Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-19
Interesting Illustrations OF
Local Character of the
Tariff Question
AN IOWA INDUSTRY SAVED
George (. Roberts. Foremost Revision
ist, Admitted He Was Protectionist
Whom 1t Came to Duty on Gypsum
Roberts Probably Prevents Removal
Of Gypsum Duty. -
lsnecial Correspondence.)

Especial Correspondence
Washington, Dec ia most inter-
esting illustration of the local char
acter OF the tariff question is af-
forded by a reading of brief which
Congressman Davidson, of Wisconsin,
has filed with the ways and means
committee. anent a local Industry in
his district. 1t is typical of scores, per-
haps hundreds. of others scattered all
over the country, and it shows how
purely local considerations influence
the views of congressman regarding
the tariff.
A number Of years ago Miss Carrie
II Frost, of Stevens Point, Wis, living
in the fishing section of her state and
being an adept in the casting of the
fly which lures the gamey trout to his
doom, had to buy. supply of the ar
tihcial bait. She was going fishing.
She wondered If the prices weren't
unreasonable, and asked where the
files were made. She learned that they
came from France. Germany and Eng
land.
Miss Frost went fishing, and divided
her time between thinking about the
cost Of the flies, and pulling in the
trout 1t happened that the Wisconsin
woods were unusually filled with fish
erincn that summer. all buying bait
from abroad Miss Frost finally got the
idea that the bait ought to be made in
this country.
Girl Starts Factory.
She went home, and looked into
processes. sources of supply. cost of
manufacture, and all the other aspects.
It struck her that she could make just
as good bait as anybody else. and she
dissected a few specimens, and decided
on trying II.
The result was that she established
factory. Today it employs 100 hands.
mostly girls. They are paid s. to 81 per
week while 1t Is claimed that women
in the same work abroad are paid from
ST. 80 to 81 per week. The business mas
thrived and is growing. incidentally
1T enjoys protection of % per cent
ad valorem.
The revision of the tariff is a very
real matter with Miss Frost. she
knows just what competition she must
meet and she knows she can't meet IL
IL the tariff is taken off or seriously
reduced She has an idea of raising the
wages of her girls. but the competi-
tion of the foreignmade flies makes
this impossible at present. If the tar
iff should be. removed, she would go
out of business.
The fact that this industry is strict
ly local at Stevens Point; that there
is none other exactly like 1T in TINS
country; that the price of fly bait is
alleged to have been considerably re-
duced as a result of the competition or
q home industry-all these things en-
ter into the situation 1t is claimed that
there is possibility of a considerable
evanston of the business II it has a
chance. 1t seems rather insignificant
to the melw making a tariff measure
for the nation: and yet multiplied by
the number of such cases in the whole
country. it means great deal
Another Wisconsin Case.
Another case comes from another
Wisconsin town. At Oshkosh there Is
manufactured IA good deal of the sub
stitute for excelsior and of straw COW
ers for bottles, which in general comes
from abroad. The raw material IS
found there--a variety of marsh grass
which had no commercial value until
rhis use was developed-and a good
many people are employed in the bus
mess. This manufacture, likewise,is pro-
tected. 1t represents that If the pro-
tections be withdrawn or seriously re-
duced, the difference between Amerl-
can and foreign wages Will compei
closing the factories
The ways and means committee mos
in this case, likewise, that there is no
evidence that prices OF the product
have on the whole been increased be-
cause of the protection of the Amer
lean article
.In a great majority of congressional
districts Of the country are instances OIL
this kind. The congressman represent
ing the district with such an Industry
is pretty certain to be more interested
i'm his local instance than in the Whole
question of revision. At least, no mat
ter how strong a revisionist ne may
he. he is compelled to look after the
home institution, and that involves
him In Inconsistencies and roll
ing.
Hits Roberts Home Industry.
fine illustration of this was at
forded recently when George b. ROD
erts, former director of the mint ana
now a Chicago bank president, APP
peared before the committee in behaM
of the tariff on gypsum and it's pro
ducts. Mr.. Roberts was one OF the flrse
and foremost revisionists in the west.
He was the author of the Iowa idea
nlank which declared against shelter
10 monopoly. He was really the spokes-