New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-23
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
EVERETT P WHEELER CORRECTED.

EFFECT oFNrHE MKINLEY TARIFF on FELT
MAKING-coMMENTs BY ALFRED DOLCE
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The Evening POST of April Is published
letter Mr. Everett 2. Wheeler headed Dodge ana
the Tariff In which Mr.. Wheeler gave his support 10
an attack made upon me few days before In - lie
Post" and The Nation"
| replied to the attack, but my letter was returned
to me by the Managing Editor Of The POST with the
curt intimatiOn that we don't care for It."
As the statements made by " The POST and Mr..
Wheeler with regard to the action OF protection on
the felt industry absolutely false will you kindly
publish the letter The Post' did not care TO PRINT
because 1t did not dare to print II.
ALFRED DOLCE
To the Editor Of The Evening Post
sir In communication headed Dodge ana tne
Tariff" IN your issue Of Aplll 10, MI. Everett r.
Wheeler makes over his signature nunDer OF sthle-
ments contrary to the facts, that am hhpened "
ash space for erlei reply . ..t,.t.ct,o, that he
did not learn from his newspaper-cllpPng agency OF
any increase OF wages shortly after' the Mckinley
could have the magic power Of wizzaIds wand, ana
change iron into gold: All that could be expected
from such measure by any reasonable person Is eA-
actly what has been done, namely maintain our pits
ent wage level by protecting higher civilization
is one OF the many fundamental illusions OF the book
learned reetrader that tho manufa csn raise or
ther discussion OF tns itaken point Of Mr.. Wleeer's
The moment he leaves speculative ground ana a.,
hopalessly lost In mesh Of Measurements which are
noxcusabe for prominent free trade agitator and
earnest admirer OF English doctrines as Mr. everett
r. Wheeler 1t IS net true that the felt industries
were prosperous under the tariff Of 1888 as he sates
1t Is true, however, that under that tariff eleven eit
manufacturers had to give up the struggle against
foreign puper Labor throwing l45o hands oo 0a5 900 o.
The import of felt goods from Germany and England
more than doubled during the same period.
IL is not true that have absolute monopoly
in the felt business On the contrary, / enjoy the
very lively competition of number Of American ieit
manufacturers in common grades OF felt ana In piano
lelts the foreign competition Is Just as lively as PC
fore the Mckinley blinded the importers claim
TINT they sell more now than ever. go
1t Is not true that any one who uses felt in this
country pays double price foE H. ~ Is true however,
by the Mckinley bill, and that tho American consumer
buys al kinds Of felt as v cha,a nP: not cheaper now
II is not true that my itemized statement sub
tted to the Secretary Of the Treasury in 1883 shows
The entire cost for labor to be less than % cent
81 the cost OF production 1t Is true. however. that
my statement shows the cost OF labor spent directly
in tho production Of felt. Is over 20 per cent while
ing what Mr.. schurz calls "unprotected labor namely
The cost of the building and machinery salares ior
clerks, etc amounts TO- nearly ~ per cent b Ca so
that tho actual cost of abo- amounts TO 80 per cent OF
the total cost Of Hodnctl9n 1t IS therefore not not
entire cost Of wages paid tr the manufacturers here
In nearly all indutric The labor Of the carpenter
Ew0o o m cS. nj nl T nmos [ equally
n high a that Of the Spinner. 1.-THE weaver or the
dyer. ,.,. ..,,o,
IN protected a. well a. the factory employees, high
tqrif l. necessary. Home competition takes care 10
point no matter how high the tariff and the , con
sumner invariably reaps the benefit, as Is best hiuS
sd in the god d tdsDT M an aScace Of 90 so per
pound. willie the importers exncted a. much Us ITO
rcr pound from the piano trade In 1870. when they
had tho entire control Of the American marEst