Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-03-09

democratic politicians of Milwaukee.
>. w. Taylor, in the last issue of his
paper, The Southwest Wisconsin, tries
TO make point for high tariff tax
alton by taking up a statement
made through the columns of The
Iowa County Democrat of two weeks
ago. to the effect that one cause of
the Mineral Point pulp and paper
mills being placed in the hands of a
receiver was the general depression in
trade and the consequent drop in the
price of pulp and paper.
Mr.. Taylor's article is quite lengthy
and contains many false conclusions
common to protection argument,
which it is not our present purpose to
consider. But we would remind the
writer that the present general depres-
sion is under the Mckinley tariff law,
and to large extent because of it and
former high protective measures.
This is especially true of the pulp and
paper trade. The Mckinley law i'm
poses a duty of i cents per pound
or $50 per ton-on the chief chemical
used in making pulp by the process
employed in the Mineral Point Mills.
Nearly all the chemicals are imported.
Thousands of dollars have been spent
for these tariff taxed chemicals; and
the amount thus paid out proved too
great drain to be borne by the stock
holders when the drop in the price of
pulp and paper came. 1t is a new
chemical process for the reduction of
wood to pulp, and it was necessary to
make experiments to perfect it.
These experiments made with chem
icals so highly taxed proved costly
experience. The discoverer and
patentee of this process recently
acknowledged to a representative of
The Democrat that the price paid for
the chemicals is the largest item of
expense in the cost of manufacturing
pulp and paper by this late process
He frankly admitted that should the
import duty on chemicals used therein
be greatly reduced-as proposed by the
Wilson bill-the success of the mills
here would be no longer problem
atical, but an assured fact. Wide
awake manufacturers of chemical
pulp, throughout the country, are
looking hopefully for such reduc-
ton; and when it comes it will more
than offset the drop in the price of
paper.
Mr.. TAYLOR tries to make another
point for protection by mentioning the
Mineral Point Wooden Mill, which he
says has never been paying enter
prise, although operated under tar
if so high as to make every free trader
historical when it was mentioned"
He continues:
Then there is the Wilson bill that
proposes reduction of 122.04 per
cent. on the goods manufactured.
How do you suppose that as law will
agree with your own city's Robber
Barons," unfortunate enough to own
stock in a heretofore non-divldend-
paying enterprise? Yes, we are about
to forget the free wool part of that
bill. That means $500 per cent off as
against the 122.04 off the manufac-
tured product. The value of wool as
compared with labor in cloth cannot
be more than one fourth. And to
favor the bloated stockholders that
much the Democrats of Waldwlck
owning sheep will have to suffer.
Your wooden mill was run under con-
ditions similar to other mills of the
country. If so how can you be free
trader"
Soft. No haste. The Mineral
Point Wooden Mills was operated
under the tariff act of 1888 and under
the Mckinley law,-both republican
high tax measures-and the mill never
made a cent profit until last season,
when wool was obtainable at low
price. Now that there is strong
probability of getting all kinds and all
grades of wool at reasonable prices,
the prospects are brighter than ever
before for the successful operations of
the mills. And don't be talking, Mr..
Taylor. about the Democrats of Wald-
wick who own sheep, or the Democrats
there will laugh at you. They will
think that the protection wool has
been pulled over your eyes SO that
you can not tell sheep from a
COW or . hog. The Democrats of