Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-28
DoBsoN PROTESTS.
Denies Statement That Wooden Men
Lost BY Own Fault.

|
Gordon Dobson, president of the
Maine Wooden Manufacturers Associa-
ton protests that. contrary to dis
patches from Washington, the carded
wooden interests of Maine and other
states did not lose their fight in Con-
sress because they had failed to state
their needs. and cites the following
letter to prove his case:
Letter to Senator Hale.
"Hon Eugene Hale. Washington. D. c.
''Sir: We have your letter of the
18th inst. in which you ask us to strike
out from copy of Schedule K of the
Dingley tariff what we do not wish to
| appear and write in what we want to
appear to make it as we would like to
| have it read when enacted into law
In complying as far as possible with
| your request we will at the same time
state why we cannot do all that you
ask
I'VE are manufacturers of wool goods
by the carded wooden process. Schedule
| X covers all products of wool whether
In the raw state. partly manufactured
or finished and by whatever process
| To comply with your request it would
be necessary for US to recommend clas-
sifications. tariff rates and methods of
| assessment, not only for the goods we
| manufacture, but also for those we do
not make and for the raw material we
have to buy for our mills.
Let us begin with the raw material,
We have already stated to the commit
| tee on finance our objections to the
present specific duties on grease wool,
| which are levied on grease and dirt as
| well as on wool. and to the prohibitory
duties on by-products. They shut us
out from the supply of foreign wool
and by-products suited for our indus
try and give the users of light shrink
ing combng woods access to the foreign
markets at a very low rate of duty.
BY this arrangement the woolgrower is
deprived of the protection contemplate
ed under the law, the worsted spinning
| industry enjoys special favors of great
value, the carded wooden industry is
stranglcd, while the ultimate consumer
is deprived of an adequate supply of
wool goods.
1.-THE complete remedy for these in
CAPABILITIES under the present law is an
ad valorem tariff on wool, which auto
ditons by which a tariff should be reg
ulated. We recommend this complete
solution to Congress. 1t would be
manifestly improper for us to do more
than tc suggest to you a particular
rate of duty on wool First, because
we are not familiar with the business
or cost of producing wool in this coun-
try or abroad; and second because we
are buyers and users of wool and,
| therefore, financially interested in OBJ
tanning a supply of this material at as
low cost as possible. In revising
Schedule Is the first hing is to fix the
tariff rate on wool, which is the basis
of the entire schedule of duties. This
rate should be fair to the woOlgroWer
and the consumer of wool goods, and
should bear uniformly on all branches
of the wool manufacturing industry.
The rate on wool must be fixed before
IL is possible for anyone to frame d
system of duties on wool goods. For
your guidance in fixing the tariff rate
on wool we want to submit the follow
ing statement showing the quantity
and value of the wool of classes l and
. imported during the five years end
ing June, 1907. together with the
amount of specific duty collected and
the al vaIorem equivalent of that
| duty:
Quantity. 426.O36.605 pounds
Value. 1867 ,O59
DUTY collected. $47. 559.548
This statement shows that If the
duty collected on the wool imports for
thees five years had been of ad valorem
equivalent it would have been sos per
| cent This measures the protection the
woolgrower has been receiving under
the Dingley tariff on ad valorem basis.
The lmportaticns have been confined to
grease woods o (which the shrinkage
did not exceed SIS per cent, running
as low as Is per cent, the average
shrinkage being about 40 per cent. An
advalorem tariff on wool will remove
completely the inequalities by which
the cardcd wooden industry is burdened
| and the worsted industry favored.
1--WE also desire to call your atten-
ton to the fact that if the complete
| remedy for the inequalities in the wool
tariff is not applied by the adoption
of al valorcm duties a partial remedy
is available by levying a specific duty
on the secured weight. We ask that.
| whatever duty is levied on WOOL it be
applied without the arbitrary distinc-
lions that now exist between unwash-
ed, washed. sorted and secured woods.
and that the division into class ] and
2 be abolished The cost of washing.
sorting and securing is trfling and the
ad valorem or specific rate on the
secured weight can be made to cover
such cost.
EITHER of the methods above sug-
gested would raise the tariff rate on
light shrinking woods to a point at
which all woods. including those heavy
shrinking grades now excluded by du-
ties rising as high as 800 per cent.
would be admitted at the same tariff
tax. and thus the wool grower would
obtain better protection than at pres
ent.
GAS a suggestion to you in revising
the Dingley tariff on wool. it's by-pro-
ducts and wool goods, we respectfully
call YOUR attention to the following alb
stract from the political platform OF
IaOS which stated the principle that