St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-16

a majority In the senate The sugar
men are not In evidence at present. They
will appear in force the day before the
sugar schedule is reached. This sched-
ule will probably be taken up on the
last day of the subcommittee labors
In fact, 1t is the intention Of the com
mittee to postpone the final considera-
ton of wool coal, lead and lumber until
after less important articles have been
passed.
Congressman William S. Knox repre-
sents one Of the largest manufacturing
districts in the United States. 1t con-
tains the cities of Lowell, Lawrence and
Woburn, Mass, and 10 towns. This has
usually been Democratic district, but
Mr.. Knox believes that protective tariff
Is so advantageous to its industries that
In the future workingmen and their en-
ployers alike will be consistent in theii
Republican support. When asked how
the Dingley bill would affect the inter-
ests of his district, Mr. Knox replied:
There are two sides to the tariff ques-
ton as 1t effects our district. We are
entirely satisfied with the rates on our
finished products, but in some instances.
at least, we wish the duties on the raw
material we use might be more favor
able.
"Of course" continued Mr. Knox, "our
wooen manufacturers would like free
WOOL as they have had in the Wilson bill.
This they do not expect, however, and
would be entirely satisfied with the
straight duty Of cents pound. But
regard the attempt to get any lower
general rates on wool as hopeless. We
shall probably have to be satisfied with
the rates in the house bill. 1t would be
an advantage to us If we could have an
ad valorem duty, instead of specific on
wool. The way specific duty hurts us
more than its direct burden Is this: I'm
porters, where there Is a certain fixed
rate per pound, try to get hold of the
particular kinds of wool which contain
the least waste. They want the most
wool possible for pounds duty. This
puts a premium on certain grades of
wool, known in the British market as
Americans, and our people suffer by
british manufacturers are correspond.
ingly benefited by the lower rates on
grades of wool for which we do not com.
pete In fact, If the ad valorem rates OF
the Wilson schedule had been collected
without differentiation our people
would have been entirely satisfied with
1t, and would have risked competition OF
the world, since it gave them the great
boon of free wool.
I'VE are rather sorry to have a duty
on flax. It was free under the Wilson
bill, paid three-fourths of a cent duty
under the Mckinley bill, and Is now
raised to cent We have in our district
one of the first factories in this country
Tor spinning the yarn from flax These
duties on raw materials simply show
the general drift of tariff legislation.
the farmers are demanding recognition.
They feel that they have not been treated
right In the past, and believe the ways
and means committee have been Obliged
to compromise on these things. New
England manufacturers must make IN
their minds to submit to these raw ma
terial duties and to look for their salts
FACTION In the compensatory rates on the
Dnished products. This bill certainly
gives our factories the home market
which Is Il best market in the world.
1t is political necessity to do some
thing for the farmers. Unless we can re-
store prosperity to them. we shall have
to give up the ship In the case of the
two other raw materials used extern
sively In our district, cotton and hides.
we hope the bill will continue them on
the free list, The demand for duty on
these articles Is not so logical as unon
wool and flax 1t would be an especially
grave MISTAKE to cripple the export trade
In our great leather industries, trunks
harnesses, betting. besides boots and
shoes, for tie sake OF affording a little
protection upon the by-product of the
cattle raisers. 7 cannot believe that the
senate will add such duty. Our only
battle now is to keep down these raw ma.
terial duties to "A reasonable point We
Shall have no trouble about the finished
products Duties there are entirely salts.
factory"