Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-05-02
BETTER AVOID THE RISK.
Free Trade as to Imports Means Also
Free Trade Payrolls.

'SS TeyiOIlS
There are a 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
goods in this line was practically un-
known, we have progressed until Amer
ican shoes are made in enormous num-
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 shoe is
conceded the world over.
The total output of American shoes
may not be ascertained precisely, but
there is one feature of the business
that must command thoughtful atten-
ton. American shoe 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 or when shoes are
brought here for special purposes.
The ordinary American invariably
walks in American shoes. But this is
not all. The people abroad are catch
ing on. This is attosted by some re-
turns from our foreign trade. Last
year we exported shoes to the extent
of $150,000,000, an increase Of over 200
per cent. In ten years. That certainly
is marvellous advance, and ii is it's
own rejoinder to those who allege that
the tariff prevents other countries from
patronizlng us. And it is more than
that, as little further inquiry will
show.
The United States is not only sell
ing shoes, the manufacture of which
is well protected, but it 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 were $S4,000.000, and it is doubt
full II they would have been much
greater had the skins come in free
Under protection our home market has
developed at prodigious rate, and
the consumption of shoes has been on
tremendous scale because our people
have been prosperous, have had the
money TO buy and to pay for shoes,
and have in that way helped to keep
the shoe manufactures busy, while
We have had a considerable surplus
Stock TO ship abroad, as has been seen
The faUlt-iinders urge that the skins
should come IN free. Then why not
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, for that is
what tho free-for-all policy means?
There is no argument for free hides
that does not apply with equal force
to hundreds of other articles, and if
W. ~ " " 'e'NS NiAtib PAIN LlICI III Ddl-
tiality points directly to free trade. |
But if we adopt free trade we must |
adopt free trade payrolls, and the in
tclligent American wage Garner is like.
ly to have something to say before
such finale is reached. And there is |
not one chance in a hundred that the |
abolition of duties would in itself be
nf inar
our capital or our labor. As sapient |
observer, with past experience in
mind, remarks, foreign dealers have
a habit of marking up their wares
when the duty is removed" There
are several sound reasons for beiiev-
ing they have not forgotten how
Troy Times.