Semi-weekly herald., 1913-11-06
TARIFF LAW AFFORDS SLIGHT
SAVING TO HOME BUILDER
(By Bond P. Geddes, staff corrss-
pondent of the United Prexs.

(By Bond P. Geddes, staff corrss-
pondent of the United Press.)
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. s.
The new Democratic tariff law will
afford some saving to the home build
er-but it will be slight. This pre-
diction is made after claims and coun-
ter claims Of Democrats and Repub-
licans have been stripped down ID
bare figures. A greater saving Il
appears, will be afforded ths mar
who will build house, bungalow on
cottage Of moderate size and little
pretentions.
In the aggregate, many dollars will
be saved in the duties taksn off lum1
ber, shingles, .athes and other build
ing material But concretely, tha
saving to the Individual home build
er will be small, but highly accept
able. In some sections Of the coun
try, retail prices may 20 down on
few articles such as planks and ahine
les. Large contractors may be abl
to save material costs on large guam
titles of steel and lumber. But ~
small home builder, who does til
buying himself, naturally will ksv
but little. Here's tho situation.
The new law places lumber. rouSl
and sawed, on the free list. The ID
indirect" tariff on imported lumha
was about seven per cent. UnIse
Candian and other foreign impofA
come in great quantities, IL n Nd
/ generally believed that " Z =
cent reduction will force down n
tail prices in this country. HhhGIe
Hnd lathes may be sofne chsapsr
the consumer in the northwest and o
the Pacific coast-the largest mann
featuring district---but freight rata
and middlemen's costs, It II conssu
vatively estimated will "sat up" mue
of the tariff tax removed.
Last year $4,000, 900 worth
sawed boards and planks were Ia
ported, their cost being increased b
duties of $l,17s,OO0. But our ow
lumber mills produced 1884, ,000, ,0O
worth and last year exported 96i
500, ,0O0-about three times II
amount imported. Imports Of bot
logs and finished lumber are sxpec1
ed to increase largely under the ~
tariff law, but hardly enough mats
tally to affect the final retail pric
to the consumer.
Canadian and other foreign laths
imported without duty, may forcs 4
tail prices down, however, q 81 ga
900 worth (646, ,706, ,00O) were impor
ed last year paying duty Of 70 esu
thousand. Lathe imports an a
pected greatly to incrsass 70 coz
pete with the American product, u
possibly to force q retail reduetif
Of as much as 10 cents . thousazs
But this means ut best only Il
dollars on the lathing of an ordinal
home.
The same situation obtains regar
ing shingles. Last year shingl
worth $1,194,000 were imported, pa,
ing duties Of 1854, 900 to compile
with home production of over t8(
100000 worth. Should imports n
Of duty greatly increase retail
ductions to the purchaser WIN
quite saving.
A duty of about three-fourths
one cent pound has been taken
wire nails, but the American nail
SO much superior and past impcs
so small, that the American produ<
practically dominates the mAra
This augurs against = retail price
duction.
Sand and stone are on the frsa
but foreign competition In ~
building materials has been Il
down by high freight charges.
duty Of 8 cents pound 10 also I'll
off cement in the new law. but
ports Of the commercial material 4
and probably will remain nsglisf
Duty on window glass has bsea
duced about 10 per cent. but Ar
can products also dominats ~ q
market, controlling retail priess
from foreign invasion, lime. ~
brick and paints are other asl1
upon which duties have hssa fso
but in which foreign eompetjltG
| ANAL Il 4. ~ i.4'