The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-09-01
THE CONSUMER AND THE TAR
IFF.

The Bureau OF Statistics at wash
ington has recently given out some
fragmentary information relating to
imports into the United States during
the twelve months from August l,
1909, to July 81, 1910. This prac-
tically covers year under the Payne
Aldrich tariff, as the present law
went into effect on August 5, 1909.
The Republic has heretofore COM
mented on the complete statistics for
eleven months ending 81 and it's
readers will no doubt be pleased to
note that the later information given
out in nowise changes the signiti-
canoe of the more incomplete data
previously analysed.
The lesson strongly pointed by the
figures for the lesser periods of time
is in fact emphasized by those for
the greater period. The total imports
during che year amounted to 1,562,-
621,181, of which almost SO per cent,
$768, 047,231, came in free of duty
The fact that the free imports are
greater than in any prior year in the
history of the Government and that
the percentage of such free imports
to total imports is greater than in
any year except the last twelve
months of the Wilson laws opera
ton is by Republicans held to justify
argument palliating in at least some
slight degree the new laws iniqui-
ties.
One has to know, however, of what
these free imports consist before ac-
cepting them as indicative of the
laws effects. Detailed figures from
August to August are not yet made
public, but those at hand for lesser
periods of that year show that free
importations of that raw rubber in
which Mr.. Aldrich's rubber trusts
deals so largely and with such lu-
crative results amounted in eleven
months of the fiscal year ending June
80 to more than 100000. The
figures on raw rubber for sthe entire
twelve months of the Payne-Aldrich
bill will be still more impressive. 1t
will be found that considerably more
than $100,00O,000 out of the total
$768,047,231 free importations can
be credited to rubber.
We have also shown that during
eleven months "crude materials for
the use of manufacturers" were i'm
ported to the total amount of $531,-
100000, or an average of about
$44,000,000 month. If the aver
age was maintained for the entire
twelve months "crude materials for
the use of manufacturers" were i'm
ported to the total amount of 1881,
OO0,OOO, or an average of about
$44, 100000 a month. If the aver
age was maintained for the entire
twelve months it would mean a total
of $575, 100000 in free crude ma
terial for the sole benefit of manu-
facturers. To subtract that amount
would make big crimp in the total
of $76S,047,231 in free imports
which are claimed to furnish a basis
for extolling the new law.
Analysis of all figures so far made
public shows that the following ep-
itomiZes the new law accurately: 1t
permits the manufacturer to obtain
at cheaper price many of his raw
materials, which are placed on the
free list, while excessive protection
still continued on his manufactured
products enables him to exact even
higher prices than heretofore from
the American consumer.
The average ad valorem rate on
dutiab1e goods under the new law
is placed at 41.26 per cent, while
that under the Dingley law was
1915 and that under the Wilson law
1882 per cent. A large part of the
reductions under the Aldrich bill
consisted of reductions on partly
manufactured products" designed to
contribute to the profit of manu-
facturers precisely as free raw ma
terlals contribute.
The percentage of 41.26, there
fore, is deceptive, but even if it be
accepted we find only that the Re-
publican party has met the appeal
of the American people for revision
of the tariff downward by a reduc-
ton of paltry ISL per cent below
The average duty paid on imports
under the Wilson law. This means
that only l " per cent of the cod
dlel industries that were still in the
stage of infancy in the days of Dem
ocratic control have come of age dur
ing the thirteen years of Republican
rule that has followed.-St. Louis
Republic.