The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-11

ence held this afternoon TO protest against
prepared and adopted, with instructions
that copies be sent TO President Cleveland
and members of Congress:
The allied Industries represented at
meeting held at the Metropolitan Hotel,
New York, Jan. 10. including all branches
OF the manufacture and sale OF WOODEN
goods, carpets and knit goods, and the
wholesale clothing and cloak manufacture,
speaking for an investment of capital far
under the laws OF the United States, on the
good faith of the government that it's cit
liens shall be guarded in their vested prop
erty rights, protest against the enactment
of a law which threatens to destroy a
large part of this capital and TO render it
uncertain whether the remainder shall be
1.-The provisions of the wool and wooden
schedule of the Wilson bill compel this pro-
test, which Is made in the belief that its
practical defects. 1t is drawn TO
entail upon the American manufacturers
the maximum Of loss and embarrassment.
and offer to foreign competitors the pos
session OF the American market at the min
imum of risk and effort. We base this pro-
test upon pledge of President Cleveland
In his message to Congress Of Dec. g. 1887,
that "a readjustment of our tariff should
be devised with especial precaution against
uring interests This bill, regardless of
that pledge. is framed In a manner that
threatens disaster to p great group OF in
dustries. located in nearly every State in
the Union.
I'VE protest against this measure as the
sole cause of a prolonSation OF business de-
preston which would at once disappear,
but for the menace OF its future enactment.
The Wilson bill has dsorganized the bust
ness and commerce of the country, and its
enactment is opposed by every branch Of
industry and the entire body of American
producers. 1t is a measure that creates
deficit by reducing or removing duties al
most exclusively on articles of foreign
manufacture or production that compete
with American products and we especial
INr ,sw,e-N ~1,nN al
bin Which creates nearly 20 per cent of this
deficit, amounting to $2S, 900 annually, by
removing or reducing duties upon wool
with American farms and factories.
eve protest against these radical reduc-
tons of duties at time of Industrial de-
preston among the great manufacturing ma
tons of Europe, when their markets are
glutted with surplus goods and the difficult
ties of American competition are greatly
accumulated.
1--WE particularly protest against the treat
ment accorded the wool-growing industry
and all branches of the wool manufacture
in this bill, as harsh in the extreme and
more radical and proscrptive than in any
other schedule. The proposed rates of ad
valorem duty are insufficient without ac-
companying specific duties, TO equaliZe the
present differences between foreign and do
nestle cost of production. 1t is a demon
strated fact that the labor costs In this
manufacture are double the similar costs IN
Great Britain, and often three times as
much as on the continent Of Europe. All
tionate in like degree-the cost of capital
plant. maintenance. supplies, repairs, SUI
perintendents taxation, ETC., compelling the
employment OF much larger capital to pro
duce the same quantity OF goods "A duty OF
40 per cent. upon the foreign cost Of wooden
goods. equivalent TO a duty of but 2Sla per
cent upon the domestic cost, will not equal
iZe those differences in the comparative
manufacture costs.
1--WE protest against the maladjustment
of duties in this schedule as it is illogical,
unscientific and misfitted. American manu-
facturers of wholesale clothing. by trans
ferring their patterns and methods to the
continent of Europe and utilizing European
cloths and labor can supply American GUS
toners with goods adapted TO this market
pay the proposed duty of 40 per cent. and
earn profit beyond the reach of those who
continue the manufacture in this country.
1--WE particularly protest against the
glaring injustice done to the carpet manu-
facture, the proposed duties upon carpets
being no greater than upon the yarns from
which they woven.
1--WE make this protest not only as manu-
facturerS, but also on behalf of the labor
employed in these industries. including,
der normal business conditions, no less
deplore controversies with labor and con-
template with profound regret the estab-
lishment of conditions which must COM
pei the most radical reimbursement OF the
present scale of wages. Adequate help will
be difficult to obtain at the wages this bill
will compel, unless there shall be a corre-
spending reduction Of wages in all lines Of
industry, both manufacturing and other
wise.
1--WE appeal to the patriotism Of an Amer
lean Congress TO prevent the contamination
of this national misfortune, and we appeal
to our fellow-citizens, in every walk OF
life, TO second our protest against legis
lative act of eXtirpatiC2."