Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-12-19
S3,G32,l59



The fact that these articles are all raw
materials; that they yield but little rev.
enue; that they can be acted upon indie
pendently of any other articles; that the
Democrats are under obligations to make
them free, and that bills freeing them
have passed the present congress or are
in the hands of the ways and means
committee, should leave no doubt as to
what should be done with these articles.
The sooner they are made free the more
confidence the people will have in the
Democratic party and the sooner the
good effects of free raw materials will
begin to be manifestin growing manufac-
lures.
In the case of several other articles the
duty of immediate action is just as i'm
perative Free wool has been promised
to the people. The total value of wool
imported in 1891 was $l7070, 1873; duty
collected, $G,552 1868. The amount of
duty in this case is not so great as to
cause any hesitation, but it would be
unjust to make wool free without lower
ing duties on woolen goods And here
we run against an important revenue
producing schedule. In 1891 imported
wooden goods valued at $43, ,235, ,4l0 pro-
duced a revenue of $34, ,S57 ,453. Based
upon the Springer free wool bill now
pigeonholed in the senate), which left
duties too high, it would be easy to make
q tariff schedule for woolens that would
produce nearly or quite as much revenue,
and that would greatly reduce the cost
Of 1r-pn1a,, 1ran1s tD thn ,ap,,1a hn
great importance of cheap clothes and
of cheap foreign woods to our textile
manufacturers makes it imperative to
act at once. The fact that delay will
only put our manufacturers at great
disadvantage by enabling foreign manu-
facturers to make up out of the cheap
woods which they already have surplus
stock of goods to be sold here as soon as
our duties are reduced makes it more
imperative that we act at once.
The duties on timed plate and pearl
buttons should be removed or greatly
reduced without delay. This would
probably hurt the feelings of President
Harrison, who took especial pains to
mention these duties and articles in his
letter of acceptance, but even if these
industries now sprouting here should
wither and die (Which is highly improb-
able) these burdensome and inordinately
high duties must go. This government
is going out of the business of giving do
nations to support sickly industries
Hundreds of other duties, which pro-
duce little or no revenue, but which
foster trusts that bleed us numerically,
though they may sell to foreigners at
reasonable prices, should be unceremoni-
ously "chucked overheard" Some of
these duties are those on agricultural
implements, axes and edged tools, barbed
wire, bolts and nuts, borax, brooms,
cartridges, castor oil, copper, cordage,
cotton duck, cottouseed oil, cotton
thread, envelopes, lead, matches, oil
cloth, pocket cutlery, powder, saws.
schoolbooks, sewer pipes, shot and lead,
soap, sponges, starch, steel rails, struc-
tural steel, leazels, trunks, type, UNI
brellas, wall paper, watches, wheels,
wool screws, etc The most of these an
ticles are produced cheaper here than
anywhere else, and we are entitled to
obtain them at as low prices as they sell
for abroad. But for the un-American
Mckinley bill we could now do so. 1t is
disgrace to us that we vote for repre-
sentatives to make laws that make it
possible for us to purchase our own
products-sewing machines, plows, type
writers, saws, cartridges, etc, for from
10 to 100 per cent. cheaper abroad than
at home. IF we tolerate this system
longer we will certainly brand ourselves
"chumps."