The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-05-02
BETTER AVOID the Hlsx.
Free Trade as to Imports Means Als'
Free Trade Payrolls.

80 i'@e~ ~y'N~
There are few persons who sin
cerely believe that a number OF Amer
lean industries are seriously hampered
because the protective tariff now In
operation increases the cost OF the
raw material" essential TO prosperous
prosecution. Among these industries
Is that OF shoe manufacturing As
nearly everybody knows. the shoe In
dustry has made wonderful advances
in this country. From the old order
OF things. when boots and shoes were
turned out mainly by the village cob
bier and the finer quality OF leather
known. we have progressed until Amer
lean shoes are made In enormous mum
bers In great establishments scattered
all over the country, and the product
is unmatched for beauty Of appear
ance. durability and cheapness. The
excellence OF the American sace Is
conceded the world over.
The total output OF American sfces
may not be ascertained precisely. but
there is one feature OF the business
that must command thoughtful attsn-
ton. American shte manufacturers
command absolutely the American
market. No one ever hears Of the i'm
portation OF foreign shoes. except pos
sibly by occasional wealthy patrons Of
Paris outfitters OF when shoes are
brought here for special purposes.
The ordinary American invat ABLY
walks IN American shoes. But this h
not all. The people abroad are catch
ing on. This Is attested by some re.
turns from our foreign trade. Last
year we exported shoes 20 the extent
OF $50 o00. coo. an Increase Of over 200
per cent. in ten years That certainly
is a marvellous advance. and Il Is It's
own rejoinder TO those who Rllege that
the tarin prevents other countries from
psIronizing rs. And IL Is more than
that. as a little further inquiry will
show.
The United States Is not only sell
Ing shoes. the manufacture OF which
Is well protected. but Il Is buying enor
mously OF the material Of which shoes
are made. The imports OF hides and
skins to be turned into the leather
from which those shoes are made In
1906 we're ,Ss .000. 600. and 4 IS doubt
ful II they would have been much
greater had the skins come In free
Under protection our home market has
developed az a prodigious rate. ana
the consumption OF shoes has been on
a tremendous scale because our people
have been prosperous. have had the
money 10 buy and to pay for shoes
and have IN that way helped 10 keep
the shoe manufactures busy. while
We have had considerable surplus
stock 20 ship abroad. a. has been seen.
The fault.hnders urge that the skins
should come In free. Then why act
admit all other raw materials free
and when that is done notify the Amer
lean wage Garner that he must accept
the foreign scale OF pay. Tor that ia
what the free-forall policy means?
There Is no argument Tor free hides
that does not apply with equal force
10 hundreds Of other articles. aud n
we are 10 take that path strict impair
TALLY points directly to free trade.
But n We adopt free trade We must
adopt free trade payroils. and the In
teligent American wage Garner IS Ike
~ TO have something 90 say before
such a finale T. reached. And there is
not one chance in a hundred that the
abolition OF duties would In itself De
Of any lasting advantage TO either
our capital OF our labor. As a sapieEt
observer. with past experience In
mind. remarks. foreign dealers have
habit Of marking up their wares
when the duty is removed" There
are several sound reasons for believ-
ing they have not forgotten how
Troy Times.