The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-20
HIS 0. X. ON IT.
CONTINUED from Page one.)

add substantially to the stock OF sound
staple available for the manufacture
of wooden fabrics.
THAT there is no valid reason for
| the discrimination that now exists as
| beink the woods of class 1 (nerino and
| cross bred) and class IL, (EngnSh,
medium and luster) and that these
two classes could properly be consoh-
1 dated.
s.That the present duty of SO cents
per pound on secured wool is prohibit
tive, preventing effectually the impor-
tation of clean at low priced foreign
woods of the lower grades that would
be exceedingly useful IN the manufac-
ture of woOlens in this country, ana
If so used might display in large meas
ure the cheap substitute now SO ire
quently employed in that industry. The
fact that such cheap woods are of such
heavy shrinkage that they cannot De
imported in an unsecured state empha-
sizes all the more the prohibitive char
acter of the present secured pound
duty.
Objections to Ad VaIorem Rate.
That an ad voIorem rate is open to
grave difficulties from the point or
view of administration and revenue, IN
the case of a crude, bulky commodity
like wool, produced in many remote
regions and finding it's way into the
markets through SO many various chan
nels of trade
That Furthermore an ad valorem rate
prices are high; that is, when the con-
sumner most needs relief and the produ-
Ger is most able to bear competition
With a low price of wool the duty per
pound would be low; that is at the
time when the consumer has less need
of competing woods and the producer
is least able to bear competition.
1.-THE rates of schedule K are based
upon the assumption that woods in
the grease shrink an average of Sc 2-S
per cent. While it is true that consid-
cradle. quantities of wool do shrink
that amount. the average is well be-
low that figure. Certain very heavy
woods grown at the south African cape
and in certain districts of Australia,
South America and-the western Unit
ed States shrink as high as 70 to IS
per cent
1.-The cost of manufacturing wooden
and Worsted yarns and cloth in the
United States is much higher than in
Europe. The main elements OF cost
of production are cost of plant, ma
teriaI and labor. The cost of erecting
and equipping both wooden and worst
ed mills is much higher in this cOun-
try than in England
THE material is increased in price
by the duty on raw wool. The manu-
facturer who imports his wool must
pay the full amount of the duty
Woods grown in the United States are
increased in value by the duty, but
not by the full extent of the duty.
States but wages are in themselves no
necessary indication of relative cost of
production. Frequently it is found
that high wages and low labor costs
go together.
Europe Has an Advantage.
1T appears that this particular in
dustry is one in which the high ele-
ments of costs in this country are not
in general offset by any particular ad-
vantage or by any marked superiority
in the efficiency of labor. To a GER
tain extent, European countries have
the advantage of us in this latter re-
gard.
1T may be said then. that taking
the industry as whole, the American
manufacturer practically has no ad-
vantage in efficiency of labor and
equipment over his foreign competi-
tor. On certain specialties the largest
and most efficient American mills are
able by skillful organization material
~ to reduce the difference in cost
The investigation was begun in 1910
and has been pursued at home and
abroad. In the United States expert |
Investigators visited 1900 wool grow
ers in 10 states and 173 counties. Spec