Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-11-02

closely approximated at 92,2O1 ,26O
pounds.
The amount of duty paid and re-
funded on the salt so used was $92,-
2Ol.26. Respectfully, yours,
o. l.. SPAULDING,
Acting Secretary.
The speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives.
This was followed on March by the
introduction of his bill to repeal the
rebate on salt, which was referred to
the committee on ways and means.
1t has been repeatedly shown that
the cost of salt per capita for the peo-
pie of the United States is only II cents
annually, that American salt Is now
selling at the same price at which Eng
fish salt is quoted i'll the Liverpool
market, and the Michigan product last
year only Melted the manufacturers 90
cents a barrel of $50 pounds of fine
salt, including 20-cent package, in
fact, the cheapest commodity of uni
versal domestic consumption in the
world. The packers of products for
foreign export have now free salt, the
cost in Liverpool being the same as
that of American product in manu-
facturers hands.
One of the ways in which the tariff
act of 1890 was unjust to the people,
especially the farmers and small con-
sumers, was its provisions relating to
rebates on salt. Under that provision
the small consumer pays much high
er price than the exporter of meats,
who practically gets premium for
using foreign instead of American salt.
The act levied duty of II cents per
100 pounds on salt in bags, sacks, bar
rels, or packages, and cents per 100
pounds in bulk.
Provided, That imported salt in
bond may be used in curing fish taken
by vessels licensed to engage in the
fisheries, and in curing fish on the
shores of the navigable waters of the
United States, under such regulations
as the Secretary of the Treasury Shall
prescribe;and upon proof that the salt
has been used for either of the pur-
poses stated in the proviso, the duties
on the same shall be RENTED: Provi-
ded further, That exporters of meats,
whether packed or smoked, which have
imported salt, shall, upon satisfactory
proof, under such regulations as the
Secretary of the Treasury shall pre-
scribe, that such meats haye been
cured with imported salt, have refund
ed to them from the Treasury tho
duties paid on the ltso used in curing
such exported meats in amounts not
less than 500.
Thio ,Nrnui1inn xyoo aytanHad Nv, oo,,-
struction, as is shown by an item in the
Washington Star, April 5, 1892:
"Acting Secretary Spaulding has
authorized an allowance of drawback
on refined butter, manufactured in
New York for export from imported
butter or butter and grease and inn
ported salt"
The farmers and dairymen will GER
tainly remember the care with which
they are protected" by such law.
In 1883 the Michigan salt Association
publicly guaranteed the quality of
Michigan salt to be equal to any salt in
the world, either for sailing pork, beef,
or butter and offered to deposit Sl0,-
600 against like sum put up by any
other organization or individual in the
world to enter into series of tests,
with competent judges to be agreed
upon, to determine the superiority or
otherwise of the high grade of Michi-
gan salt over all other salts, either as
to flavor or "staying qualities"
Neither the Chicago packers or any
other individual, corporation, or firm
in America or Europe has ever offered
to meet this challenge, and the very
year it was offered Chicago packers
took 64,954 tons of Michigan salt. A
very large portion of the imported salt
was consumed on the Atlantic coast,
which is chiefly supplied with foreign
salt by reason of the difference in
transportation being in favor of the
foreign product.