The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-27

average annual revenue of s734,63S.
which is approximately so per cent
more h a the revenue as estimated in
the bill introduced in the last con-
gress-H. R. 1852. 1t is clear, there
lore, that the present duties are not
IN n sense prohibitive, but on the
contrary are competitive and revenue
producing.
1T may be admitted, however, that
there is a disparity between the duty
on lead in ore and the duty on lead in
pigs, bars and bullion, M that he
latter might be reduced to the same
basis as the lead ore without any seri-
GUS detriment to the lead producers.
But the protection afforded by the
duty on lead ore is absolutely ~ssentia
to maintenance of the lead industry
of this country. In fact, even with
the present duty of one and one-half
cents per pound on lead ore the mar.
gin between cost and selling price of
less than one-half cen per pound.
leaves no room for argument as to its
necessity. Under the rate of duty pro-
posed, last years revenue would be de-
creased If the quantities imported re-
NAMED h same, or in order to pro-
duce the same revenue as at present
the imports would be increased 80 per
cent. Such an increased importation
could only be absorbed in our markets
by displacing the equivalent quantity
of domestic lead. In such a case the
government would be no better off in
the matter of revenue thanlit is now,
but a part of our own lead industry
would ha ont off on1 fho ~oor,p +L,t
should go to the development of our
own would go to develop
those of Spain and Mexico, our chief
competitors in the production of lead.
THE mining communities of the
mountain states afford the principal
market for much of the agricultural
product Of the west. Anything that
destroys or curtails mining must re-
act to the injury of the farmers. The
developments and growth of the west
ern states have been coincident with
the development of mining. Whatever
retards the latter must inevitably
check the development of all other in
dustries in the mining states.
For the foregoing reasons the lead
producers of the Rocky mountain
states through their representatives in
conference at Salt Lake City do re-
specially request that nc change be
made in the duty on lead in ores and
that it be allowed to remain as at
present, a specific duty of one AND
one-half cents pc rpound on the lead
contained and hat the duty on lead
pigs, bars and bullion be reduced from
the present rate of two and one-eight
cents per pound to n inc one-half
cents per pound, placing it On the same
basis as lead in ores. We believe that
SO far as lead is concerned this would
be a substantial compliance with the
promises of the democratic party to
revise the tariff downward. 1t would
be a reduction of 29.4 per cent in
the duty on lead in pigs, bars and bull
lion, the form in which most of our
imports are made, while leaving to
the domestic producers on the raw lead
ores the present measure of protection
which they need to insure the continue
ance of their industry. 1t is respect
fully urged also that the form Of the
duty be not changed from specific to
ad valorem. An ad valorem duty af-
fords the least protection at the time
it is most need, and in this case it
would be exceedingly difficult to de-
termine the proper amount of duty
and certain grades of ore could be
imported and escape the payment of
duty for the reason that the lead in
such ores would have no value at the
of entry"