The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-01
The Harness Industry and PrOteo.
tion.


tion.
It is not likely that many Of the bar
ness makers Of the country will vote
the Democratic ticket this year, judg-
ing from the action taken by their ma
tional association held in New York in
September. Far from demanding free
trade, or even reduction OF the tariff,
they demand an increase OF protection,
in the interest OF the American in
dustry.
According to the official proceedings
of the Sixth annual convention, a copy
of which has been received at this
Office, the most important new bust.
ness that came before the association
was the question of ways and means
to put stop to the differentiation Of
imported harness. This, it was devel-
oped, has seriously interfered with the
prosperity Of the American harness
makers and greater protection against
the foreign product was one of the
remedies urgently demanded.
One manufacturer called attention to
the fact that the duty on manufactured
harness is only 50 per cent land 1t is
well.known fact to all in the trade that
even this low duty is evaded by the
importers. The proof is conclusive.
One house imported harness from the
other side in parts and discontinued
dealing with the manufacturer. He
establishes house here and imports
carloads Of harness and all goods apper.
tanning to the trade, and consequently
can undersell the native manufacturer
owing to persistent differentiation"
He thought some action ought to be
taken in regard to this matter and
committee appointed to look into it.
A committee was finally appointed to
petition to Congress in the name Of
the association, to put a duty on har-
ness which would be protective in the
strict sense of the word. In speech,
during the course OF the convention,
delegate, Mr.. Bach, one of the leading
harness makers in the country, said:
Suppose We take the city Of New York Just to
give you an illustration Of the importation OF
harness. One importing house will do more
trade than at least ten harness makers Why?
Because we have not tho proper protection; We
have to pay much higher for our material and
our labor. and how can We be successful on the
basis Of the small duty now placed on It, say 10
TO Is per cent. We cannot do II. So far us the
quality OF our work is concerned, venture the
assumption there are men In this room tonight
who can mike better harness and saddles than
ever were made IN the old country. Tho
time Is coming when the sRddlery and harness
business will be sort Of leverage In the country,
not G little side-show business. think that
there Is as much intelligence in this business as
In any other. and rs stated In our convention.
that a man. 10 conduct iiTst class business in
our line, requires US fertile brain as any busi-
ness going Why should we not rise to the
front rank Of other tradeS2 We have In New
York committee OF three from each society 10
place this matter before the authorities Ut
Washington, and and am proud to say thAtwe
have q gentleman at my right hand here who Is
In such 4 position that we will get q hearing at
Washington. This Importation business to our
trade Is one OF yery great Importance think
where We employ to-day, say 8 10, 20 or 20 men,
we ought to employ three times that number
Here is an instance where protection
is the only thing needed to build up a
great American industry. As intimated
by Mr.. Bach, if labor in this country
were at the European level. this de-
mand for protective tariff by the har-
ness men would not be necessary. 1t is
the lower cost OF labor and raw mater
ials (which are produced by labor in
Europe that enables the European
manufacturers to undersell our
American harness men in the Ameri-
can market, The difference beipeen The
higher lvages 9th United States and The low
vGgss Of Europe must be made up by The
tariff before our harness industry, can
hope to take its place among the great
est industries Of the country. This is
the Republican doctrine. This is how
the tariff benefits wages. The harness
makers know to which party they must
look for this legislation, as do the men
ofevery branch OF industry.