Evening journal., 1909-08-09
NO HELP FOR
THE CONSUMER
Tariff Changes Not Likely to
Result in Lower
Prices
CLOTHING MORE COSTLY

CLOTHING MORE COSTLY
WASHINGTON, Aug ar the new
tarin law is revision downward. as
President Taft construes Il TO be. the
lowering Of duties is not such as the
consumer will detect. The general aver
age OF the bill Is greater than that OF
the present law and such specific reduc-
tions OF duty as are made are generally
of a character to increase the already
high protection OF Manufacturers with
out any benefit being put in sight for the
consumer.
Even In the case OF the leather sched-
ule, where the raw material Is put ON
the free list and the duty on the hn-
lshed product a. reduced, there will be,
In the opinion OF experts, no benefit to
the consumer in lower prices OF shoes
and leather goods In the case OF the
higher grade OF leather goods that enter
into the ordinary daily use OF dress and
travel the bill makes an increase. In
tho admission OF crude oil free OF duty
Il appears that the benent will accrue
solely to the great oil refining monopoly
In giving Il an additional free source
OF supply OF raw material while it con-
trolls the retail trade.
No Concessions on Clothing.
No concessions were made TO ther con-
sumer In cotton or woolen goods giothng
and wearing apparel or I'm anything that
enters into the daily consumption unless,
perchance. experts are mistaken as to the
leather schedule. and shoes and harness
may be 10 a slight degree cheapened.
That the bill is any better than the pres
ent law or presents any advantage over
Il, except TO manufacturers getting cheap
er raw material. does not appear.
What the President Secured.
The justification for the Presidents sig
nature appears 20 have been found ir
the addition OF raw material TO the IRE,
list. the corporal ton tax and the Philip
pine tari1 section. II appears 20 hav,
been this latter section. which the Pres
ldent says grauhes his efforts OF 10 years
that most strongly Influenced him Ia
overlook. the general and dominant de
fects OF tho measure.
Where any reduction Is made alonl
lines which might be beneficial 90 thl
consumer Il Is so little as to be entirely
insisnincant-too small 90 be extende,
beyond the dealer 20 the individual pur
chaser. For instance. in earthenware ani
glassware Of household con
sumption--the reduction IS stated a
about one-fourth Of ! per cent Will
this might work some profit to the deal
ers in large quantities Il Is too small Z
be apportioned among the purchasers O
single articles The reductions IN IN
metal schedule are not sufhcient to al
feet prices 10 consumers and do not ben
eht the household.
cottons and Woolens Higher.
Cottons and woolens-going into IN
clothing and comforts OF the entlr
: population-have not been reduced
duty, but In the aggregate show an II
crease Senator Bristow. making a cari
ful analysis OF these schedules, says thi
on the face OF the bill Is shown an Il
= crease of nearly 6 per cent. in the du
OF cotton manufacturers and cotton te
tiles Of every kind and that In fact q
increase Is very much greater than N
a through the manipulation OF the farme
> Of the bill in making new classification
He estimates that the reclassiicati'
makes an Increase OF about 20 per Ger
Plain unhleached cloth valued al cen
square yard which Is OF most comms
daily use Is increased from q per cen
to to 81 per cent ad valorem; when dys
" or colored from 30 to a per cent Chea
NJ hosiery Is increased about S5 per cen
In and that Of a higher quality may run
Of high as 100 per cent. According TO SEM
4 tor Bristows hgures-and the Senator hi
ID a reputation for carefulness of researg
AZ and accuracy Of ststsment-the speclf
rate fixed in some cases. as IN thu duty
ID the process Of mercerization. Is mo
Dr than the entire cost OF the process, eitl
In er In this country or abroad.
he Sky Hiah Duties Left Untouched.
ID While the duty on fax. hemp and iu
p is reduced about per cent. very lit
Of benefit will come TO the consumer, b
cause the duty on clothes made fro
ne these materials Is increased. No redu
or ton is made in the wool and wool'
e. schedule for the benefit OF the consume
=. though the duties there are indisputab
extravagant and cover three to five tim
Of the difference between the cost OF pr
a. duction abroad and IN this country. ri
d. duty on clothes and fabrics. running
IN some instances as high as 1856 per cen
~ on blankets running from lN 10 i65 p
~ cent. on knit fabrics running from
OF per cent 20 in per cent. on worst
Of cloths from "a 70 134 per cent, on fla
e neis from So per cent 20 iF per cent
Of womens and children dress goods ru
ming from 20 per cent 10 IFS per Ger
b. no reduction is made. The duty on sil
IL very largely increased on the theo
that silks are a luxury, but there Is
:, reduction made IN the duty on wool
\. fabrics. which are a universal necessit
- while on cotton fabrics the duty is
=, creased.