The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-11-18
POSES ON POOR
D. SCHEDULE WORST IN.
FANNY OF TARIFF SYSTEM.

'st Tax Collected at the Cost o,
'aIth and Comfort Of the
Observation-Disclosures Only
Are Benefited.
yer since fabrics were first woven
over man, wool has been the most
ortant article in such fabrics as
worn In cool or cold climates. In
iates where wool Is needed for
tfort, the condition of the people
De pretty fairly judged by the
,unt of wool used in clothing them.
hey cannot afford to buy wooden
ming they are either impover-
"a or the cost of woolens is ar
bitrarily placed beyond their reach.
Inc wool product Of the world is suf-
nclent' II properly distributed, to keep
warm those who need it's comforts.
n the production is sufficiently pro-
Inc n the cost Of manufacture suf-
nclently low to make wooden clothing.
WOODEN blankets and other articles of
"ooien manufacture comparatively
cheap under a competitive system.
YET the use of wool per capita in
thls country has been on the decline
LOT ABOUT twenty years. 1t is even
lower now than it was fifty years ago.
IL mas been replaced with cotton and
combinations Of wool and cotton. In
many instances even the wool in these
combination is the cheapest, least
durable n least protective quality.
IL IS often made of shoddy-worked
over material taken from old carpets.
oiu and waste rags-and In
many instances the working over
process has brought the same mate
rial into use many times in the course
Of years.
VI all classes, the poor need wool
most. Those who are comfortably
housed. who a afford plenty of
clothing, who are little exposed to
the cold In open-air employments or
~lll-heated houses, may get along with
comparatively little wool, If they
choose. But the poor-and in the |
sense here mean the great majority
or the people are poor-need wooden
clothing in winter. Those depending
on medium or small salaries or on day
wages can no longer afford Atwood
clothing. They may think they are
wearing such clothing, and they may
be puzzled by its lack Of warmth, its
Nack of durability or it's failure to
keep Its shape; but they may still
think they are wearing Atwood gar
ments. But they are not. They are
wearing combinations of shoddy and
tton, sold to them, in most In
inces, on Atwood specifications.
Scientists have said that if the poor
'eie properly clothed the spread of
~oerculosis would be reduced by
f; that warm clothing is more i'm
ant even than higher sanitation,
n air and special food. If his is
e OF this one devastating disease,
must be true in only lesser degree
many other prevalent ailments.
The high price Of wool and its prac-
al prohibition among the poor con-
tute a national crime, legalized by
2 congress Of the United States. OF
the infamies of the tariff system
/ wool schedule Is the most In
lous. ]. imposes a merciless cruel
on the poor and a fragrant imposi-
even on the well-to-do. 1t can
not be defended, even on the ground
that 1t is an expedient to make Amer
lea produce its own wool, for after
years of high tariff on wool the coun-
try imports about 60 per cent. OF the
a'ool used. Nor does the large rev
ende accruing from this 60 per cent.
Importation justify the tariff, since it
Is collected at the cost of health and
comfort and common rights among
the poor. Nor is this tariff justified
by the protective doctrine of develop
ng the industries, for the carded wool
Industry, representing vast capital
md an army Of employes-the manu-
acturers who make cloth for the
cheaper grades of clothing-implored
congress- and the president to make
such changes In the tariff as would
nable them to compete with the
omb wool importers, who make the
igher grades Of cloth. But their
leas were in vain, because congress
Id the bidding of the wooden trust,
, which the carded wool manufac-
irers do not belong. These manu-
dcturers, protesting against their in
5ility 10 import cheaper woods at a
re that would enable them to make
heap clothing without using cotton
: shoddy, were frankly told by Sen
tor Penrose of the senate finance
'mmittef to go into other business.
nd that represented the attitude of
e majority Of the Republicans in
ingress.