The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-22
After Fattening on Protection
They Want Free Hides at
Farmers Expense
NORTH OAKoTHs DEVOTION
TO REPUBLICAN PRINCIPALS
Twttted With Having Democratic
; Governor and the Retort Flung Back
That Other States Have More to
Keep Them Republican.


which has been shown by the manu-
facturers of leather and leather
goods, who seek to deprive the stock
man and the farmer of the little
remnant of protection left to him on
hides" said Senator McCumber of
North Dakota, defending in the SEN
ate today the proposed duty of fifteen
per cent ad valorem on hides. Con-
sideration of the hide schedule was
resumed as soon as the senate met
and McCumber was the first speaker.
The fact, he said, that the United
States does not produce all the hides
1T used was an argument in favor of
protecting the hide industry to pro-
mote its development to a stage when
the United States will be able to sup
ply the home demand. Senator Nc
Cumber's speech was plea for the
farmer as against the manufacturer.
"The gross injustice of this demand
for free hides becomes more startling,
he declared, when we remember that
our protective system has built up
these leather manufacturing indus
tries and enabled them to dominate,
not only the American market, but to
enter every other market of tho
world. y Having secured these ad-
jjantages and defrauded the Ameri-
can farmer Of the duty on calf hides,
the manufacturers have had their ap-
petities whetted for further ad-
vantages. and with lobby amazing
in power and influence, they seek to
destroy the last vestige of protection" :"
San0fnr OF I,1,
that he wanted a tariff of twenty-five
per cent upor, hides. '''''''.
"a little boastine of. the relative
amount of devotion to Republican
policies on the part of North Dakota
and Vermont ushered in a colloquy
between Senators McCumber and
Page. The Vermont senator thought
his state was little more simon
pure Republican than was North Da-
kota and twitted Mr.. McCumber with
the suggestion that North Dakota had
democratic governor two years ago.
"Oh! yes" responded McCumber with
evident reference to distribution Of
protective Duties" the state of ver-
mont has little more to encourage her
devotion to Republican cause"
Senator Clark of Wyoming, inter-
rupting, declared that Senator Page
in advocating free hides, wanted the
government to 60 into partnership
with the leather trust to beat the beef
trust and all at the expense of the
farmers"
The amendment of the senate COM
mittee on finance taking hides from
the free list and restoring the Ding
ley law rates OF fifteen per cent ad
valorem. was before the senate all
yesterday, and It probably will lnot be
disposed of before late today If then.
Senator Warren of Wyoming and
Senator Carter Of Montana supported
the provision and in vigorous
language attacked the attitude of the
free hide advocates. while Senator
Page Of Vermont defended the action
of the house in placing hides on the
free list. Mr.. Carren declared that
the senate had been insulted by the
charge that the Dingley provision had
been inserted as the result of a mid
night conference, and he declared
that free raw material would be the
death knell of protective policy If it
should be adopted. while Mr.. Carter
asserted that II the farmers were to
be compelled to. sell the products in
the open market they would demand
the right to buy manufactured ar.
ticles in the same kind of market.
In support of free hides, Mr.. Page
that the adoption of such
a policy would not injure. the farm
ers. while at the same time 1t would
be Of vast benefit to the leather manu-
facturers. He said the beet trust
garneered all the profits on hides
from whatever source.
Senator Page defended the house
for free hides. He dis
cussed at length the influence of the
central leather company, generally
referred to as the leather trust. on
the price of hides. claiming that 1t
did not tan more than twenty-five per
cent of the total number of hides in
the country. His conclusion was that
that company could not be the only
of free trade in hides. On
the contrary he contended that the
great beef corporations absorb the
profits on hides, whatever they may
be. thus cutting out both the farmer
and the manufacturer.
MIR. Page declared that with free
hides the shoe and harness manufac-
,urers could compete with the world.
He said that manufacturers average
net profit on shoes is now from five to
seven cents a pair. He did not be-
ieve however. that these manufacture
ers would be willing to take his view
IF their ability to compete with the
world.
Pointing out that under the present
aw hides that do not weigh at least