The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-24
REMOVAL OF TARIFF
LOWERED LIVING COST
Declared Secretary Redfield in Defense
of Wilson Administration at Wheel
ing, w. Va, Last Night.

3
trial and commercial regions Of tn,
country has come, reviving courage ant
destroying alarm; removal of tariff du
ties has resulted in tendency elearl,
and openly in the direction OF redue
ton in the cost OF food and clothing
Eand climatic conditions, not business de
preston, are responsible for the mum
Der OF unemployed in New York City
and other large industrial centers.
This was the message deliSered 70 TIL,
nation last night by William c. Red
field, the administration spokesman OF
commercial and industrial problems, be
fore the Wheeling board of trade. AFery
statement the speaker made was forti
lied by official statistics and reports.
Mr. Redtield defended the tariff act
lauded the currency law and, with de.
cided emphasis, assured his audience
that the government intends to help and
not hinder legitimate business.
1T was not strange that the serious
depression all over Europe as we'll as in
South America should have been slight
ly reflected upon us n the latter part OF
last year he said. 1T is not surpris-
ing that careful men moved cautiously
in business matters pending the neces
sary establishments from the new tariff
or that they should have hesitated until
the final form OF the currency bill was
known. 1t is not strange either that
men should want to know the attitude
Of the government toward legitimate
| business.
| But there Is no ground here now for
worry The surplus OF freight cars has
ceased TO grow. Ii commenced about
the middle OF January to decline and
has decreased by about five thousand
cars. II would be easy to add from
numerous sources to those favorable
| statements ! have found in the last
| fortnight the reports OF improving bus
has been impossible for ME to consider
them all
"The tendency is clearly and openly
in the direction OF reduction in the
cost Of food and clothing through the re-
moyal Of the tariff tax. Ii may be Wen
| to point out, however, that the costly
processes OF distribution lay tremen-
dous taxup orr consumers. and that
in my judgment the single and little
discussed factor of carriage alone lays a
heavier burden upon our people than the
total amount paid for railway freights
"The new tariff has not thus far re-
suited in any material increase OF inn
portations OF manufactured articles to
compete with the products OF our own
factories. but rather its important eff
feet has been to add to our food supply.
The Unemployed
1T remains To discuss briefly two other
elements OF tito existing situation. the
prices OF commodities and the matter OF
unemployment During the winter
months thousands of laborers are thrown
out OF work Tor climatic reasons in all
our northern states and it is normal
that they should concentrate as for
years past they have done in our large
cities and industrial centers. Statements
have been made and denied to the effect
that there are more unemployed in New
York this year than usual This may
be true without meaning that there is
any abnormal excess OF unemployed in
the whole country. New York City is
known to be IN the act OF spending sew
cral hundred millions upon subway con
struction
Furthermore, il is well known that
New York provides literally for the UNI
employed through its vast private and
public charities, and this is an attractive
factor TO come out OF work. All these
factors would naturally draw the un.
employed to that city in numbers even
IN excess OF possible employment. The
fact that they have so gathered there or
in other cities IN large numbers this
year may or may not have direct bear
ing upon the prosperity OF industry. A
large part of the unemployed are prob
ably not those who work in factories but
rather those who follow the kinds of
labor which the inelemency of the sea
son forbids continuing and which are
always suspended at this time Of the
year.
''The reopening of idle mills through
out the central west has improved con-
ditions. II is certainly true that many
who were out of work when the year
opened are now busy again, and the
tendency is TO employ more. With the
opening OF the spring many avenues to
work that the season now closes will
reopen. Thus, the normal passage of
time acts to solve the problem.
snow it is the fact that in recent
years the tariff tax has so operated on
food as to make it yisibly more costly.
There was time recently when pota
toes were imported when our supply was
scant, and when the tariff tax on pota
toes was equal to about fifty per cent.
on their price and necessarily increased
their cost. On the other hand. il il the
fact now that Argentine beef is being
shipped to New York free of the tariff
tag, and this has resulted in decline
in the wholesale New York market for
beef of about four cents a pound This !
reduction when transmitted to the local |
New York retailer has resulted in |
reduction OF the price Of beef locally in
that city OF about two cents pound. As I
beef has gone outside of that city into /
the country at large the reduction in
price has been absorbed by the dealers /
and has been little felt as vet
at is the fact too that butter has |
been reduced in price by the large re-
,ent importations of that food, and / |
have known that preserved milk has
been offered in this country at lower
prices than those which have hitherto
lore prevailed Furthermore the i'm
Dortation OF Argentine corn has during
The recent winter operated at least to
prevent rise in the price OF corn in
1ur Atlantic coast cities if it has not