The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-23
lBY c. ARrHuR W1LLIAMs.l


Washington October 2o.--(Stdf Correspond
cHce J-P President Roosevelts statement, made in
speech some time ago, that the products of the
Standard Oil company we're not protected by the
tariff, and Secretary Moody's more recent decla.
ration that the coal schedule in the Dingley bill
was struggled in in a sneaking and Cowardly
manner tend to demonstrate that even the high
est officials of the republican party are not above
attempting to influence voters by directly mis-
representing we'll known facts The records show
that the Standard Oil company is protected as
fully as the other trusts and that the duty OF
O. cents per ton on anthracite coal was allowed
to go into the most recent tariff act only after It
had been freely debated and after Senator Vest
Of Missouri and one or two other democrats had
entered ineffective protests.
The manufactured products of the Standard Oil
company have been protected by the tariff for
years although prior TO the passage OF the Dingley
bill petroleum had been on the free list Petro-
leum originally placed on the free list in the
Dingley bill, with provso that on all petroleum
coming from countries which charged inn
port duty an ad vaorern fax of 40 per cent should
be placed The friends of the oil trust succeed
ed in having this changed so that the bill, as
finally enacted into law, provided that the duty
on petroleum coming from countries where that
product protected should be equal to the duty
levied by those countries
Since Russia is practically the only other
| country in the world which exports oil in any
thing like large quantities. It will he seen that
the Russian import duties petroleum practical
ly control those OF the United States Russia and
the United States together produce about % per
cent of the worlds total output of petroleum
| The Russian production was largely in excess of
that of this country until the discovery of the
Texas oil fields, since which time the American
production has been rapidly climbing up to that
of the foreign country.
The Russian tariff laws place duty on kero
sene and refined petroleum of one ruble per
pood, or about T43 cents per pound This would
amount 10 ABOUT u or 2 cents per gallon, which
| is the extent to which the Dingley bill protects
| the kerosene industry OF the United States This
| industry. as is well known, is largely confined to
| branches
| The Russian duty on crude petroleum is a
fraction over . ruble per pood, or about % ceuts
| per gallon. Since Russia is the only country
| which is in a position TO send petroleum to the
United States, and since the tariff in the United
States must be equal to that of the country send
ing the oil, 1t will be seen that even the crude
product IN this country is protected TO consid-
| cradle eNteut--to such an extent, in fact that
,nose VINO control its output in the United States
need have no fear OF foreign connection
! The statements OF neither the president nor his
secretary OF the navy have any foundation in
taSt' but that of the latter is perhaps even more
| tallacous than trat OF the former II is we'll
known fact that there has always been a dutv
! on btuninous coal and search of the records
dlscloses the fact that for many years prior 10
1900 anthracite was also fully and directly pro-
tected, the duty varying from SI.7s per ton under
inc law passed IN is42, to 20 cents per ton under
that OF 1866. The latter rate continued in eject
until the passage OF the act OF December >,
| 1870; Under the. terms OF this act anthracite
which had formerly been classified as Goal not
otherwise provided for" was specifically named as
one OF the articles on the free list
\ = 4
! Frior TO the passage of the revenue tariff act ~
iS4o the rate on biturninous coal was sI.5E ner
ton BY the terms Of that act il was ehanoedr IN
60 per cent ad valorem, which was further re.
aueed to "a per cent by the act Of 1880 The
4 ac' passed March ,, 1861, required dntv ~
/ ~ per ton on bitumnous coal while on 6cosi
not otherwise provided for duty Of 20 cent,
per ton was imposed. In SO, another tariff nc,
vas passed the purpose OF which was 10 raise
auoluenal revenue TO meet the largely incressrd
| expenses OF ADM astering the government hro,,g5,
on ny the civil This act Increased the 80
On mtuhhnous coal TO SrIo per ton while II
sehls, was the rate named for ali othrr eosi
tAh9her act OF ike nature went on me s,s,,,,,
syoAs IN 1902 as a result OF which the rate ~
ot'nmnons was raised to SIzs, while 4 red,,e,;or
OF 20 cents per ton was made on coal M, other
WISE PROVIDED Tor. leaving the duty on ~. Lite
4 plouuet AZ 40 cents per ton. This 1o-crn, ~,
so9nuhusa IN force until the act Of nscer,he, =,
80 placed anthracite on the free l;st ,,;,h -,
TsNns any change in the rate on h;,-,,,,;,,a,
5rc, wars later the rate on bitumino,is wss ~
nuesd 70 = cents per ton. and rerss;n,d - ~
rS~fs' unui lsoueed 70 40 cents bv the V,,i.o,