Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-07-28
CUMM|NS CALLS
FOR SQUARE DEAL
WITH FREE RAW MATER
IALS ALONE.
WILL DO LITTLE GOOD If CON-
SuMERS ARE LEFT TO MERCY
OF ExToRTIoN.
PLATFORM PLEDGES INCLUDE
EVERY DUTlABLE ARTICLE
FROM FIRST TO LAST.

Washington, D. c., July 23.-Em-
phasizing the Importance of insisting
upon reductions in the duties upon
manufactures as we'll as upon raw
material. Mr.. Cummins of Iowa late
Yesterday made a public statement
which is accepted as representing the
views of at least a majority OF the
progressive republican senators rel
alive to the present situation with re-
gard to the tariff bill.
Previously, Mr.. Cummins had been
in consultation for two hours with
the president and an exchange Oh
views had passed between Mr.. Cum
minis and others of those who voted
against the tariff bill in the senate.
The pronouncement is evidently IN
tended to meet the idea that the pres
ident and the downward revisionlsts
would be content with free raw ma
terial. Il endorse every word OF the
statement recently made by the pres
ident. and earnestly hope he will be
successful in bringing the conferees
to his views" said Mr. Cummins, who
then called attention to the fact that
especial emphasis has been placed
upon the so-called raw materials.
q feel compelled" said Mr.. Cum
Minis, ito remind the public that nell
Their the presidents statement nor our
fight was so confined" He then
proceeded:
while it is of the utmost impor-
lance that iron ore, oil, hides ana
coal be dealt with as proposed by the
president it is of still greater impor-
lance that the duties on manufactured
products shall be brought down some
where near the productive point Ii
will be of little advantage to the body
of the people to do away with the I'M
necessary duties upon raw materials,
if manufacturers are permitted to en-
Joy the excessive duties that enable
them to make extortionate profits up
on things people must buy and use.
Mr.. Cummins outlined his principal
objections to the bill as it left the
senate. He said that the reductions
in the steel schedule generally are
not sufficient, but that schedule
might be accepted but for the m
crease on structural iron and steel.
This increase, he says, means a duty
of SIG a ton, an increase over the
present law of Sc ton, and over the
house provision of $40 ton.
when it is considered" he contin-
ued, that the duty on steel rails is
$3.50 a ton, and their market price
s2S a ton, the proposed duty upon the
form of steel which sells for $50 ton
is wholly indefensible."
Mr.. Cummins says further:
In the lumber schedule, If both
rough and dressed lumber are not
free as they ought to be, the house
rate of 81 on rough lumber should De
preserved, and the differential upon
dressed lumber should begin at 20
cents per thousand, and not go ue-
yond sixty cents thousand.
IN. the paper schedule the house
rate of 81 ton on print paper, with
out the possibility of increasing 1t by
a countervailing duty, and free WOOD
pulp. also protected against the coun-
tervailing duty, should be rigldly in
sisted upon.
Mr.. Cummins believes the senate in
creases in cotton should be rejected
The wooden schedule he considers TO
be manifestly wrong. The wool grow
err. he SAYS. is sacrificed in order to
give undue protection to the worsted
wool manufacturer. The whole
schedule is so indefensible that read
iustment seems imperative, even
though to accomplish it the confer
ence report be voted down and the
bill brought before the senate again
for amendment.
Concluding. Mr. Cummins said:
Our platform and pledges embrace
every dutiable commodity. and we
should apply the same criterion from
first to last It will be most unfortu-
nate if in trying to give relief to the
rank and file of our people. we sue
coed only in giving the manufactur-
ers free materials, and thus add 10
the over-protection which they now
eniov further profits of cheap produc-
ton. profits which the manufacturers
will probably be slow to share with
the consuming public.
While Mr.. Cummins expressly says
he does not undertake to represent
the views of other "progressives." il
is known. however, that most OF them
were Afforded an opportunity to read
Mr.. Cummins' announcement. ana
some of them publicly stated that it
expressed their opinions.