The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-28
The Mood Tariff and thte Poor Mans
Clothes

vi Saiueu WoolenS In the United
States has addressed an open letter
to Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts
charging that there was a conspiracv
between The worsted manufacturers
and the wool growers of the West to
keep the Dingley wood SCHEDULE intact
In the new tariff measure He de-
mands that Senator Lodge ascertain
and make public the contributions to
the Republican Congressional CAM
paign committee by the wool inter-
ests. "If," he says, "the publication
of that list should disclose large con-
tributions by the worsted interests no
house, senate nor president could
Withstand the storm Of opposition to
the Payne-Aldrich wool schedule"
This manufacturer disclaims any re-
Election upon the personal integrity of
Mr.. Lodge, in whose honesty, he says,
he has entire confidence. But he sug-
gests that the Massachusetts senator
did not apply his great abilities to
the thorough and systematic study of
This question, so as to understand the
injustice of the senate bill"
According to Washington dis
patch to The Sun, the conference
committee on the tariff bill has al
ready decided to make a reduction
in three items Of the wool schedule.
Nut this reduction, it is alleged, is so
slight that it will not afford the re-
lief demanded by the manufacturers
or carded woOlen cloth, who for 10
years have been handicapped by the
discriminating duties of the Dingley
act. There is a widespread belief that
the schedule of the Payne-Aldrich
Dill covers great many iniquities.
from which the consumer in moder-
ate circumstances is the chief sufferer
Apparently all kinds Of wool are tax
ed in the same degree. The duty on
unsecured wool is IL cents a pound.
The manufacturer Of worsted CTS 500
pounds of secured wool, according to
our esteemed contemporary, the Bos-
ton Traveller, from 1000 pounds of
unsecured wool. From a bale of L.
600 pounds of unsecured wool the
manufacturer Of carded woolens. II is
alleged, gets about 200 pounds of
secured wool. Thus it appears 'the
tariff on secured wool for clothing
Tor the poor runs as high as SIS cents
pound, while the tariff on secured
wool for worsted clothes runs as low
as IA cents pound
The discrimination against the
manufacturers of carded wooden af-
fects a large number Of small towns
in New England. The decline OF the
carded-woolen industry does moi.
however, seem to distress the New
England senators, although it affects
adversely the conditions of employ
ment of many persons who are engag-
ed in the industry. A Maine manu-
facturer, Robert Bleakie, makes bold
to say that "the discrimination and
favoritism" manifested in the wool
schedule. will, if carried far enough.
subvert the government itself; tina,
such inequalities before the law are
constant menace to the stability Of
business, for in a democracy the
people rule and are liable at the most
unexpected time to be carried along
by an outburst of anger, sweeping
away the good and the bad in their
attack on such evils as are fostered
by the present tariff on wool and
woolen goods"
In the interest of thte consumer
President Taft ought to give thought.
foul consideration to the wool schedule
of che Payne-Aldrich bill. The New
England senator's are unsympathetic.
but Mr.. Taft may induce them to re-
lent. Meantime, will Mr.. Lodge con-
descend to furnish his New England
correspondent with that list of cam
| paign contributions?