Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-29
MANY SECTERS BUSY mrs. ERB TO TESTIFY ARE FRIENDS AGAIN
Ways and Means Members
Seem Things at Night.
FOUR PRIZE BUG-A-B00S
Old Ad Valorem, Specific Duty, Free
Hides and Coal.
ANOTHER MAKES EN- SQUIRM
"Protection to American Labor"
Regarded as the He-Goblin
of Them All.

Regarded as the He-Goblin
of Them All.
When the republican members of the
ways and means committee turn in these
nights for a few hours slumber they
see more specters and things than you
can shake stick at. There's Old Ad
Valorem grinning at 'em from the foot
board. with Old Specific Duty chattering
on the head rail. Old Free Hides. sans
tail and horns. prances up and down the
coverlid and Free Coal makes lump In
the bed every time they turn over.
These are the four prize bug-a-boos that
make night hideous. though they lead
train of lesser hobgoblins, but over ana
above them all stands the old he-goblin
of them all-protection to American labor.
He's the chap that keeps the members
on the squirn1, for it seems that every
time a move is made, they step on MS
toes and he lets out howl. It's plump
terrible. they say.
Constant Friction Noted.
There is constant friction between Old
Ad Valorem and Old Specific Duty, and
it is this way, you see; the question Is,
Shall the tariff duty be levied on an ar
ticle according to it's estimated cost or
by the yard. pound or quantity. Say
1t is a consignment Of so many yards
of lace; shall the duty be fixed at 60
per cent Of the invoiced value OF the lot
or at so many cents per yard. some
want 1t one way, some want 1t announcer
On the one hand 1t is claimed that
if the duty is ad valorem an unscrupu-
lous importer-if perchance there should
be such a one so lost to patriotism and
protection Of the revenues of his coun-
try-might undervalue the real value or
the consignment and so get ms gooos
in cheaper, much to the detr'ment OF
the American manufacturer and to his
own sordid profit. On the other hand,
If the duty is made so much per yard
the tariff makers have to possess trade
omniscience to make the duty mt the
goods.
Lace Manufacturers Object.
Speaking of laces, a loud cry goes up
from about 200 manufacturers of gar
ments in which laces are used as trim
ming for a reduction Of duty from so
per cent to 90 per cent Why, it's as
plain as the nose on your face that If
these garment manufacturers could just
get their laceS cheaper they would make
more money. Fine: but how about the
American lace manufacturer who has
built up business. is employing work
men at many times the salary paid for
eign workers under the protection of this
tariff?
One firm of importers has suggested
that the duty might be reduced per cent
semi-annually, so that the American
workingmen could tighten their belts
gradually and SO get accustomed to
shorter ratons by degrees, and it wouldn
hurt so much.
One suggestion made to the committee
in the direction of raising revenue was
that an export tax should be placed on
cotton and cotton goods. Fine-for the
revenues. but rather tough on the New
England and southern states cotton goods
manufacturers, who are struggling TOT
Asiatic markets In competition with the
many England and France. 1t would add
Just that much to the price they charge
for their goods. If the tax should be
placed on raw cotton 1t would 1urtheE
stimulate cotton growing in Egypt. where,
under the irrigation system of the AS
souan dam project. immense areas of cot
ton lands will soon be available TO supply
the raw material to foreign mills
Shoe Men Willing, But
Some of the New England shoe manu-
facturers are willing to submit to re-
that hides are placed on the free list.
Now that is not altogether as generous
an offer as might seem at first oiush.
Your New England shoemaker is perfect
IL willing to slaughter the western cattle
raiser. the tail with the hide, by permit
ting South American hides to come IN
free, knowing all the time that he has
margin CT protection in the improved and
patented American machinery for the
making Of shoes. which the foreigner does
not possess
And then il he can just get free coal
from Canada-Lordy, he will be fixed! But
talk to the shoe manufacturer about puts
ting shoes on the free list and he says
right away he will have to pull up and
take his machinery abroad, where he can
get cheap labor.
Coal Interests Balk.
AS soon as the shoe man mentions free
coal, up jumps West Virginia with pro-
test Now West Virginia knows all about
that free coal talk. 1t was democratic
state, and the late William L. Wilson
tried his hardest some fifteen years ago
to keep the state aligned with democratic
| tariff policies, but the plain people of
West Virginia figured out the tariff to
suit their own needs and the state went
republican, to remain ever since. While
sympathizing with the downtrodden New
England shoe manufacturer. who wants
free coal for his boilers and free hides
for his machines, West Virginia, along
| with Indiana and Ohio, must beg to balk
at free coal.
1t will probably be found. as the work
| progresses. that the committee ON ways
and means Is proceeding along one def
mite theory-that is, to frame a tariff law
which will conduce to the working up of
American raw materials into finished prod
ucts on American soil by American
| labor. In doing this the committee has to