Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-01-08
a TARIFF FAILURE.

ness.
Mr.. e. 81. Ammidown, Of New York,
is the president Of the American Pro-
tective Tariff League. He was also
president OF the Rittenhouse Manufaet-
uring Company. Of Passafc, n. J., en-
gagged in the manufacture Of blankets,
Svoolens and mixed goods. I'm the lat
ter capacity he has recently failed for
$500, 900.
The failure Of these mills offers m In
terestfng lesson from the tarin stand
point. Mr.. Ammidown is the president
OF the organization which Ia trying.
through its publications, TO prove 60 the
people that the tariff is not tar and
that il does not raise prizes: yet
when it became certain that the
levying higher duties on wool, Mr. Am
midown followed his common sense al
q business man and laid In large sup
plies Of wool. The Philadelphis Press,
q prominent high tariff organ, is author
ity for the statement that he bought
$1,000, OO0 worth OF wool last June and
July.
twas the purchase Fl this wool that
caused the downfall OF Mr.. Ammidown.
His wool debts proved too heavy TO bear
up under in the tight money market;
and he could not sell his wool at profit,
for the anticipated rise In price did not
come. This also is an interesting tariff
fact: While the tariff does Increase prices
there are two reasons why che prices Of
wool are not yet xaised One Is that
most manufacturers laid TN large sup
plies Just like Mr.. Ammidown, in antict-
patton OF mckinley prices" on wool,
and as so many manufacturers held full
stocks Of wool, the demand was les
sened and no rise has taken place.
The second reason is that to tax for
eign wool actually diminishes the de-
mand for home wool, Q fact which Is
pointed out even by some of the
high protectionist papers them
selves. The manufacturer Of WOODEN
goods can be most successfully carried
on only when the manufactures has
free access to all markets for the pur-
pose of selecting grades ofwool suitable
for mixing with our native woods. The
Mckinley law makes it more difficult
than ever to gee those mixing woods.
hence our wooden industry does not find
| itself in position TO pay higher prices
| for our own wool.
d Case Fee Free BAN sfatsris4ss
| SSDOUt years dSO Vic guy O41
hides was removed, and since that time
our tanning and leather goods indus
tries have had the advantage Of FREE
raw materials. The result has been TO
vindicate in che completes manner Che
truth of the Democratic position inShe
prosens tariff agitation thas free raw
materials will not only encourage end
| develop our manufactures, but win en-
able them tn put Sheir products upon
She markets OF the world in successful
competition with theft foreign rivals.
| Prom the very time when hides were
upon the free list our leather industries
began to expand, and our exports of
sole leather and manufactures OF leathef
have shown @ steady ana gratifying
growth ever since. a late number Of
ssBradstreet's" has Che folloein9 facts
and figures on the sbjec&
1.-THE cost OF tanning hides is cheaper
here than In any other country. This
| is due in large measure 20 the love cost
of materials. We are therefore no2 only
able to tan all our domestic hides but
the major part of those produced in
Central and South America We supply
European countries with about $500, 600
worth of leather each month, and our
exports have been increasing rapidly
within the last few years, as may be
seen from the following table: