The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-06
TARIFF ruNE or THE PIANO.

| 4lIOWeu ulufselt 70 IOEEet Llht lle OWES
something TO the mon who have helped
| to make his fortune, and. he has sur
rounded them with all the conveniences
OF u good.sized city, and the community
is q very happy. one. 7-3s5r z -, .
In writing about the tariff; Nj. Dodge
draws upon his experience as q manu-
| facturer. His subject is; "The actual
effect of the Mckinley bill upon the
piano and wool.felt.industries." =
~ the Editor etths World: ae esorr
You request me to state:thS effect Of
the Mckinley bill upon the industries
with which 1 have been mostintimately
connected for the past twenty-five years.
The piano industry, since its gigantic
development under the protective tariff
Of 1s6l-l9SS, has grown 30 strong that
the reduction Of the thrift In 1883 could
not directly injure 1t. However, after
tho passage Of the low tariff bill Of 1888,
European piano manufacturers made
the most strenuous efforts to recapture
the American market, advertised very
extensively in our trade journals, and
established agencies here which were
very active, and sold foreign Pianos
especially in the Southern States and on
the Pacific Coast.
The immediate effect OF the Nick inley
bill was that the advertisement Of the
foreign piano manufacturers were
stopped and the agencies Withdrawn.
The American piano manufacturer has
again complete control Of the home
market.
The same applies 10 piano materials,
most Of which are entirely supplied by
American manufacturers.
The eKinley bill has undoubtedly
protected the American workmen In the
piano industries, by stopping the inn
portat ton Of foreign pianos.
The cost Of on entire piano has been
increased only q cents on an average,
because Of the higher duties imposed
upon piano materials.
The ultimate result Of the Mckinley
bill win undoubtedly be that some OF
the foreign manufacturers Of piano
materials will remove their plants to
this country, If they have tho assurance
that the present protective policy will.
be maintained.
The woof-felt industries have actually
been saved from utter destruction by
foreign competition through the Nc
Kinley bill. Statistics show that in the
year 1875 wool felt was manufactured
by sixteen establishments, employing
about $500 hands, and producing an
nually $4,000 worth Of goods. Tho
Reduction Of the tariff In 1888 affected
the wool felt Industry 50 disastrously
that the number Of establishments was
reduced to soven, employing only,0bout
$50 hands, and producing not over
s., 90o,0 900 worth Of goods per annum.
Without the aid Of the Mckinley bill
these few establishments would have
been compelled 10 leave the field en-
tirely to the powerful German Felt
Trust, which made the most desperate
efforts in lsSS'and y 1888 10 destroy the
American felt industry in order TO con-
troll the American market.
Statistics show that nearly S4,000,000
have been lost by American felt manu-
iacturers in the attempt to fight foreign
competition. But as the workinglnen
in European felt factories earn only q
to cents per hour, against Is to 20
cents per hour in America, the struggle
MAS hopeless, especially iAscAhost the
identical machines are used in this in
dpstry here and in Europe, in fact,
American felt manufacturers are using
English and German machinery to "a
great extent.
The difference In wages and expenses
in Europe and America is so great that
even under the Mckinley bill the for
eign felt manufacturer makes "a large
profit, afterpayipg. the. duty, than the
American felt manufacturer can posi-
bly, make. However, the direct effect
OF the Mckinley bill has been that the
American felt manufacturer cannot DO
crushed and driven out Of the market
by the foreign manufacturer
Sufficient time has not elapsed since
the passage OF the Mckinley bill to take
from the market the tremendous stock
OF foreign felts which were imported in
anticipation, therefore n marked in
crease in the production Of American
felt cannot at present be recorded. The
fact, however, that the American manu-
facturers can hold their own now proves
conclusively that the Mckinley bill is
primarily american; measure for the
benefit OF the American people:
The prices for felts- or felt goods
have not advanced and as soon{as other
felt mills can start up, home eompeti-
ton will undoubtedly reduce prices.
Free wool, even with protective
duty to equali2e thedillerence in wages,
would not DO desirable for this in
dustry, because the American manu-
iacturer would DO entirely 1.-THE mercy
OF the foreign producers.
A duty on wool stimulates sheep
which serves as a check on
prices OF foreign woods.
The Mckinley bill does not protect
the American consumer OF felt and felt
goods against strong foreign monopo-
", which latter would naturally exact
the most unreasonable prices after It
had succeeded in crushing tho Ameri-
can manufacturers
1t made q healthy competition be-
tween American and Foreign felt man
uiactures possible. 1t has further, be-
yond any doubt, protected tho 1900
hands new employed in this industry,
who would surely have been thrown
ont OF work had the Mills free trade
bill boon placed on our statute books.
And If the Ne Sinley bill remains for
number OF years, there is no doubt that
the American felt industry will again
atthin its important position and give
remunerative employment TO thousands
Of people.
To sum up,
The direct effect OF the Mckinley bill