The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-30
Daily Ea9le
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH, Editor.
GRATUITOUS GALL.

The National Association Of Shoe and
Leather Manufacturers, it would seem,
Is not altogether pleased with the
Eagles position on the hide question.
For our better information they write
us letter from Washington and under
a separate cover transmit brief, set
ting forth their reasons why hides
should remain on the free list. Without
reading the brief, the Eagle will con-
cede that free hides are good thing for
the said National Association of shoe
makers and betting manufacturers. So
would free carpet WOODS be for carpet
manufacturers. But, after all, If there
is any wisdom in protecting the peit OF
the sheep, then upon what theory of
protection is the hide of the steer TO 90
free? If protected wool adds TO the
value of the sheep. why wouldn't pro-
rected hide add TO the value of the
steer? In twenty western states and
territories there are a greater number
Of cattle than of sheep. The cattle of
the trans Missouri region number many
times the sheep and represent hum
dred fold greater value. The Republi-
can party won on the idea OF protec-
ton, but not on the idea that the east
ern cobbler should be protected at the
expense of the western farmer. Every
farmer in the west has his cattle. Not
enc in ten own any sheep. a duty,
either ad valorem or specific. which
would amount to one or two dollars On
each hide would add just that much to
the value of every steer. Under free
hides" there have been times in the past
few years when it did not pay the far
mer to skin dead animal much less
to haul the hide TO market. The proba-
BILE additional cost of boots and shoes,
referred to in the committees letter 10
the Eagle, is gratuitous gall. People
expect to pay more for shoes under a
protective policy, as also for clothes.
and for everything. The Republican
party is trying 10 get away from low
prices. Cheapness is what is killing the
country. Low prices and prosperity are
never found occupying the same land at
the same time. The Republican party
dare not make wool for one section and
deny hides to the other, to give bread to
the east and a stone to the west. Protec-
ton means higher prices, and If it is
good thing, then why not apply it to
everything? The producer of the west
is the eastern manufacturers custom
err. What the west must have in order
to buy more from the east is better
prices. Dollar wheat, fifty cent corn,
five cent hogs and seven cent cattle
mean booming times for two-thirds of
this land and when things are away up
and booming the people expect TO pay
high prices because they are getting
nigh prices in turn. Under such pros
porous conditions they would not stop
to ask how much the price of shoes has
advanced, nor care what the National
Association charged for their feathers
and beltings.
If reciprocity is more necessary with
the Central and South American states,
let us reciprocate on something else be-
sides hides and cattle or other leading
home products. In the mean time. when
the west is given a show or an even
chance with the eastern manufacturers
we will take day off and study the
brief so kindly sent us by the National
Hide and Leather Association.
The west in being for the protective
policy is willing to accept its benefits in
reflex way. The west has but very
few interests or items that can be ell
HANGED or rendered more valuable, di-
rectly, by protection. We are willing to
wait for the benefits of protective
policy as they come to us in general
course by the building up of the diversi-
fed manufacturing interests of the
east; willing to be content with the adj
vantages which will in the end flow to
us through the employment of the idle
Of the Atlantic states at good wages.
and through the added prosperity of its
manufacturers; but we protest against
being skinned and skunked in the mean
time. If we cannot have both protected
wool and protected hides, the only two
products outside of hens eggs and
prairie hay susceptible of protection.
then, as between free wool and free
hides, we prefer the free wool