The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-09-17
They Simply Lied.

1t is one of the privileges of tariff
''reformers" to carry on their vocation
with an eye single to what Governor
[now Senatorl Cummins has so elo-
quently denounced as the graft" the
"extortfon, the "abuses" of protection.
They never by any possibility see any
thing to object to on the part of the
foes of Protection. Importers organize,
raise money and hire lawyers to manip-
ulate things in Washington for lower
Tariff duties or no Tariff duties; mer-
chant princes having the distribution of
millions of dollars year of advertising
patronage band together and bring to
bear their powerful influence upon
friendly newspapers to break down the
Tariff. The Performers" take no ex-
ceptions to this. They welcome it and
help it along. But when an American
manufacturer with heavy payroll to
meet goes before Congressional COM
mittee or labors with Senators and
representatives for such Tariff duties as
will enable him to keep on paying Amer
lean wages and putting out American
products for Americans to buy and use,
then it is that the ''reformer" becomes
shocked and enraged at the ''greed"
and "selfishness" which are inseparable
from the system of Protection. Queer
people are these Tariff 'reformers, 1"
these "prcgressives" and insurgents. !"
All this by way of recalling the fact
that while the Tariff bill of 1909 was
in conference a committee of alleged
clothing manufacturers waited upon
President Taft and informed him that
the effect of the proposed new Tariff
law would be to compel American buy
ers and wearers of clothing to pay an
additional 1874, 900, 900 year for their
apparel. Among these energetic re-
monstrants was the senior member of
a large house engaged in the manufac-
ture of clothing. Scarcely month had
elapsed after the passage of the Tariff
law when one of the clothing trade
journals appeared with two page ad-
vertlsement of this identical firm of
manufacturers. from which we
quote as follows:
Despite marked advances in wool
and woolens, our K. specials for the
spring of 1910-pure fancy worsted
suits at $40 and at $13. Scare equal in
avery respect to the specials we deliv
,red last spring.
"The fabrics are soft handling and
made of high pick, French spun yarns
They are fine faced, with silk decora-
ions; fast colors.
Every fabric, of course, is absolutely |
,ure wool, and will boil out.
''At $40 and up, every K. garment is
land tailored.
"Ninety-fve per cent of all fabrics
We use are what the masses require
ancy worsteds.
Wholesale prices will be refunded
Without question if any suit or over
oat bearing the X. label fails to give
How comes it that these pure fancy
vorsted suits are offered for 1910 at
10 and $l3. so, precisely the same prices
s those which prevailed before the Gin
amous advance" in the wool schedule
vas enacted into law2 Where, at this
ate, is the additional cost of 1924, 000,-
90 year to come from2 Why are not
hese suits marked up to $15 and SIS. so,
The answer Is plain The
lothing manufacturers simply lied in
naking their representations to Presi-
ent Taft; lied knowingly aud "out of
Whole cloth" They knew perfectly well
hat there was no increase of duties
rovided for in schedule K; they knew
hat the increase of the cost of wool was
ne wholly to the increase in the Euro.
can price of wool and in no way to
be American Tariff, and they also
new that the increase, il any, in the
etail prices of clothing in this country
you'd not amount to one-twentieth of
1874, 600. 900 year. AS matter of
act, there has been and will be no
oticeable increase in the retail prices
{ ready made clothing.
Will some alt Rustic "reformer" or
now proceed to denounce
ne mendacity of these clothing manu-
,cturersH We reckon not. All their
res of indignation burn for the 'iniqui-
es" of Protection. American Eco
omist.