The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-12-22
THE PRESIDENTS TARIFF VICTORY.

The report OF the tarin commission governing Schedule X Of the
wool and wooden goods schedule. transmitted to Congress by President
'Iaft, IS the compietest and most careful study OF the wooden tariff
ever laid before Congress DR. the American public. For the first
INT a systematic and thorough effort has been made to learn the
ue o OF producing like grades OF wool in foreign countries. For
the first time a scientific study of the relation of tariff duties to the
hnai cost OF wooden goods has been made. For the first time
thorough information as to the exact effect OF the various specific
and sd valorem duties have been presented.
In the light OF this report il is impossible to believe that the
Democrats Of the House OF Representatives will commit the absurdity
OF re-snacung the wool tariff bill which they attempted 10 pass last
summer. The report shows, hrst, that the duty of eleven cents per
pound now imposed upon the higher grade merino woods is little, if
any, more than is necessary to maintain the wool growing industry
IN sueh states as Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia Ii shows
that the average actual cost OF a pound OF merino wool grown in
Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia is from nineteen to twenty.
Sne cents per pound. Ut follows, therefore, that the lowest reason
able price at which such wool can be sold with any ordinary profit is
from twentyfOur to twentyseven cents per pound. That is about
the selling price Of wool to-day. Ii has ranged higher in recent
years, and it has run lower.
On the other hand, the report also shows that the duty on many
low grade and inferior woods is, under present conditions. prohibiuve
and ought to be materially reduced. Reduction of these duties will
admit some OF these inferior woods, and will cause them 10 be used
in cheaper goods instead Of the cotton and shoddy that are nov used
Ii also shows that il the wooden manufactures of this country are to
be maintained with any degree OF prosperity. it is desirable TO i'm
pose graduated ad vaorem duties, these duties increasing in amount
for higherpriced articles of goods. American WOODEN manufac-
turers pay from sixty to seventy per cent. more for their machinery
than wooden manufacturers in England. They pay from forty to
nifty per cent. more Tor their yarn than English manufacturers pay.
They pay for their labor from eighty to one hundred per cent. more
than English manufacturers pay, and the higher the grade of their
products the greater IS the difference in cost as compared with
foreign manufacturers. Necessarily. therefore, the higher grade of
goods should enjoy a higher ad valorem duty than the lower grade
of goods. Presidents Tafts message makes these points clear.
With this Information before it, if Congress is so disposed it may
undertake a scientific and practical revision of the wooden schedules
revision which will cheaper the cost Of WOODEN goods in the lower
grades, that will protect the American woolgrowers and preserve the
American WOODEN industry.
President Taifs tariff policy could not have scored a greater
triumph. The tariff commission has proven its essential value. The
commission is made up of men of both political parties. yet its report
is unanimous. Ii is a complete. a careful and a thorough study of
conditions, and il enables Congress TO undertake the revision of the
wooden schedule in the light Of conditions as they are.