The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-06-25
The Prey Of Monopoly.
HOW NICK NLEY DEALT
WITH THE PIANO MA
kERS.
They Were Turned Over To Mo.
nOpolists.--Th he VI a x r. Of
Felt, Ivory Keys, Strings.
and Actions Get Their
Mckinley Finish.
A SPECIMEN CASE OF ia.
RIFF GREED.

A SPECIMEN CASE OF Ia
RIFF GREED.
Piano making is oae of tie Few indus
tries Of this country which are indiffer-
ent to protection and care nothing for
foreign competition. While nominally
protected, the manufacturers are entirely
independent of tariff benefits. OF course
there has always been tariff upon
pianos. but not ut the solicitation Of the
manufacturers. Where new tariff has
been introduced the duty has been re.
tanned, more on account Of general pEin-
ciples than because the manufacturers
have invaded the halls Of congress, de-
manding protection for an ''infant in
dustry." In no hearings on the tariff
have they appeared and demanded an
increase. or even = retention Of old
duties. On the contrary, they have re-
ned upon their own skill and enterprise
for protection, and the result has justi-
6ed their course, for more pianos have
been exported every year than have been
imported, and we have sent some of our
best productions to the greatest musical
country of the world-Germany herself.
We began to manufacture pianos over
ninety years ago. The industry has
grown rapidly, the production last year
being double what it was ten years ago.
Last year we made about 72 600 pianos,
and it is estimated that since 1920 we
have made 100000. The census re.
turns Of 1890 are not yet published, but
it is estimated that we now have 300 FAC
tories engaged in turning out pianos or
parts used in them-such as keys, wires,
actions, etc. The estimated capital Of
these factories is $15, 600 900, employing
10000 workmen at wages of $6, SOC, 900 y
year, using 80, 0O0, 900 worth of material.
| and turning out a product worth $18, 900, :
600. New York alone has about two
| thirds of the factories, Massachusetts,
ranking next.
While the piano industry has no in
terest in protection for itself, protec-
| ton lays numerous burdens upon that
industry. In fact it is made o prey to
the greed of several minor industries
which have, nnder the Mckinley law,
higher protection than ever before
| These increased duties are specimen
tricks in the new tariff law, and they
deserve attention from the people Al
large as illustrating the rapacity of tariff
| protected interests.
| The first of the parts used in piano
making which are subject to higher du-
ties under the Mckinley law are the
tuning pins to which the strings are at
tached. The old duty on these pins was
IS per cent. It was first proposed by
Mckinley to make the duty 40 per
cent, along with ''pianos and
pianoforte actions, and parts Of ="
This paragraph was constructed at the
loud solicitation of the action makers,
who, though they had no interest st all
in tuning pins, were very anxious to con-
struct the paragraph affecting their own
productions so broadly that they them
selves might be secure from competition,
with the result that they included every.
thing used in piano manufacture. But
they demanded that the duty be fixed al
30 instead of 40 per cent, and when the
bill went to the senate they accomplished
their purposes in part by having the
whole paragraph struck from the sched.
ule The result was that tuning pini
were made dutiable at As per cent, and
the price was at once put up to 20 pei
thousand, having been $40.
i A similar trick was performed in re-
gard to the felt which is pat ON the ham
mers There Is only one factory en-
gagged in the production Of piano felt in
} the United States-that Of Mr.. ALFRED
Dodge, of Dolgeville, N. Y.-the annual
; production of which, according to Mr.
Dodge, is about 3OO, 600 pounds. England
has two factories, France two and Ger
many four. The only piano felt i'm
ported into ~ United States comes from
Germany, and amounts to from Is ,00
/ to $4,000 pounds per year, 50 that ool,
one-tenth of the felt used here is i'm
, ported.
Piano felt paid duty under the Oh
, law of thirty-five cents pound and A
per cent, equal to a single ad valorem o
3 81 per cent, being taxed as 'manufact
( ures of wool not otherwise provided for.
The duty in this paragraph in the Nc
Kinley bill was made forty-four cents
Z pound and 80 per cent. When, howeves
? the bill was in the conference conmitte
t of the house and senate, Mr.. Dodge. act
| ing through Senator Hiscock. mad tn
} three little words, ''felts not woven,
] put into the ready made clothing para
graph, bearing the highest duty of al
] the manufactures Of wool-499 cents
8 pound and 90 per cent.
e Mr.. Dolge's protection by this trick
made almost absolute. Under the oil
g tariff the duty paid on 100 pounds Of fel
was $1e2. under the Mckinley law $191
e Some importers have already raised tn
+ price Of foreign felt one dollar pound
q The greedy Dodge had two objects i
e view with his tariff trick: ~ To shut on
+ all foreign competition, and (2) bein
q manufacturer of hammers also,
oil drive out of business all the manufactu,
ers here of piano hammers who hsy
J, been using imported felt. The result
G that he win be free from all competitjo
d whatever in the American market. A
# the same time he viii continue to expos
!, felt to Germany as he has done in d
Is past, on all Of which felt drawbacks {
y duties win be paid by the United Sta3s
+ government.
le For the benefit Of the three estabfsl
= nents engaged in making ivory piar
keys similar increase of duty was mad
o. These establishments import their es
n plants tusis free of duty, and had
n Der cent. protection before McKinle