The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-12-07
EVILS OF THE WOOL SCHEDULE.
Likely to Work a Complete Transfer
nation in the Industry.


d. North, Of Boston, whose knowl-
edge of the subject is universally
understood and highly respected,
has prepared statement in which
he says: "The wooden schedule will
be startling shock to every one
engaged in that manufacture. Free
wool was of course looked for and
is much regretted, but free wool
means a complete transformation
of the whole business, and the re-
equipment of our mills. Before
the domestic manufactures can ad-
Just themselves to these new condi-
tons under the proposed rates of
duty the foreigners will have had
opportunity to possess themselves
of the domestic market. There
will be an interval of a year or two
in which they will have things all
their own way in this market, and
in the meanwhile / anticipaeEh hat
ii considerable percentage Of exist
ing machinery will retire perma-
neutly from business In despair at
the future prospects.
"The complete wlping out of the
specific duties is, of course, the
most deplorable feature of the
schedule. 1t is the more striking
in its discrimination because of the
general retention of specific duties
in the cotton schedule. The total
reduction in the wooden schedule on
this account is much greater than
appears on the face, and cannot be
measured even approximately in
figures But it is safe to say that
it will equal 90 per cent. upon the
total portations of the fiscal year
1892, which would mean a loss of
revenue on wooden goods, and not
counting the So, 100000 of revenue
from wool duties of $40, 800. 900 on
the same volume of importations.
But of course the imports under
such schedule would jump at
once greatly, even without revival
of general prosperity, and probably
to an extent in the first year which
would mean loss of revenue fully
s., 000, 900 greater than above cal
culated, or 1928, 100000. The
wooden schedule is not as good for
the manufacturer as was the Mills
bill, with its uniform duty of 40
per cent. but it is in some particu-
lars an improvement over the
Springer bill, and in others 1T is
decidedly worse. 1t is especially
hard on the carpet manufacturers,
reducing the duty on all but the
----..---hfssn n fss-s-.--a---.-,.~A--s-- ,,e.
cent. This looks like Special
drive at Philadelphia, which will
suffer incalculable loss if such rates
Of duty ever become law.
"Auother branch of the indus
try especially singled out for slaugh-
ter is the manufacture of paper
makers felts, which are put under
duty which runs from rs to 30
per cent. and will not average over
50 per cent. The knit goods in
dustry is also struck a blow that
will stagger it. The bill makes the
extraordinary blunder of introduce
ing dividing lines of value in the
yarn and blanket and flannel para
graphs. Why this should have
been deemed necessary in tariff
that is wholly ad valorem in its du-
ties cannot be explained. 1t puts
premium upon under-valuations
and will be the source of incalcula-
BILE mischief. The duty on yarns
valued at over 40 cents pound is
80 per cent. while the duty on all
cloths made from those yarns is
only 40 per cent. American manu-
facturers will be aghast at these
figures. The weaver is obliged to
take all the risks of business, to in
cur all the losses arising from de-
fective workmanship, and yet he is
allowed margin of only5 per cent.
over the yarn manufactures, who
encounters none of these risks.
The bill might allow the yarn
manufacture to continue here, but
makes it impossible for that yarn
to be woven at profit. The fra
mers of it were evidently unaware
OF the true relationship between
duties, and it is amazing that Mr..
Stevens, who is a practical manu-
facturer, should ever have given his
consent to schedule so disjointed.
fortunately the duty on all
cloths is made uniform. This duty
of 40 per cent. is placed on the fig
ure that has been in the Democratic
mind since the Mills bill. 1t is a
figure which means ruin to a very
large branch of the American wool
manufacture-that engaged in pro-
ducing cheap goods for the masses,
foreign makes of which have been
excluded from our market By the
weight duty. Free wool will be of
no GREAT advantana 70 +Loeo oon