hardware trade, is set forth in the fol-
lowing extract from the circular of
Messrs. Graef & Schmidt;
There is demand for these goods that
are not made here, and which cannot be
made here under the most favorable Cir
cumstances for years. Shall such goods
be shut out and people deprived from
purchasing them because few manu-
facturers are enabled to influence Con-
gress to put upon them unreasonable
and prohibitory rates for their exclusive
benefit?
Ii system of government favoritism
and bounty could be made applicable to
all citizens alike it would be little more
endhrable, though it would then be ''dog
eat dog" with no special gain to any
one, but there is no system of unneces-
tariff prohibition that can be devised,
except the one that is advantageous to
the few and disadvantageous to the
many.
1t is a well-known fact that the bulk
of the pocket cutlery imported is ex-
clusively such as is not made in this
country, and which this country is not
prepared to make. 1t must be remem-
bered that the manufacture of pocket
cutlery in this country is only confined
to limited branches and patterns. So far
as it has gone, the result has been more
than successful in controlling the market
against foreign goods But there are
thousands of patterns and grades-an
outcome of 200 to 300 years. experience
that no attempt has yet been made to
manufacture in this country, and it is
now proposed to put on those patterns
and grades prohibitory duty to enable
the domestic manufacture to compel
purchasers to accept their limited pat
terms and at their prices. 1t is perfectly
clear from the past success of the domes-
tic manufacturers under the present tariff
of so per cent-that it is only question
of time and increased intelligence when
they will control the trade in these
goods, and it is question whether the
country is prepared under governmental
compulsion to contribute to them fifty
per cent additional bounty in the in
terim.
Razors-The duty of 100 per cent on
razors is put on at the instance of sub
stantially one manufacturer, and the
cheaper razors used by the poorer classes
will cost under this duty double what
they now cost.
Carving and Cooks Knives-A few of
these goods are imported because they
are better quality than are made in this
country, and by putting up the rates it
is proposed to compel the people to take
inferior goods at much higher prices.
Table Cutlery-It is a well known
fact that nineteen-twentieths of all the
table cutlery marketed in this country
for the past twenty years has been made
here, and the only known reason for the
advance in duty is to enable the table
cutlery combination to still further ad-
vance their prices. The committee on
ways and means were shown by evi-
dence that cannot be disproved that the
difference between the domestic cost of
production and the cost of the foreign
article under the present duty of 35 per
cent. ad valorem is n per cent. in favor
of the domestic, and they were not only
shown this, but a statement of results
for 1889 from one of the members of the
combination was submitted, showing
earnings of about 81 per cent. on the
capital employed.
If the committee on ways and means
had put table cutlery on the free list
nothing could have been imported except
a few high-priced goods like Rogers's,
which sell on their reputation. This ac-
tion on table cutlery shows the foolish
ness of this whole business.
Butcher Knives-It is we'll known that
very few of these goods are imported ex-
cept well-known brands that sell on
their quality and reputation. These
brands will continue to be sold under a
higher duty, the extra cost coming out of
the pockets of the butchers throughout
the country. Does not this seem nom
sense, when it is considered that the
Government does not need additional
revenue?
Surely all this is protection run mad.
No consideration whatever is given to
the people who buy these goods. Ev-
urers.
MT1STC AMI nPAMA