Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-21
ASK FOR TARIFF ON PUMlCE
Packers and Others Want Congress to
Develop Vast Industry.
RICH BEDS FOUND IN NEBRASKA
Duty t. Required "a Enable Ameri-
cans 10 Compete in MsnufRc-
ture with the Convict
Labor Of Italy.

tariff on pumlce. vast beds Of which
are found in Nebraska, il being urged by
the Cudahy Packing company, other South
Omaha packers and other Nebraska and
western interests and men. They have
asked congress to provide a duty OF u
cent per pound or the manufactured
product, or y rent on the raw material, or
q 50 per cent ad v~alorem duty. They be
lieve with such concessions they might
place an industry on It's feet.
Senator Brown has written that he an
t~icipates little opposition to this PROPOSE
ton.
"our proposition should appeal TO every
senator. without regard TO his location,
said c. q. Carlow OF the Cudshy Packing
company. FOR II our requests are granted
We NAV be able to develop a great Amert-
can industry. whose benefits will not be
umited 10 this state, and this development
will impose no greater cost on the con-
sumner than he now pays for the fore'gn
substance.
within the last five or six years beds
Of pure pumice have been discovered In
Nebraska, Kansas and Utah, which, reveal
a vast store OF wealth and a product Of
great utility as well.
'Pumice. n of fine quality. IL used II
many Industries. 1t is q universal polish
ing substance. 1t forms the grit Of al
securing soaps and is for that reason o.
vast local interest in South Omaha. 1t II
used by all wood, stone and glass workers
because IL will give the most delicate fin
ish to valuable wood, stone and glass sur
faces. The dentist uses IL hourly in hi
profession and every tooth powder contains
the finest quality Of the substance.
III NhA ..sa H.nA1 De- ~.
industries Of the United States was i'm
ported from the Island of Ii Pari. Italy
1t is mined and manufactured there ex
elusively by convict labor. For this reason
II could be and is sold at a low price. will
a great profit to the contractors OF thi
labor. Last year 1000 tons OF pumice wa
imported at a cost OF from $500 to 500,
900 to the consumers.
In Republican Valley.
"ln the Republican valley In Harlal
county, Nebraska, in the vicinity OF Or
leans, great beds of pumice have beei
discovered. This discovery was due largel!
10 the efforts of Prof. z. H. Barbour o
the University of Nebraska. They ar
found up in the steep gulches Of the Re
publican river. Traces of pumice o
silicon are found along the Missouri an'
all the streams of Nebraska, but In tn
Republican valley II is most abundant
There, within a convenient radius, full!
$4,000 worth of the raw product lie 1
sight.
"If 1t were not for the convict labor W
might in this state and the west develop
a great source Of wealth. For this reasoi
the western men demand this tariff.
THE principal point in the United State
where pumice is ground or pulver1Zed !
in New York. In considering the tariff
this fact was kept In mind also. The dut,
was proposed at one-duarter Of a cent pc
pound on raw material, so that, even
the manufacturer in New York wanted I
import his raw hiateffsl, he could still
compete with the foreign manufactured o
the puiverized pumice.
"It IS the prevailing policy OF the soutl
Omaha packers, and in general, to favo
the home industry where possible. But
Is not true that the packers control tn
output of American pumice. More bed
of this material will doubtless be dis
covered In the same section of the stat
where the abundant beds have been IL
Gated. All the beds are owned by privat
Individuals"