The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-17
CoNNEOITCUT AND THE TARIFF
waterbury Republican,

Connecticut manufacturers are nee
essarily busy watching the proceedings
of the ways and means committee of
the democratic house of representa-
ttves, for they have much cause for
fear, they believe, If the tariff sched-
u1es under which their Industries have
been so long protected are to be ruth
lessly cut To prevent any such cut
ting some of the most prominent of
them have fastened to give the mem
bers of Congressman UnderwOod's
committee all the information they
could about the possible effects and a
great array of comparisons between
wages paid in the United States and
wages paid in foreign countries where
competitive Industries exist are being
published. Wages must go down here
if they are to meet competition from
abroad, they say, and yet they have
been able, in many instances. to sell
abroad, and gain ground in COMPETE
ton with the foreign producers, with
wages higher here than there. APP
parentIy wages only are protected by
the tariff, in the last analysis. They
must realize that the reason alone
cannot convince the members of con-
gress pledged to tariff reduction.
The New Britain Record says:
If MI. Underwood now goes ahead
and injuries any industry he will do
it with his eyes wide open. He has
been told the truth about manutac-
turing conditions and he is not going
it blindly. Col. Jarvis and Isaac D.
Russell gave him facts about the Am
erican Hardware Corporation which
should deter him from making the
schedule cuts he had in his previous
bill His reduction in the bill which
President Taft vetoed were POSITIVELY
ruiniouS on some products Landers'
Frary and Clark's position was explain
ed by Vice-President A G. k1mbaI
The former Underwood bill hit cutlery
hard and had it become a law would
have severely hurt a local industry.
These reasons for maintaining the
tariff, protecting these industries, are
good enough here in Connecticut, but
that's about the best to be said for
them. If New England manufacture
ers want to convince the congressman
from the west and the south they
must produce arguments to show
them that their states prosperity as
well an New England's will be injur-
ed Congressman Underwood's state
does not expect him to cut the tariff
SO as to cripple the great young in
dustries of Birmingham and its sub
urbs, but at least enough to give them
q chance to compete with more
chance of success, in the domestic
market with New England industries.
They must also produce arguments
to meet the questions likely to be rails
ed as to large dividends, their ab1l1ty
20 erect large plants and add to them
rapidly, their ability to buy up stock
enough of competing companies to get
control of them with subsequent re-
auctions in payrolls and total number
of employees and similar operations
generally believed to be impossible
without large profits or large enough
than their competitors can command.
Congress is bound to get answers to
these questions and if the manufa c.
Lurers protesting against possible re-
auctions do not present arguments to
answer them they may see reductions
made on that account. Labor is get
ting high priced all over the country
and skilled labor is attracted away
from New England to other parts of
the nation on that account for the
newer concerns offer more. That's
Why the claim that labor only is pro-
.ected by it will not save the tariff