New-York tribune., 1909-07-23
80 n.,, n,aces on the so-oalled raw ma

,,,.s,. ,.s ,e.- ,,sces On the so-called raw ma
terisls
u feel compelled lie says. 10 REMIND l'le
public that neither the Presidents statement
nor oar fight was so confined. While IL Is u li'e
utmost Importance that iron ore, OIL macs anu
coal be dealt with proposed by the
81 is Of SIN greater importance that the duties
On manufactured products shall oe oIouslI'
down somewhere near the protective point -
will be Of little advantage 10 the booE oI lie
people 10 do away with unnecessary duties on
raw materials if the manufacturers are per-
,,,,,sd - enjoy the excessive duties that enable
them 10 tax extortiouate profits on the th'nss
that the people must buy and use
citing the most prominent features Of 'the
Senate hill which he thinks should be amended
Nr Cunrnins says that those who have been
oontending for lower duties afford to sur
render = part Of their demands IL they can in
the main obtain the reductions which insure the
people against undue prices for the chief com
rnodities Of commerce.
Outlining his principal objections 10 the bIu as
Il left the Senate he says the reductions in the
steel schedule generally are not sufficient, but
the schedule might be accepted except Tor the
increase on structural iron and steel.
structural iron and steel, the use OF which is
% rapidly increasing Mr. Cumnins says. is
raised from the Dingley rate Of $40 ton and
the House rate Of Sc ton 10 Al per cent ad
velorern which at the present price Of this COM
modify means duty Of SIC ton, an increase
over the present law Of Sc a ton and over the
House provision Of SO ton.
when II is considered that the duty steel
rails is S3 30 ton and their market price is
s2s ton. the proposed duty form Of steel
which sells for S35 ton is wholly indefensible.
srors Ga-Sir2 HE thing but
when the welfare Of the consumer IS taken into
account il would be vastly better, # fair rate
can be secured On but one Of these items. 10 al
low the duty on iron 70 go 10 . cents a ton
ard cut the duty on structural steel 10 - or 80
g ton. where il properly belongs, and where IL
would still furnish complete protection for home
producers. measured BY the Republican stand
ard
In the lumber schedule. II both rough and
dressed lumber are not free. as they ought 70 he,
the House rate Of 81 on rough lumber should
be preserved. and the differential on dressed
lumber should begin al - cents a thousand and
not 90 beyond co cents q thousand.
In the paper Schedule, the House rate Of 81
ton on print paper. without the possibility OF in
creasing il by a countervailing duty. and free
wood pulp. also protected against a oountervail-
ing duty, should be rigidly insisted on.
In the cotton schedule. the Senate increases
while / believe that there should be reductions
in this schedule, the people might be willing TO
stand for the House rate, barring, Of course, the
hosiery increases.
The woollen schedule, with respect TO the
compensatory duties 10 manufacturers is mani
festly wrong. and the artificial and arbitrary
plan Of estimating the relation between uu-
washed and secured wool is grossly absurd
The wool grower IS sacrificed in order to give
undue protection 70 the worsted wool manu-
faeturer. The whole schedule is so indefensible
that readjustment seems imperative, even
though TO accomplish il the conference report
be voted down and the bill brought before the
Senate again for amendment
Our platform and our pledges embrace every
duttable commodity, and should apply the
same criterion from the first TO the last It will
be most unfortunate II in trying 10 give relief
10 the rank and file OF our people We succeed
only in giving manufacturers free raw materials
ano thus add TO the overprotection which they
now enjoy the further profits Of cheap pened pro-
duction-profts which the manufacturers will
probably be slow 20 share with the consuming
public"
While Mr.. Cummins expressly saws that he
does not undertake 10 represent the views of the
other progressives. il is known that most AZ
them had an opportunity 70 read his statement
and some Of them said it expressed their ouin-
ions