The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-03-03

Iffn Leather Why not i'm Wool? 1
Summing the whole thing up it
may plaihly be seen that definite &C I
tion and rest from tariff agitation is /
the frst need of the country at
this time. In takihg This fiea Of i
the situation we remain ofthe same 1
opinion as before as 70 the desirable /
ity, if it were practicable without de !
laying the final vote in the Senate, of |
applying the beneficent principle of |
free raw materials all along the line,
from wool to lumber, inclusive. And /
now we want our Monongalia Repub-
lican friends to read the paragraphs
following. They are taken from the
Baltimore Sun and show plainly sew
eral things they regard as sin to
believe in now The Sun deals fairly
in facts, and they arc good facts
which show that reforming the tariff
is correcting a great evil.
THE inspiritibg fact remains that
once the wheel of legislation begins |
to turn in the direction of progress
it keeps ON turning until it makes
the full circle and complete justice
is done. Our own history teaches US
this with even more emphasis than |
the experience of England The
Walker tariff Of 1916 was passed, as
the Wilson tariff of 1894 is being |
passed, amid a storm of op
position and evil prophecies. But as
soon as its beneficial results began
to be plainly seen the demand was
for still lower range of duties. And
in 1857, New England manufactur-
ers aud New England Senators lead
ing the way, Mr.. Walkers much de
nounced tariff of 1916 was cut down
as being needlessly high. And no
intelligent and nonpartisan student
of American tariff history doubts for
a moment that the policy inaugural
ed by Mr.. Walker fifty years ago and
extended by the still lower tariff of
1857 would never have been revers-
ed-for the manufacturers them
selves were its stoutest defenders-if
the civil war had not come upon US
and created fiscal situation which
made high tariff necessary.
''lf any proof is asked fol the as
sertion that once the limbs of trade
begin to be unbound they will never
submit to restriction again, but will
demand yet fuller freedom, the great
shoe and leather industry affords it.
Raw hides used to be taxed, just as
raw wool is now taxed. In 1872 the
duties on hides were removed. In
stantly our imports and exports of
leather and boots and shoes began
to increase at a marvellous pace. Our
trade with Venezuela alone jumped
from 100000 in 1870 to 100000
in lS76-200 per cent in six years.
In the same short space of time free
hides increased our shipping engag-
ed in trade with that one country
from l5 vessels to 1874 vessels, from
tonnage of 2,571 to a tonnage of
49, 59 tons, and the crews employed
| increased in numbers from 100 to
1856 hands. And whereas, with
taxed hides in 1872, we only export
ed $2,S64, 900 worth of tanned leath-
err, in 1876, only four years later,
with hides on the free list, we ex-
ported tanned leather to the value of
nearly $8,000,000-an increase of
nearly 2S0 per cent. The census of
1870 showed that the total value of
our exports of leather and its man
ufactures was but $673.OO0. The
census of 1890 showed that they had
risen, with free raw hides, to the
value of $12,43S,00O. In other
words, our leather and boot and shoe
export trade is larger for a month
now, with free hides. than it was for
whole year with hides taxed and
protected"
Free wool will work the same way.
So will free coal, free iron ore, lum-
Der and free salt whenever we try
them. When this practical business
nation gets taste of the larger pro-
duction and more profitable trade
that will certainly follow free woods,
as it has free hides, it will call for
more of the same sort of "ruin to our
industries" So, we say again, give
US all the free raw materials that are
attainable now, with quick passage
of the Wilson bill, and we will trust
the future to take care of itself.
There will be no turning back when
the free-raw- material policy has
once had time to demonstrate what
it will do.
pass the Wilson bill without de-
lay and let the first step toward rev
enue reform be taken. The expert
ment will compel its own extension.
There is no more time to waste in
contention in Congress. Concede |
what must be conceded, adjust minor
differences and pass the billr'
Let the Girls Organize