Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1912-09-07


Rich Manufactures May Benefit
Robert Kenneth MaeLsa, Consulting
Expert Of the Tariff Board, Shows
That the American People Are
Muieted Of $8s.oO0.00o q Year.
New York, Aug Did you ever
hear the story of cotton?
1t is as thrilling as narrative of
adventure. 1t is as interesting as a
notwithstanding particularly because
It concerns the welfare Of millions OF
people who wear cotton goods. 1t Is
interesting because it is the dress or
the poor, the universal substitute for
wool and silk. 1t Is interesting, fur'
thermore. because it Is true.
The story Of cotton is the story OF a
protective tariff for the benefit Of rich
manufacturers at the expense Of the
whole people who wear cotton goods.
Il has been reasonably calculated
that because tho cotton tariff is fixed
by the Payne Aldrich law the Ameri-
can people are paying $88 900 more
every year than they should pay for
their cotton goods and that a saving
Of this amount could be accomplished
by q reasonable reduction in the pres
ent duties.
The story of cotton is told by an ex-
pert. Robert Kenneth MacLea. consult
ing expert of the tariff board, in ii Sc
ries of articles published in the New
York World. Mr.. MacLea's views are
the views of lifelong Republican. a
| friend Of the protective policy Of the
Republican party. but at the same time
an opponent Of tariff graft and favor
itism. To this work Mr.. MacLea has
brought a varied experience. covering
more than twenty years. in the man
ufacture and marketing of textiles
He first distinguished himself as an
advocate of honest tariff legislation by
finding the ''iokers" of the Payne-Al-
drich act, when the agents Of few
New England mills were permitted to
write their own rates to suit them
! selves. He was chairman of the tar
If committee of the New York Dry
Goods Merchants association and in
that capacity conducted Il campaign
which attracted the attention of the
newly created tariff board. To accept
the position of consulting expert to the
board he gave up the management OF
the domestic business Of the New York
firms of r. B. MacLea Il Co and Con
verse Il Co.
The story of cotton is companion
piece to the story of Schedule K-the
WOODEN schedule declared sby Presi
dent Taft to be Infamous and indefen-
sible
The findings Of the tariff board with
regard to the WOODEN schedule were an
hlyzed by Chairman Underwood Of the
ways and means committee and con
demned as inaccurate. incomplete and
worthless as an aid to legislation
When the tariff boards findings on
the cotton schedule were made public
the World decided to make its own
investigation concerning it. and Mr..
MacI.ea was selected for that purpose
The World had the findings of the
board on manufacturers of cotton dis
sected from the practical point of view
Of business. analysed in their relation
to the interest of the consumer and
the facts translated into the language
OF the everyday man and woman
One hundred cloth samples purchased
In representative domestic markets
were made the basis of the tariff
boards findings on the cost Of cotton
cloth produced in this country. Mr.
MacLea used the same cloth SAMPLES
as concrete illustrations of the work
ings OF the tariff and from these ex-
posed the very generally perpetrated
fraud Of selling American made goods
as imported" and showed why the
excessive tariff permits and fosters
this imposition. ss
Recognizing that the tariff would he
vital issue OF the campaign and that
controversy would center about Presi
dent Taft's "nonpartisan' tariff board
and it's work. the World undertook the
investigation Of cotton and sought an.
swers to the following questions:
Has the work of the tariff board Jus.
tited the delay in reducing tho tariff
and giving relief from tho high cost
OF living?
What have tho people gained in the |
three years under the Payne AIdrich
tariff IN RETURN FOR MORE THAN
$4,000. 100000 TAXED OUT OF THEIR
POCKETS AND INTO THE pock.
cts OF PROTECTED PRIVILEGE?
How honestly, impartaliy and thor /
oushiy did the "nonpartisan" tariff
board undertake. it. taska
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