Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-11-22
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER %. 1880;
rAG FIGHT FOR FREE HIDES.

y&NNM -
The following Is from Hides and
Leather: The widespread movement
to abolish the duty on hides was
brought vigorously TO the front this
week when a delegation OF about
twentyeight shoe and leather manu-
lecturers and hide merchants. headed
BY Governor VIM, l.. Douglas Of
Massachusetts,. interviewed the presi-
dent at Washington. Important shoe
and leather factories east, south and
west were represented. President
Roosevelt listened a~tteniively to the
familiar and unanswerahe reasons
why hides should be on the free list
Az was expected. he explained that he
could do nothing personally In the
matter but 1t is confidently believed
that the agitation. by being brought
forward so prominently. will go far
towards inducing congress TO place
hides once more on the free list. The
shoe manufacturers stated that they
would be willing for the tax on Inn
ported sole leather TO be reduced ten
per cent II hides we're again placed on
the free list"
Once more the interests OF the
west are to be sacrificed to the sell
fish wishes OF the pampered. over
protected New England manufacturer.
The articles mentions the east ann
west and south as Joining In the
movement for free hides, but the
movement originated in Massachu-
setts and Is headed by a Massacnu-
oetts democrat. The shoe manusac-
tnrers make the ~princely offer to con-
sent to q reduction Of ten per cent
on imported sole leather, II free hides
be admitted. so they consent to being
done q favor. When were tariffs
levied b. the grace Of New England
shoe manufacturers. anyway
The shoe manufacturer wants free
hides, but he still wants TO be pro-
tectea just as strongly as eve against
the Imperative Of other shoes. He
doesn't want Them to lower hts prices,
to be able to sell shoes cheaper. but
he wants at the expense OF the whole
people to be able to place more money
Ia his own pockets.
II Ii time the people OF the west
were bestirring themselves IN this
matter. The cattle men have had a
tough time the last few years. Ad-
init free HES from Mexico. and the
American cattleman can't give his
product away. And the clanor for
free hides is a fair Introduction for
the clamor for free wool. If the shoe
man gets cheaper hides. 80 he a
manufacture shoes more cheaply n
sell them for higher prices. the wool
manufacturer win ask for free wool,
20 he can manufacture cloth more
cheapiy and sell II at a larger profit.
For the pampered manufacturing
classes. while they win boil with In
dignation at having to pay any tariffs
on raw products. will be yet more In
dignant II 1t be suggested that any
measure az protection be Withdrawn
from the manufactured article.
There Is . hard campaign before
the wool and sheep men Of the United
States. The selfish. unprincipled east
ern interests are ever ready to grow
richer at the expense OF the vest.
The east has strenuously resisted the
westerly course Of the star Of empire
and even now with the assistance Of a
lev scheming. disloyal citizens OF the
territories are fighting against New
MEXICO and Arizona.
The secret Of the bitter fight o.
New England against the admission
Of New Mexico and Arizona as separ-
ate states 10 to be found In the deep
seated wish to keep western influence
1ust a. far from gaining power -
possible. New England doesn't want
eight western senators. II would
keep oil the territories out II II could
And 10 It joins the fight Of those e
fish residents Of the territories. who
because they happen to want . cap
ital. or wish to crafty . grudge
agaist some official. IN working
against the best interests Of the terri
tories and the whole west What
should be a strong inducement to In
fluence every New Mexican 10 work
for separate statehood. should be the
prime importance OF securing the
strongest possible representation In
the United States congress for the
west There In a time coming. and II
won't b. long delayed when the west
viii have to fight a more bitter bat
tie than II has ever fought for Its
rights.
The eastern states can never have
any more senatorial representation
TIE chances are very much against