Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-02-03
THE TARIFF AND SHOES.

THE TARIFF AND SHOES.
In the enactment OF the Payne Law
the tariff was taken off on hides be-
cause 1t was thought that 1t was not
necessary to the man who raises cat
tie and the profits Of the cattle busi-
ness we're sufficient without impos-
| ing duty. and the duty imposed
was likely to throw the control Of
the sale Of the hides into the hands
of the meat packers Of Chicago. So
the duty Of the is per centum ad val
orem was repealed and hides Tor
skins) Of cattle Of the bovine species
placed on the free list. The Satur4
day Evening Post which is trying
to convince the people that the Payne
Law is pernicious, in recent issue
states that this action is the only
substantial victory for the consumer
in the whole bill.
1t is presumed that the Saturday
Evening Post thinks the great cattle
ranges of the west and southwest
produce annually q sufficient num-
Der Of cattle on the hoof to supply
the hide market Of the United States.
But this is not true. Even II 1t were
once true the opening of the govern
ment land to settlers has diminished
the acreage formerly used for grazing
purposes. The high price Of wheat
and corn has induced many farmers
to break up pasture land and SOW
the money producing cereals. The
high price of pork has been intru-
mental in inducing farmers, who
formerly fed cattle for the market
to switch from steers to hogs. Any
how it is a fact that the United States
has not been able to supply the de-
mand for hides, and for the year
ending June 3Oth, 1907, there were
received as imports into the United
states hides Of cattle raw or uncured,
whether sailed or dry or picked, the
following:
Buffalo hides, 1S.OS4,S4S, value
s1,S07,sSO.
other cattle hides, 12O,S46,SsS
pounds, value $1s,595,3SS.42.
Other cattle hides from Cuba un-
der reciprocity treaty, S,S17,516, val
ne, SSS2,6S7.
These importatlons paid a duty,
under the Dingley law, of is per cen
tum ad valorem except in the impor-
tations from Cuba where, under the
reciprocity treaty there was a dis
count Of 20 per cent from the 10 per
centum ad valorem. Under the Ding
ley law these .importations yielded
the government Of the United States,
for the year ending June 80, 1907, a
revenue of $S,115.3SO.94.
For the same period the average
value of hides received as imports
into the United States Except buffa-
10 hides and hides brought from
Cuba) upon which a duty Of Is per
centum ad valorem was paid, was
1914 cents per pound, and the same
hides which are now being admitted
free OF duty are selling for Is cents
per pound. Hides are imported into
the United tates from Europe and
South. America, and as soon as the
Payne bill was passed the hide deal
ers In those countries Immediately adj
vanced the price. They knew the
hide market was governed by the law
OF supply and demand, and they
knew also that whereas the govern
ment had cut off say 2.S1 cents per
pound In duties they could add that
and little more to the price of the
hide. And they did. II any one in
the United States drives any benefit
from the admission Of hides free Of
duty it is the farmer who raises
stock. The cattle on the hoof is
worth more because Its hide is worth
more.
Following the demand for revis-
ion downward the trainers of the
Payne bill reduced the duty on boots
and shoes made OF leather from 25
per cent to 10 per cent; on sole
leather from 20 per cent to per
cent, and on harness, saddles and
saddlery. or parts Of either in sets
or in parts. finished or unfinished,
from as per cent to 20 per cent.
Here again the farmer and the
consumer generally is the benefit
clary. The tanner must pay more for
his hides as the price has advanced
for the reason stated in the preceding
paragraph. The leather dealer and
the harness and saddle maker must
look sharp lest the foreign mAnufac-
lures come in and undersell them.
The duty has been decreased and
the consumer GETS the benefit
Some Of the publications which are
seeking to preiudies the people
against the Payne law By disiorting