New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-08
HANDSAWs AND THE TARIFF.
AND SOME "REMINISCENCES NOT CHEERING TO
FREETRADERs.

AND SOME "REMINISCENCES NOT CHEERING TO
FREETRADERs
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: read in today's Tribune the excerpt quoted
from "The Boston Journal" relative to handsaws.
Somebody In New Hampshire complains that he had
10 pay 10 cents moro for his handsaw this wear than
last OF course he holds the Mckinley bin response
bic. That has been the fact for about year past,
and is fair sample Of the free lying and free
cheating which appears 80 TO delight the howers To-"
free trade and tariff reform, so called.
have had experience IN relation 10 handsaws,
the relation Of which may serve an accompaniment
10 the above. am carpenter by trade, although IL
IS nearly twenty years since worked at the bench
When I DID, liked always TO have the best todis l
could get At that time, during the last part Of TIE
sixties nearly every carpenter was inclined to use
Spear & Jaclson's English handsaws. They were
good toOls-no doubt Of that One day, by mere
accident, / happened 10 pick up a croSscut handSaW
owned by DIV feow-worTnan. On cutting of
piece of stuff with II noticed how clean, keen and
light It ran. ] Of examined 1t, and was sur
prsed to find the name Of an American maher stamped
upon IT, looked t over and over In wonder
say in wonder as my experience up to that time had
left strong prejudice in my mind against American
handsaws had found them heavy, ulworking
nfeless tools They lacked that indescTbable some
thing which makes tool pleasant and companonable
every workman understands the last phrase was
of axes ADDE'S and drawing knives, no American cage
tool was fit TO be used and II used they only added
81 much tn the burden end toll Of the days work
at once sold my Spear d. Jackson handsaw ana
nrocured n set Of the American make. While worked
at the trade never used any other Since then
have conversed with many workmen and found Their
experience to accord with mine
NV tool-chest and tools still have place In my
home use them occasionally the neghbors some
times borrow and forget 10 return them. In that way
a number Of them have been lost. had occasion
few weeks ago to use a cross-cut handsaw. found
nv old one had gone the way Of several OF my other
TOOLS ! went 10 the hardware store and bought
new one. Judge Of my surprise to find that twenty
sxfnch crosscut-saw which used to pay ~ 20 fOP'
could be got for 81 so. There was no mistake about
H. There IL was, with the same old brand on ~
I" as good a saw as ever cut board" l nu u0t
credit the difference 10 the Mckinley bill, but dld
credit IL TO the kind Of protective legislation ana
remembered, toD, that that legislation came through
no particular merit of anybody, but primarily az a
matter of necessity. and because OF our war expenses
am also aware that this, 10 relation 10 naiusaws, Is
only one OF many Of the benefits OF pro6cuVe fe6Is
latiOn which came TO us as an incdent OF our WAL
experience. .. , =, ,o.
No doubt remember the same kind OF experience as
above related That along with other experiences mas
heIncd 10 confirm me In my belief that II the Demo
Gratis had their way, would find te industry OF tne
country ruined, and our mechanics forced TO raise
eete ana toatOes everybody doing that and no one to
SeU TO- How would such state 81 things help either
our farmers ordnechancS7 confess connoC ser ana
/ doubt whether agy one else can. JOHN REID.
IIobOheii, July g, 1901.