The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-12


Fhe letter follows;
Providence. r. l., Aug. 10, 1910.
Hon. William =. Mckinley, Chair
man Republican Congressional Commit
Zee. Washington. ID. c.
Dear Mr. Mckinley: I have been
asked by Republican candidate for
congress in an Illinois district 10
furnish him the facts with reference
20 changes in The rubber duties In the
tariff act of 1909.
The persistent reiteration of the
absurd misstatements of Senator Bris-
low with reference 10 the tariff on
rubber furnishes such a choice fllustra-
ton OF the nature of the criticisms and
the character of certain critics OF the
L riff act of 1903, that IL seems TO be
desirable that fun statement of the
Facts should be made in response TO
this inquiry.
Senator BristOW's statements were
as follows:
THAT the Senate committee on
finance. Of which / was chairman. in
creased the duty upon certain manu-
features Of rubber from 80 10 50 per
THAT during the session, or i'm
mediately after the adjournment OF
Congress, j, in connection with others,
had organized a gigantic rubber trust
known as the lnter-COntinental Rub
Der company, In which i was a large
stakeholder and director.
"5-ThaI this huge rubber trust i'm
mediately advanced largely the price
OF crude rubber, the supply of which il
absolutely CONTROLS
"4-That this vast rubber monopoly,
tie Inter-Continental Rubber company,
was able, on account OF the changes in
the tariff referred 10, 10 advance-and
did rapidly adVance-the price of eV-
cry rubber product. from automobile
tires 10 babies rattles.'
"5-That the increase in the rate on
rubber manufactures from 80 20 80 per
cent enabled the Inter Continental
Rubber company to realize Immediately
enormous profits as shown by the large
dividends III had paid in the early
months Of the present year, and that
The Increase In rates was brought about
with this end In view.
Increase in Rates.
1t is true that an increase in the
rates took place in paragraph 463,
which included certain manufactures OF
India rubber, with other items and 10 Is
true also that i am stakeholder and
director in the Inter Continental RUB
Der company but none of the other
statements referred 10 contain singles|
element OF truth. i would be glad to
think that in the statements Senator
Brlstow had been cruelty imposed upon
oy some designing person, as / do not
IKE 70 beileNe that any senator could
be guilty Of deliberately manufacturing
statements SO false in every particular
Neither the lnter-COntinental Rub
Der com hdu1s nor l. nor any mem Der
OF my family has ever had any pecu-
MARY interest as 10 whether the rate
for manufactures Of rubber was 20 80
or 500 per cent, or whether crude rub
Der was on the free or dutia BILE list.
The continental Rubber COM
pany was Incorporated in 1906, with the
general powers of a business corpora
ton. There has been no change what
ever, either during OF after the session
q Congress, since that time in the bust
ness or control Of the company, or in
the purpose Tor which il was organized, I
these being all established at the time
OF organization, long before the tariff I
act OF 1908 was ever thought OF.
The company is and has been the
owner Of stOck-the entire amount in
every case but One-in subordinate |
companies. organized for purposes OF |
convenience in the conduct Of the bust
ness OF producing cruee rubber in vari- /
Gus parts of the world. The charters /
OF two OF these companies We're sur
rendered in 1908 for the purpose Of !
the general organization /
OF the business and saving expenses /
and taxes.
Neither the Inter Continental Rub !
Der company. nor any OF its subordi- |
nates-and in this L include the two I
companies whose charters were sur
rendered in 19O9-have now or ever I