The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1917-01-25
Stretching Rubber For More Revenue.


ers OF crude rubber are somewhat ner
vous because OF Representative Kitch-
ms public statement that The Ways
and Means Committee would levy no
tax on tea, coffee, or other food
slufis" in the revenue measure which
is 10 be bludgeoned through the House
by January the 30th, The rubber
manufactures note that nothing is SAID
relative 10 ,evying the ten per cent lox
on importations Of crude rubber sug-
gested by the Treasury Department,
which is estimated to raise Sl5,O0O-
900 CT revenue annually, and which II
Imposed will be levied upon the users
Of rubber goods. This is based on i'm
potts Of crude and scrap rubber for the
calendar year 1916, which totaled ap'
prcxjmately $50, 100000.
In March, 1912 when the Ways and
Means Committee was considering the
proposal to levy a duty rate Of 5 cents
a pound on crude rubber, M. Fredic
c. Hood, President Of the Rubber Club
Of America presented a brief 10 the
committee which contained so potent
an argument against the levying Of a
duty on this noncompeting raw materl'
al that even the Democratic tariff
wreckers were scared out Of their de-
sign and rubber was permitted TO re-
main on the free list. They did how
ever reduce the duty on rubber manu-
iactures by 90 and 70 per cent, and on
vulcanized or hard rubber by 80 pei
cent, and during the first ten months
tiee operation Of the Wilson Under
wood law, from October 1918 TO July
1914 before the outbreak Of the Euro
pean war imports Of rubber manuiactul
es increased nearly As per cent.
Mr.. Hood called attention to the
TACT that at that time, oI all grades oI
crude rubber about Is per cent was
devoted 10 the manufacture oi mechan
ical goods, such as rubber hose pack
ing etc., 80 pei per cent for tires, 81
per cent for foot wear and clothing
and IS per cent ior druggists sundrie
surgical goods etc, There were thtl
275 factories in the country. He esti
mated that nearly 10000 people wert
employed in the industry and that ii
the neighborhood OF S62, 100000 va
paid out in salaries and wages.
Impose a tax on the raw mateTia
and you will impose an additional bur
den that no other line Of Manufactured
goods is bearing, so far as l know,
and bear in mind that in doing so it
for no protective purpose, since crud
rubber is not produced in this countr
Il is taken bodily cut Of the pockets c
manufactures who are already bearln
in their turn, must naturally shit thi
increased burden on the consumer.
Manufactures in every industry thrc
ughout the country have for the pas
two years beel discussing the buildin
policy Of the Democratic party to exac
duty on raw materials, deny industy
al America any sort Of protection 0
manufactured products and to depen
on INCREASING corp ITatlon taxes, take
on profits etc, to meet extravaganza
unparalleled in American history. Til
business men Of the United States al
alive as never before 10 he imponauC
Of speedily adopting a protective tar
which will Increase the revenues /
Sl00,000,000 annually and put in
state Of commercial preparedness
meet postwar competition; and The
see the sdvisiabiliiy oil Lowering the
emption on incomes in levYing au i
come tax, that larger proportion
our citizens may share in the cost
running the Government, and the 7
sponsibility itr stewardship Of the par
in control will hence be greater. II
Republican party should be prepar,
with a substitute tanfi Dill covert
these points. l! Can be mUdeItd
the iag ul 1909, with certain chang
In the chemical cotton wool ard fai
products schedules and it should
presented when the new Democra
makeshiil /, introduced.