The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-04-05
IMPORTERS PROFIT
THROUGH LOW DUTY

WASHINGTON, April Supports
of leather gloves into the United
States from July to December, 1921,
totaled 5O7 $50 dozen pairs, as ON
pared with 405 1877 dozen pairs dur
ing the period from January to June,
according to the department of coEn-
merce. This makes an importation
for the year of over 11,D00,O 900 pairs
OF gloves. During 1920 over TO-
oO0,D pairs were imported, while
for 1919 something cver 4,700,O00
pairs came in. It is apparent that
foreign glove manufactures are TAX
ing advantage Of the low duty on
g3oves carried in the Democratic tar
if law, which is still in operation.
AS illustrating the speed with
which Germany is returning to the
commercial fray, it may be stated
that OF the total imports of gloves
into the United States in 1921, 60.4
per cent were received from France,
and 25.E per cent from Germany.
while during January Of the current
fiscal year, 43.7 per cent of our
glove imports came from France and
40.3 from Germany. This situation
will also be found in other lines of
imported goods.
About SO per cent of the 1921 i'm
ports consisted Of women's gloves.
It is interesting to note that the av-
erage import price per dozen pairs of
the gloves imported from France was
SIT, while those rom Germany av.
eraged just half that, or $3.50. In
January the average price of the
French gloves was $16.25 per dozen
pairs, while the German gloves av-
eraged 1922. The French gloves are
of somewhat better quality. Around
the holidays these French gloves
were selling from $3.50 to $500 per
pair, or from $52 to $l05 per dozen,
The importers were reaping inordin-
ate profits, and the purchasers were
getting no benefit whatever from
the smaller prices paid by these i'm
porters for these foreign gloves.
This glove business is typical OF
the trade in many other commodities
Cutlery, for example, is being i'm.
ported from Germany at from IL t.
10 cents per piece, and it is sold tC
the ultimate consumer for from s.
to $3.50 per piece. The importers
are cleaning up" on import trade
without one thought for the pur
chasers. Small wonder that the i'm
porters are fighting the protective
tariff measure which is now beinf
considered in the committee on fin
ance of the Senate. But every doze,
) pairs of gloves, and every shipmen
81 cutlery imported into this coun
by dlsplaces just so much work 70,
american labor and American CAPT
tai.
Z The old Democratic argument tina
/ lower duties mean cheaper prices ha
5 been shot to smithereens. Lowe
duties near larger imports, but th.
{ importers simply add the cut in du
. ties to their already swollen profits
With protective rates the revenues O
the federal treasury would be en-
hanced. domestic producers would en-
Z Joy larger sales in the home marke'
and there would be more for amer
can labor to do. The day has gone b
d when Democratic argument for fire.
trade will be effective.
ri 1t may be well to remark in th3
connection that Republican tart
: makers sreq<sc snzistant. The & sam
: committee that recommends q or,
'ectiye tariff on gloves has also re,
n commended q duty on hides, which a,
the product Of the farmer and whic
must meet foreign competition.