Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-15
Argument Against Duty on
Hides.
Congress Developing Feeling against
Tru-ts--No Increase Expected in
Cotton Rates.--Wool Schc tiuIc
Avoided by Committee on
Finance.


hides, which the Senate finance commit
tee IS expected to report. Delegations |
from all the shoe manufacturing centres |
have poured into washington and each |
makes It business to interview every
senator and congressman from It's state
The memhers arc being told that the in |
evitable outcome OF n duty on hides will |
he n formation If a great shoe trust |
The shoe business IS one Of tho very
great Industries conducted wholly by in
dividual concerns. Competition Is brisk
and although tho Americans make the
best shoes in tho world. they are cheap
err here, grade for grade. than in any
other country.
This Is the exact situation" said
leading shoe man to-day. The packers
buy hides for six or scven cents a pound
on tho hoof as part Of tho carcass They
double IN value 'hc moment they are
eEiune1 or. The packers tan them and
sell the leather. II is only question OF
time and n very short time we believe,
when tho packers will 90 into making
shoes. II their leather costs thcm say
only twenty cents n pound where we
must pay twcnty-eight or thirty. we
shall have no other recourse but to ioin
ask rs IN. but will force rs IN. The in
dependent shoe business will be helplees
unless free market for hides is kent
open
"Vote after vote IS being changed az
the knowledge Of this danger IA becon-
Ing understood BY the members and
senator's For some time [ have been IN
receipt OF letters from leading senator's
1,ape OF ali
all say that If this Is tho true situation.
Congress viii not dare to retain the hide
1utv The Sen,to believes that the farm
ers' view Of the hide duty IS sentimental
rather than practical and Tho senators
have been inclined = viold 80 this sertl-
meat aud vote for the duty. Thore IS
strong fErtlNC chance now. after We
have explained the true situation. that
even on open vote in tie senate the
duty will 10 removed"
The sh-o. men feel confident tha' even
tuary hides Will be free even Il n dead
lock first comes In the conference com
mttee. The plan is to trade Of the hide
duty for Il duty on lumber. probably the
& Of III" Payne hi'l although Indications
have been made that il might - higher.
II would e tho Senate could have its way.
the Payne rate which was imposed, ny
the way. for revenue rather ,han protec-
tive reasons
a story IS current that If he Senate
committee should bring in bill failing
to reduce the lumber duties ana to main
tain the rates ON certain agricultural
products reduced by the Payne bill rc-
| publican minority report will be brought
IN also The leading feature ~ the whole
tariff situation is the Increasing sersi-
| tiveness Of Congress to tho popular de-
mand for reduction A case I'm point is
| the reported restoration bv tho Senate
! finance con nitteo Of the DlnC'ev rates
| on hosiery and gloves. The House would
not dare to raise this rate. contest
! will be made in tho House to-day for a
record vote ON cloves and hosiery MS III o
| majority Of the House refuse 10 believe
! that either commodity needs the incroas-
cd pra,octiou. Trust conditions are sue-
| uectcd Of both industries The ANTITRUST
waye has been gaining eween over since
+I,o r,1ic.,',us Int sirni1.a,t action of
tho uouse In ln1ooslng straight one ner
| ce-. d,,,,. nv, oil ~, rlaca Of Tho countor-
voiIinr nrovi.ior
.rbo arror,s .r tho cot.o, ,n,uufactt,r-
&C :, roiso 1,tios nv ,,I,rac.io, nrobab
| l., ,,.r fou .rho 1rorsa ,.os,erao,. e.ruc.
| l.,. .1, NOV. co,,,, 80 ,,.ro,1 ,.,,.aer,,,b
90 o,, ,o,.o,oa ,ro 1,;,o,o,. ,,rc,is,o,
.,, t,.o eo,,o.a rro,,o,l,. viii ofcir,, ,tis
oc,io, nc d uclcor,A eolfitinn ~ an ir-r,-
onto rryz,o THO voo, ,-rower. ,ro n,on-