The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-25
Rich Combine ForesaW No
Change in the Tariff, So, as
A Result, StoredsAWay Tons
Of the Product.
WILL FORCE PUBLIC TO
PAY 120.MILLl0NS
Manufacturers Are Now BusiIy
Engaged in Sending TeIe-
grams to Taft for a Revis-
ion Downward.

Philadelphia, July 24.-By keeping
up the tariff on wool congress will
place an additional tax on $120,000,O0O
upon the people of this country for
clothing next year. So confident
have the raw wool interests been that
the tariff will not be reduced in the
bill now before congress that they
have stored millions of pounds OF wool
ana expect to sell 1t for next years
clothing at prices which prevailed be-
fore the 1907 panic and which are 10
or 20 per cent. higher than are quot
ed In London.
This declaration was made yester-
day to The North American by David
Kirschbaum, of A. B. Kirschbaum &
Co., one of the largest clothing manu-
featuring houses in the country.
It Is asserted by Mr.. Kirschbaum
that the wool men who have thus held
theirwoOl for higher market must eth
er have relied upon their influence to
control the situation in congress or
must have had assurances that no
change in the duties on WOOL would be
made.
Appealing to Taft.
Clothing manufacturers throughout
the United States, on the other hand,
Mr.. Krischbaum says, too President
Taft at his word, and looked for ma
terial reduction in the tariff on wool.
Thousands Of appeals to the President
to redeem his and the party's pledges
are now, Mr. Kirschbaum said, going
into Washington with every mail.
His statement as TO the force and
extent of the protest that is being
made by the clothing men of the coun-
try was substantiated by those of 9TH
er manufacturers.
He asserts that If the pledge meant
anything, the first place to begin was
on the wool schedule.
THE average prices OF woolens and
worsteds for the spring of 1870" said
Mr.. Kirschbaum, ARE approximately
Is per cent. higher than what they
were for the spring of 1909 in the
United States.
THAT this increased cost is due to
conditions prevalent in America only
Is proved by the fact that the price of
spring woolens in 1910 in England are
only from to per cent. more than
they were for the spring season of
1909.
Wool 10 Stored Here.
London is the wool market Of the
world. Whatever wool is imported in
to this country is almost invariably
bought through London. Therefore,
London being the wool market of the
world, the increase there would indi-
cate the natural increase that ought
to be demanded here.
IF the manufacturers Of America
are enabled, through an unreasonable
high wall of protection, to increase
the price of woolens from 20 to 25 per
cent. while English manufacturers on
ly have raised the prices from 5 to 6
per cent. the conditions here speak
for themselves.
Wool has been stored to the extent
of millions upon millions of pounds,
not only in Boston, but in cities like
Philadelphia, with a reasonable assur-
apce that the wool tariff would not be
tempered with. and that they would
eventually get the same prices for the
raw wool that prevailed before the
panic.
The clothing manufacturers through
out the United States took President
Taft's word. which was prediction
pledge, records of which are obtain
able. stating that raw products would
come in free, or the rates OF tariff
would be very materially reduced
For these reasons we were justi-
fled In expecting that we and other
clothing manufacturers would be able
to continue manufacturers would be
able to continue our policy of giving
to the trade. or the wearers. thorough
" trustworthy fabrics in their gar
ments.
We expected that we would get,
through the proper legislation, such
wOolens as would enable us to give
as good values as we have been giving
but the more prominent wool and
woolen men OF this country. on the
contrary. stored quantities OF all
grades of domestic wool, feeling as
sured that President Taft and the re-
publican party's prediction pledges
would not be kept, and that the issue
would be sidetracked
Public overtaxed.
There are less than 10000 people
employed in the raising OF wool in the
United States. Ninety per cent. of the
people engaged in this industry are
not owners of the sheep: therefore, 1t
leaves 10 per cent. OF the whole that
are owners or directly financially in.
terested in this tariff. More than co..
000.0 900 people are over-taxed for the
sake Of protecting q handful OF wool
barons.
"There Is but one way by which
President Taft can keep his promise
to the people Of the United States. and
that is by referring schedule K back
to the house. and having the wool
question reopened.
There is no raw material used IN
the manufacture Of anything so vitality
important to the American public as
- wool and there = nothing =