Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-17
What He Did for Barre.

entatives. Through his untiring efforts
the object was attained and the duty on
granite was placed at 40 percent.
After Gen. Grout had labored with
every member against the strong oppo-
sition of lawyers sent to work up the
case in the interests of foreign manu-
facturers he finally succeeded in carry
ing the day by 8 majority.
"To Chairman Mckinley and Members
of the Ways and Means Committee.
HONORED SIRs:-
In behalf of the Granite Manu-
facturers, with their millions of capital
invested, and the thousands of men in
this industry, we ask an increase of
duty on Finished Granite from twenty
percent to at least sixty per cent for the
following reasons -
FIRST, In behalf of the manufacturers
as they are paying ninety per cent high
er wages than the foreign producer.
The freight averages seventy five per
cent higher from domestic quarries to
New York than from Liverpool. Gran
lite is shipped as ballast in vessels, and
shipments have been made at times three
hundred per cent less from Liverpool
than it could be brought from Easte ri
uuarries. Prior to the tariff of 1861, we
were practically importing all our gran
ite monuments, with not two hundred
men producing them here. After search
ing the principal cemeteries in the State
of New York, find only one gran
ite monument made by Americans be-
fore 1861. No man wanted to invest
money in plant to compete with the
cheap labor of Europe. The tariff of
1861, though small, encouraged US to
invest in plants with much better ma
chinery than they had in Europe. This
advantage, with the premium on gold
which was practically so much addition
to the duty, enables us to build up one OF
the great American industries, employ
ing upwards of twenty thousands of'men.
The English reduced the price more
than the amount of the duty, but when
Americans came in competition with
them in selling monument, they could
not give it away to break them down
as they were obliged to pay tax OF
twenty per cent for the privilege o.
selling it in our market. As the premium
, on gold decreased and they procured
duplicates of our machinery with theil
low wages, they are again driving u
, to the wall. Since 1883 American:
} practically have received no DIVIDEND
, and have been obliged to reduce th'
wages of the men fifteen per cent. For
, eign granite can be purchased in New
} York, duty paid thirty per cent less THAI
if can be furnished here if the work il
, done without profits. There was not
2 granite monument manufactory in th'
7 State of Vermont before the tariff
+, 1861. Their quarries were sheep past
0 ures. Today there are hundreds OF fac
1 tories. One town then almost unknow
S has now over forty. This has becom
n the second industry of the state, wit
). millions of capital invested, giving en-
: plovment to thousands OF men. In
If measure, this is true of New Englan
p and other states. Monuments are sell
IS ing thirty percent less than they wer
d in 1861 when the English made the
d own prices. If this duty is a ta'
d Give us more taxation. The duty
Ii 1861 has practically become tariff f'
at Revenue only, and as the people en-
Q. phatically expressed by their ballots
o. 1888 a wish TO have tariff for prote
ID ton. they respectfully request duty
;e at least sixty per cent on Finished Gral
,r ite. In verifcation of the above stat
" men,s, respectfully submit TO y(
It these letters from many manufacture
of who know whereof they speak
ut SECOND, In behalf ofthe thousands
ye stone cutters engaged in this industr
,ft | respectfully request this increase
r. duty. The small tariff Of 1861 great
m increased their wages. Foreign COZ
TO nctition. with their cheap labor,
be aoain reducing it. Half of the prese
We manufacturers have earned the mon
nv r., commence business since 1861 WI
mr. ,le hammer and chisel. | do not knt
to of stone cutter, previous to that tim
, who had earned home with his hal
nj NOR and chiscl making monumen
ys To-day hundreds have homes 1t L
t,ken their child rem from the factor
nd and mines, and placed them in scho'
. and colleges. In fact, the stone cut''
l., Massachusetts have more money
-. y;nys banks, and more value in hon
b,n their brethren in all the rest OF
world. outside of the United States
,,o NOT think any person i'll tins COZ