Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1891-04-24

the McKinleyites made il appear that
they were reducing the duty. In the
wire schedule the duty on one of the
sizes of wire used for strings was re-
duced from . cents pound to u cents,
tho other size being left unchanged.
But at the end Of the wire schedules
paragraph was added placing a duty of
40 per cent. ON all iron aud steel wire
worth more than four cents a pound.
Now piano wire Is worth from thirty to
forty cents pound abroad. Thus the
old rates Of duty, equal 10 an nj valorcm
Of II per cent. on smaller wire and IL
on the larger sizes, give place Ia a -
per ccut rate. which means increasing
the rates over 300 per cent. on the finer
and over POO on the coarser wire. Where
the piano manufacturers paid p cents
pound duty under the old law they
now pay over eight cents, and where
they paid three cents they now pay over
twelve cents.
The kind of wire used for piano strings
Is made by one or two establishments in
the United States, the most important
Of which is Washburn q Noen, who
control important patents and We're the
chief movers in the formation of the
barbed wire trust. just rs soon as the
Mckinley tariff went into effect the
price Of music wire was raised. Dealers
at once changed their lists, and wire
which cost the piano manufacturer. fifty
cents per pound before the Mckinley
tariff went into effect now costs them
seventy cents per pound. The circular
of one Of the manufacturers announcing
the advance bears date Of Oct. 10. 1890,
lust one week after the Mckinley law
went into effect.
Another part Of the piano affected by
the tariff is the action. or machinery for
transmitting the strokes of the finger
from the keys 90 the strings. The oid
duty on piano actions was - per cent,
and under it the business of making ac-
tions expanded greatly. there being now
twelve establishments engaged In the
manufacture Of them, one Of which
makes 10000 actions year. But the ac-
ton makers wanted an absolute monop-
DIV. and su went 10 the Mckinleyites and
succeeded IN getting the duty put up to
a. per cent, though they asked for 90
per cent. The smaller piano manuiact-
urprs do not make their own actions,
and they protested vigorously against
the incrcase of duty. They said in their
petition - Mckiulgy's committee:
"Thc undersigned pianofortc makers
of the United States would protest
against such au Advancement Of duty rs
being unjust, obstructive and fatal TO
the piano making industry Il this coun-
try. There appears 10 bee no good reason
for higher rate Of duty on piauofurte
actions. since the manufacturers Of this
article i'm tins country have been highly
successful having made large fortunes
within comparatively short time under
the present protection duty. To raise
the duty on pianuiOrto actions would
simply mean To- create a monopoly for u
| few action makers at the expense of
hundreds Of piano makers
The action makers INDUCED in the
usual rot about protecting labor, and de
! clarel that they would be- compelled 20
reduce WAGES Were not their demands
granted. Just as soon, however. rs the
Mckinley bin was introduced one Of
| these manufactures at once cut down
| the wages OF his laborprs 10 per cent.
Having thus given the action makers,
/ the wire makers, ivory key makers and
/ the single maker of felts full license 10
prey upon the piano manufacturers, Nc
| Kinlcy made the prcteuse of giving these
also "a fair and equitable revision Of the
tariff 10y raising the duty on pianos
| from - per cent % s. per cent As any
| duty at all Is matter vi perfect indif-
ference 20 the piano makers. the hollow
| mockcry of this piece of Mckinleyism is
| evident