Manchester Democrat., 1909-05-26
Rubber Boots as Wool.

We nave III ties OHIltu otdteS ill
interesting institution engaged in the
manufacture Of rubber goods, advar-
tising in the Boston newspapers that
it absolutely controls the business, as
q sign Of good credit, so that people
in dealing with it will have confideI I,
and persons who are purchasing stot K
will not be without faith in the en-
terprisa. / notice that in this bill.
they have enjoyed a slight accretio.s
of duty from 80 per cert. to So per
cent. But i am not going to complain
about that, because l have not gone
into the practical aspect of the SUBJ
ject. However, the curious thing
about it is that throughout large
list of their merchandise they enjoy
ia protection which congress in its
simplicity thought it was extending
to clothing made of wool.
1t will interest most people to know
that the gum boots with which the
farmers of America are wading
around in the SHOWS of winter are
lined usually with wool, and that
when a box of them appears at {
port of the United States they are
not, troubled by the 80 per cent. duty
On manufactures of rubber. Why? Be
cause they are otherwise provided
for,l How? This law which we re-
Fuse to even look at with view of
coTrecting errors and absurdities
transfers this merchandise bodily to
paragraphs intended to protect wool.
en- clothing, and we see the fine
vaudeville sketch of pair of rubber
boots being solemnly weighed up in
the house of the United States
ana assessed at A cents pounnd
and 60 per cent. ad valorem as wear
ing apparel composed in whole or in
part OF wool.
This process of mrecerization is
exactly like, washing your hands-of
course you lose a little in weight.
I'd Challenge 70 the Expert.
Now, want Somebody do not
care who-to stand on this floor and
tell me upon whose expert knowledge
protective tariff of cent, which
in many of these cases amounts to
200 per cent. and in all of them
amounts to 100 per cent, was put on
this simple process of mercerizing
cloth. ! want to see again whose eX-
pert knowledge of weaving and fin
ishing cotton is behind that proposi-
tion think know him; but l
have resolved to bring no more per-
sonalities into this controversy. If,
hQwever, these people had contented
themselves with charging cent ON
the mercerization of cloth, am not
certain that would have been weary
ing the senate with this recital here
today.
But mark the sagacity of these
brethren, not of the committee; l dc
llot lay these things to their charge.
They are engaged, by the aid of hir.
ed experts, in having their own bill
explained to them in and around the
capitol of the United States.
If you will turn to the little sched
ule of lead pencils you will nd that
group of lead pencil manufacturers
annoyed by some young German boys
who are trying to make lead pencils
by importing the lead from foreign
countries under the present rate o
duty, have had their present ad va
loren converted into u specific which
when stated in plain terms amount.
to AN increase of 700 per cent. o.
more on the merchandise and totall.
wipes out of existence Independent
manufacturers of cheap lead pencil
who are selling them to school child
rem of the United States for cen
j. apiece in our market place.
spoke years ago in the senat
chamber ON the subject of the pre-
tective tariff system and the specl
lative trusts. Very few listened t
what L said, and l never have me
anybody since who appeared to hav
had any familiarity with the liter;
ture which that speech created. An
yet it is some satisfaction for me
know 1T laid down some broad pril
ciples and some sound principle
a and among them this, that no tru:
can master this market place in tn
J. present state Of American enterpris
= and the present abundance of Amer
f can capital without first monopoli
!. ing the raw material with which bu
\. mess must be transacted. ha,
$ felt ever since that wise thing Il
q the senate to do is not to put trus
q made goods on the free list, renee
!. which would fall equally upon the il
d and the unjust, and instead of killir
r. the trust would be more likely
y kill the struggling competitors al
h turn the entire domestic business o
r. er to the trust, or. If not, would
. least sacrifice American labor. Whit
must be entitled to our considerable
!, whatever may be the offenses
a. American capital against our poll
l., and our laws.
il, An Impressive Warning.
n Therefore 1 think we ought to tai
20 these great materials that lie at t
n basis of our productive industrie