The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-18
SMOoT AS AN EXPERT.

The Tribune has shown from time to
time the absurditv of Smoot posing as
an expert on the tariff as whole, or
upon any of the schedules of it. His
disastrous experience with Senator
Stone of Missouri on the razor gucs-
tion will easily be recalled. His puerilc
assumption of superior knowledge
made him ridiculous on that question,
On the manufactures Of wool il was
supposed that Apostle Smooi had some
special knowIcdge because of his CON
nccton with the Provo Wooden mill.
Difference Was paid to him accordingly
on Schedule *, by many of the Sen
aiors; but this Difference has been a
disaster to him because it brought him
to the attention Of the real experts in
wool manufacturing, tho persons who
know the ms and outs of IL, and the
bearing of every point as if affects the
tariff, either on wool or on wooden
goods.
We submit herewith some corrcspon-
dence showing the estimation in which
those who really understand the wooden
question hold Apostle Smoot. II having
been said recently by Smoet that Mr..
Dale, editor Of the Textile World Rec
ord, Boston, had made some ridiculous
statements about the tariff as applied to
the world price Of wool. the president
of the Manknto (Minn,) Mills Company
wrote to Mr. Dale TO have the subject
cleared up. This is completely done in
the correspondence which follows, and
the absolute confusion in which Smoot
is placed will be relished by those Of
his home State who do not consider
Smoot great man. and may be resent
cd by those who do:
(COPY.)
Mankato Mills Co, Mankato. Mimi,
Mr.. Samuel S. Dale, care the Textile
World Record. Boston. Mass;
Dear Sir:-In going over the senate de-
bate on the Undcrwood-La Toilette wool
en- bill I find The following passage In
the speech by Senator Smoot OF Utah on
August 10, just before the vote on the
conference report;
MIR. Smoot. The. senator from Wiscon
sin (Mr. La Follettc) said in his speech:
An estimate made By Samuel S. Dale.
editor Of the Textile World Record. based
upon actual prices at which wool is sold
in the London auction. which fixes the
world prices Of wool shows thar the duty
on raw wool is as high as $50 per cent
II ask the senator from Wisconsin
where on earth can he buy raw wool at :
cents a pound? The rate on raw wool is
IL cents per pound, and in order to carry
rate OF duty OF $50 per cent the cost
could not exceed cents per pound Is
frlin + 1n wi Mr. 1oi-
or any other living man makes such
statement, II is not true
I am writing 10 ask ii YOU will kindly
give me the particulars regarding the cs-
innate to which Senator La Toilette re-
ferre6. and give your authority for the
statement that the DinEley (Psyne) duty
on wool rises as high as $40 per cent.
These high ad valorem equivalents of the
duties on wool and byproducts have been
frequently cited during the past-two yeare
az showing the inequalities Of the present
tariff, Now that tho accuracy OF your
figures has been so directly disputed II
seems 10 me YOU should make statement
that will place the matter beyond ques-
tion.
Thanking you In anticipation for a re-
ply / am, yours very truly,
MANKATO MILLS co.
w, l.. HXon, president.
MR. DALE'S REPLY.
Boston, Mass, Sept. 10. 1911.
Mr.. ". J., Hixon. President Mankato
Dear Sir;-Yours OF the 9Th inst at
band. The statement by Senator La Fol
htte has reference to an investigation
which 7 made In February and March,
1909 l undertook this work after at
tending tariff hearing before the COM
mittee on Ways and Means on February
10. 1909. when Congressman Nicholas
f.ongworth of Ohio. in his cross -examina
ton of a witness, made the amazing mis-
take Of assuming that the specific duty
on the wool imported represented the
the bulk Of tho foreign wool clip, which
is excluded from tho United States by
prohbitory duties. To correct this error
] conceived the idea of calculating the
duties on wool actually sold at the last
sales at London, Liverpool. and in
Australia. Some idea OF the labor this
involved is obtained from tho fact that
100000 pounds Of wool. and that the so :
ooOOoo pounds sold at London included
over 5000 separate lots. Being desir-
Gus OF giving to the ways and means
committee the results OF my inquiry be-
fore the Payne bill was reported to the |
house. worked every night for weeks |
often into the small hours OF the morn
ing. sent the report OF my findings |
10 the Ways and Means committee on |
March u. 1909. and here arc the figures |
Tor INC 60.p0o,o0O pounds of wool sold at |
Price Ding Duty |
per lb. Icy. PC. |
o,,.al washed L., .,,..,.47c lie 70
Average Of un-
washed 3gc &c o2 |
Lowest price OF
unwaShcd -. ... Sc 99c 593
Average OF
washed ..... lie oor lDo
Highest price