The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-30
PROFITS OF SILK CULTURE.

PROFITS OF SILK CULTURE.
To the Editor OF the Eagle.
If you will take up the Mckinley tariff
bill and turn to the silk schedule you
will find a bounty provided for our home
grown and reeled silk, and black line
crossing it ont, and by reading further
YOU will find the estimated tariff on the
different grades of manufactured goods
figuIed out on the basis of importations
made last year with an increased tariff
put on manufactured goods, increased
from 90 to 60 per cent, which increase Is
estimated at S48S, 1871, and the total
amount of the tariff for the year is esti-
mated at ST, $50, 70275, and since the
bill is to remain in force ten years, and
has grown out of comparatively nothing
in the last ten years, we may reasonably
expect it to be $4,000, 900 ten years
hence, or a total of $3.50, 900 dur
ing that time. This is an enor-
| nous tax on the people for
the benefit of a few silk mills.
| Under the protection during the last
! ten years we have increased the lmporta-
ton of raw silk to S24, 0OO, 600. In the
same ratio of increase it may equal $780,
| 600, 600 in ten years or 81 200, 600, 600 in
! all. Why was a tariff ever put on
manufactured silk without making
provisions for growing the raw silk at
home? Where are the benefits to accure
without it? Why was the tariff in
creased and tbe'bounty on raw and reeled
silk erased? Is the spirit of American
independence dead: Why should these
things be SO?
Shall we wait until we have paid out
another 5000. coo, 600 for silk and another
$500, 900 for tariff, or wait until we
get it reduced by taxation, or begin now
and save what we have already lost?
What better can Kansas be used for than
silk culture? See the immediate benefit
to be gained from our present hedges,
and the greater benefit to be gained by
covering Kansas with an Usage grove.
The drouths would be broken up, and
springs of living water wonld break
forth to assist in producing regular
crop of silk, furnishing an abundance of
money-yellow, white and green, like
the three colors of silk grown-and with
this abundance of superior silk, the silk
mills of America would need no protec-
ton. Now they are built on false basis
and must tumble to the ground with a
frightful crash when the people get tired
of supporting them. The principle of
building an industry with tax on man
ufactured goods, and admitting the raw
product free, is contrary TO the Declara-
ton of American Independence,
and ought to be prohibited.
Better. far. give the American
producer the difference Should there be
anv) between the foreign cost and the
cost of our producing it and produce it
at home. This IS the true principle of
tariff protection, and applies as much to
raw products as to manufactured goods.
There is plenty of suitable land going to
waste in the United States, and plenty of
people needing employment; to grow all
the silk needed in America.
Let US unwind the worlds silk cocoon
and see if the pup@ Is ready 10 expand
its downy wings in Kansas sunlight
Nearly 1900 years ago silk culture was
started in China by the princess winding
the thread of a silk cocoon on her hand !
and conceiving the idea Of braiding it !
into cloth, from which the industry has |
gradually developed until today /
the worlds crop Of silk Is /.
at S100,000.00O per annum. /
the bulk being produced in China and 1
Japan, but on account of the long con- /
tinued continent of the silk worm for /
so many centuries they became diseased, /
which annually skortens the crop some !
q, 600. 600. 4 large portion of this silk /
is annually sent 10 France, where the in 4
ferior is rereeled and all then assorted /
and graded at Lyons. which IS the cen
ter of the silk industry. IL Is sent from
there to Germany, Switzerland. England
and America 10 be manufactured into
thread. ribbon and cloth. Many attempts
have been made e. grow silk in America
with very good success. Where the
stock or silk worm eggs was nearly
pure. by selecting the best repro
tuCuor for two 10 three years.
they become pure, but only one crop
being produced each year, II did not look
enough for high priced
labor: so the idea was conceived in Kan
sas OF growing several crops IN success
sion, annually, which proved perfectly
with pure stock, producing
six as cheaply as IN China and of q bet
-er quality. which enabled Us TO reel it
protitably. SO that the prospects OF
growing silk IN Kansas are very fiatter-
M.
suppose we grew our own silk. and
lid 70 II the - per cent lost IN China,
md the ~ per cent gained in getting
he superior reeled silk and taking from II
he $50 ot9, 600 paid for tariff protection.
md America would save in ten years
$4,000 coo. exclusive Of the profit Of !
he silk mills.
-
10 much FOR growing our own six.
II. Z BIDwEIL-
8