Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1912-09-13
STORY OF COTTON
IS 4 THRILLER
SHOWS EVILS or PROTECTION

Whole People Robbed BY Tariff That
Rich Marufaetursr May Benefit.
Robert Kenneth MaeLsa. Consulting
Expert Of the Tariff Board, Shows
rhst the American People Are
Mulotsd Of ssa,ooocoo Year.
New York, Aug. did you ever
hear the story Of cottonf
II is as thrilling a. q narrative OF
adventure. Il is az Interesting as
notwithstanding particularly because
Il concerns the welfare Of millions Of
people who wear cotton goods II Is
interesting because Il is the dress Of
the poor. the universal substitute for
wool and silk. II n interesting. fur
thermore, because II ls true.
The story, Of cotton 10 the story Of a
protective tarlff for the benefit OF rich |
manufacturers at the expense OF the |
whole people who wear cotton goods.
II has been reasonably calculated
that because the cotton tariff 10 fixed
by the Payne. .Aldrioh law the Ameri.
cen people are paying tSs,ooo,o0o moro
every year than they should pay for
their cotton goods and that q saving
Of THE amount could bs accomplished
BY a reasonable reduction In the prss-
snt duties.
The story Of cotton Ia told BY an ex- /,
pert. Robert Kenneth MacLea, consult
ing expert of the tariff board. In q So
ries Of articles published In the New
York World. Mr.. MacLea's views are
the views OF lifelong Republican. q
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.. Mact.aa hna
brought a varied experience. covering
more than twenty years. In the man
ufacturs and marketing Of textiles.
! He frst distinguished himself as an
advocate Of honest tariff Legislation by
finding the "jokers'' Of the Payne-Al.
drich act. when the agents Of few
New England mills were permitted to
, write their own rates 10 suit them.
selves He was chairman Of the tar.
IN committee Of the New York Dry
Goods Merchants association and In
, that capacity conducted a campaign
which attracted the attention Of the
newly created tariff board. To accept
the position Of consulting expert to the
board be gave up the management OF
the domestic business Of the New York
firms Of R. q. MaeLea q Co. and Con-
verse q Co.
, The story Of cotton Is companion
piece to the story Of Schedule K-the
woolen scheduie-deciared by Presi.
} dent Taft to be infamous and indefsn-
, sible.
, The findings ofsthe tnriff board with
= regard to the wooiea schedule were an
{ aiyyed by Chairman Underwood Of the
ways and means committee and cou.
demned as inaccurate. Incomplete and
D worthless as an. aid to legislation
VI When the tariff boards findings on
the cotton schedule were made public
the World decided TO make its own
: investigation concerning II, ard Mr.
4 MacLea was selected for that purpose.
The World had the findings Of the
beard on manufacturers Of cotton dis
I sected from the practical point Of view
a Of business. analysed IN their relation
10 the interest Of the consumer and
the facts translated into the language
OF the everyday man and woman.
4 One hundred cloth samples purchased
! In representative domestic markets
4 were made the basis OF The tarif
d boards findings % the cost Of cotton
a cloth produced IN this country. hr
MacLea used the same cloth samples
I" g. concrete Illustrations Of the work
= inss Of the tariff and from these 81
= posed the very generally perpetratet
maud Of selling American made good
u ne Importer aud showed why tns
q excessive tariff permits and foster
this imposition.
Recognising that the tariff would b,
. . vital Issus Of the csmpilgn and tina
n controversy would center about Presi
~ dent Taft's -nonpartisan- taria boar
and IFS work. the World undertook In
% Investigation Of cotton and sought an
: swers to the following questions:
I. nss the ~srh q Ire tariH beard iss
. tiled ths DELAY In reducing shs ssrls
a snd giving relief frem Ne high ees
= sf iivinsf b,
I'll whst bsse ths psepls gained n n
y tirss yssrs. Under IRE Payne Aidriel
tarlM iN.NEruRN FOR MORE THAI
escoaeooooo TAXED OUT or THElI
10 POCKETS AND INTO The pock
20 ETe o. PRorEcTEo PRivtLEoE
y stes hsnsssiy, irspsrtIsIiy and thor
d ssshly did ths -ssapsrtisss= tari,
keard undertake Ne tsskf
Several months before the cotton n
g port was completed Mr.. MacIea d
n eiares that be discovered sinister b
n 6usnces In the tsrin boards workin
10 eilminats findings moef damaein