The Detroit times., 1908-08-19

My business in injuriously affected
by the tariff. The Cutles on Hides.
leather. thread machinery, Goa. and
building materials increase the cost Of
making shoes in this country an av-
erage OF something like 10 cents a
pair or $30,00O,000 year for the en-
tire country.
or course we manufacturers do not
finally pay all of this tariff tax on foot
wear. We collect fully nine-tcnths OF
IL from those who wear shoes. But
We cannot collect the tax on shoes
sold Tor export. This comes out OF
our own pockets. This tax. by fore
Ing US TO pay 10 per cent more for
leather than Is paid 10y our foreign
competitors, increases the cost OF max
ing shoes In this country about
per cent and thus greatly handicaps
US In foreign markets. VITA free
leather and other materials and sup
plies we would perhaps soon be ex-
porting $l00.000.000 worth OF shoes a
year instead OF the s7.000,000 or $S,-
100000 worth now exported.
II Is, then, mainly in the export busl-
ness that the tariff shoe pinches Us
manufacturers -pihehes- us-very
much also because of the fewer pairs
OF shoes worn by the Over-taxed peo-
pie. II. as | believe. tariff trust taxes
increase the cost OF living by 10 per
teent,- II Is probable Shat these taxes
diminish the number OF shoes worn
about 10 per cent.
| favor tariff reduction, then. both
for selfish and for humanitarian res
In. n. nil co az
the protected trusts-the greatest OF
all graft would increase the pur
chasing power OF the wage and salary
earners' dollar and thus virtually In
crease wages 10 per cent. / am mol
certain that, had the trusts been
curbed by the removal OF unnecessary
tariff duties In 1904 or 1905. we
would have had the severe industrial
depression through which we are now
assing. l have never Leen believer
In the now exploded theory that q
nation could tax itself into prosper
| ity Protection and prosperity are
not, In my vocabulary, synonymous
words. To me protection" aG We
know 1t means unnecessary and un
Just taxation, and this means frequent
periods OF business depression, re
duced wages. idle workingmen. adver
sity, disease and crime, such as We are
now experiencing.
| | have no faith In the Republican
tariff expert committee plan OF revis
ing the tariff In my opinion IL is pc
litical maneuver TO hoodwink the PEG
pie and tide the Republicans owe
the presidential election. Ii Is rartl.
scheme to have the tariff experts IL
the various departments provide cam
paign material for the high tariff party
These experts are now compiling sta
tistics OF cost of production in differen
countries and OF export taxes am
bount.es levied by foreign countrie
on goods going abroad. We may b
certain that II any material is foun,
that will aid the protectionists AM
standpatters IL will be put into tn
hands OF all Republican speakers mex
|, fall. other material will be kept IN
der cover
The New York Journal of Commerce
Of May 20 made an even more serious
charge against the tariff revision plan
of the senate and house committees
Ii said that these plans were "merel,
intended as a basis for political CAPT
tai" and that the whole tariff lnvesti
cation now pending has direct rela
ton to campaign funds"
That the Republicans do not serious
ly intend to revise the tariff down