The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-18
oxALIc AciD-"MADE IN AMER

OxaIic acid is used in tanning, calico
printing, wooden and silk dyeing. ana
in various bleaching processes, es-
pecially the bleaching of straw LOT
/. hats and bonnets. The laundries also
use rearly 8, O00. 900 pounds a year IN
whitening shirts and collars. From
eight to ten million pounds are an
nually consumed in this country, and
prior to 1908 il all came from Ger
many. England. Norway. Belgium ana
Austria, which countries had com
bined to form a syndicate to control
the price all over. the world. Prices
TO THE United States at that time
ranged from to II cents a pound
The syndicate was controlled by Ger
many. from which came three-fourths
OF the acid
In 1868 the manufacture Of oxaiic
acid was undertaken on small
scale. experimeatally, in this country,
the plant being located in Pennsyi-
vania. No sooner did the construc-
ton of this plant come 70 the atten-
ton OF the syndicate than prices
dropped. in 1908 10 II cents: 1904.
As cents. 1905, Al cents 1905. %
cents. This sort of price-cutting
Knocked the American company out
OF the ring. and Immediately the oSa-
lie syndicate raised the price TO Il
cents, and IN 1907 to 2 cents. In 1908
the American company made another
start ard the syndicate dropped the
price 10 sis cents.
THE republican revision OF the tar
IL vas M about that time. and the
American company presented figures
which induced congress TO giTe a pro-
tsctire duty OF . cents a pound On
oxaIfe scid. This dirty was based
SOLELY on the difference IN cost OF
common Iober at home and abroad
per pound o. product, and did not
take into account the overhead
charges and selling costs When this
duty went into effect the foreign price
went 10 III cents. where il renamed
shrou-r 1910. 1911 AMI 1912. By some
n-st1y close figuring the American
ccuapny was able to operate at
profit. and II acted as check on the
foreign syndicate methods of price
controlling. A large share OF the an
nual consumption was being manufac-
fu-ed in the United States the only
money going abroad was for the pur-
chase OF potash. the raw material:
American labor was being employed
ST wages which enabled the men TO
ne good customers OF the ciothier and
the food producer, and the country
was the possessor OF q new industry.
which woel,d. If properly fostered. rem
dered MS wholly independent OF Ger
many.
Then came the destructive tarin
which sneaked into the
capitol through crack in the protec-
tive party wall. The duty on oxalic
acid was cut % percent This was
too low for protection, but it gave the
foreign syndicate the opportunity It
sought to dump oxaiic acid on this
market. and they lost no time in TAX
ing advantage OF it. The first quar-
ter OF the fiscal year 1914, under re-
publican law. 100000 pounds were
imported: the second quarter. when
the Underwood law took effect. 1.a20.-
go pounds came in; the third quar-
ter. $500, 900 pounds; the fourth snar-
ter. $3.50, GOO pounds Then came the
war. acting as high tariff and the
American company is now recovering
from the shock Even yet, however.
the importations for the ten months
ending April. 1915. amounted to A.
3oo.e eo pounds If that cent and q
half duty remains in the law wehn
the war has ended Germany viii
hand the American company a side
winder from which 1t will never re-
cover. and another skeleton win be
found lying alongside the Underwood
tariff trail