New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-12
WHERE TARIFF REVISION rs NEEDED.
Duties Which Have Benefited Producers
Should be Reduced for Benefit
of Consumers


Sir: The result of the recent political campaign
was an emphatic Endorsement of the policy Of pro-
lection to American industries; in fact the
sweeping Endorsement it has ever received, many
persons MISUNDERSTANDING by the 100000 plural
ity-voting for it for the first time.
1t written and spoken times without num-
Der during that campaign. and truly that the
party of protection the only proper party to
revise the taTIf in the interests of continued pro-
lection. This would imply that it needed revision
ana would also get it if that party should be
cessful. and this idea was also included in the
Endorsement of the 100000 plurality. and cannot
be forgotten or ignored now that the election is
over. l suppose a revision in such interest to
mean that any commodity the production Of
which has reached that stage where it need not
fear foreign competition is in further need of
the tariff which originally fostered its inception
and has protected its progress up to that stage,
or. if quite at the Independent point. could yet
get along if the tariff were reduced. / couId
enumerate many things which in my judgment
have reached that stage; one Of these is meat,
live and dressed which is scheduled in the Ding
~ law at 274a per cent ad vaiorem and cents
pound respectively.
Time was when each city and village In the
Eastern and Middle States had its butcher.
who slaughtered and supplied all the meat for
local consumption. A considerable portion of the
income OF farmers OF those States came from the
raising and fattenng OF animals to supply this
demand. AS the West grew and filled up. raising
corn and cattle and hogs. the competition of that
section runous 10 the Eastern farmer. until
to-day. 1 venture the assertion that there are not
enough cattle and hogs produced in the whole
State OF Connecticut to supply the city of Water
bury allne. For a time the present Middle Wes
tern States supplied the demands, the business
moving still westward with the settlement Of the
country. until. at the present time we have the
ranges of the great West and Southwest which
furnish the meats for the whole United States.
Capitalists stepped In. and with their combined
brains and money captured and held the whole
business OF slaughtering and delivering the meat
supply of the country. This works harm 10
the consumer long the combination is salts
fed to furnish the meat at a reasonable profit but
at intervals of varying frequency il has been its
custom suddenly to advance prices-giving as
reasons hard winters "drouths," etc.-un-
til it has pocketed few extra millions
Right here cattle might be brought from Cana
ds but the tariff stands, prohibitory wall, in the
way and before prices in this country reach quite
the point to leave profit on importatlons duty
paid they are allowed to settle back 10 the normal
Up to this time the duty has benefited the pro-
Queer and the middleman, if any one. Now the
consumer should have his turn and the duty be
repealed or very materially reduced. with the idea
Of It's utipate Snre The 20 ass qu @ne a 4
his almost unanimous election upon the main is
sary: We sell s2sOo0o000 worth OF animals and
animal products 10 foreign countries every year year
cheaply and abundantly than any Other nation Is
to resi- nv case here with this question Does any
ma ton that can do that need any further pro-
lection in that particular commodity?
her y uSas eH hs BEs8 h H s
is a. admit ed fact that the price OF wheat N any
but for The su p Us say London. less the cost of
transportat on from he, POM q txto Tt 10 IN >
a bushel in London, it was 30 cents at Chi, ago.
t tng aRd at even thai trice the Timer AIDE
kaTys. impTov ana prices have bee lowe ed. uat
the difference between chicago and l. ndoa is
somSwh r aso i cents and wheat n. ioday
MACH err he COS OF rails WHEAT has Teen 1r re-
ued - sT feHt 5SSe S and {R Mat bT
post in hat aspect now with the prlsen- rrces2
which was right ana p. opCr: now il IS he con
s4Iners Turn. In prove IN Il NJ mach merry has
Geses' arS Of HE IS 100 in not bScause OF tie
cos Of grinding but be aHse he price OF wheai
on eacn barrel of -four, and If this Cere taken on
price in the inter est OF the consum T? We don't
want any moe 50 cent wteat but | sui nit isn I
producer and consume? Canida cannot break
down the price of wheat to any Dangerous extent;
hus els are ted it will uy tn law OF trade,
&c Fol wi e'aS hs Rs asnd Rsr to
the same market but in short crop years Ell her
but becaus' II he ps US who are ems mes;
's s this fTo% %Rh sen a" cad
$50 20 "l "trto o. ants and III II o. cts eve
81, ooOO1 Of pcope md export 90 5000 worth te-
sides need any further protection?
nv claim j. that with ali dntirs removed from
meats AM wheat the great majority OF he p,o-
pie o. The I ed States VIII be cry ma err 'lly
benefit d. TO be sure, tn $ would a,so benefit
Canada greatly and possibly some other cou- tres.
ard, with s!e 20 bus ness Al go.e-nHent :
sires 10 introduce The B.ane and Mckinley III, OF
reelProclty. Le,e Is me oppor'unlty Give C4ha.a
this in exon hse Tor free entrance of some Cther
thing on whica she now charges a duty and does
Suppose the Dominion should some day become a
part or the un.tsd States-whlch is not at all in
should we be afraid OF her then? Why should We