Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1890 — A Prosperous Industry. [ARTICLE]

A Prosperous Industry.

Our protectionist law-makers have the habit of laying on duties without the slightest regard for the needs of our industries. It is assumed that all industries are helpless without protection; hence, duties are dealt out right and

left, and even the most prosperous industries are given orotective duties for which there is no shadow of excuse. The latest number of Bradstreet’s, certainly one of the foremost authorities in this countty, has the following to say about our leather industry: “The cost of tanning hides is cheaper here than in any other country. This is due in large measure to the low cost of materials. We are therefore not only able to tan all our domestic hides but the major part of those produced in Central and South America. We supply European countries with about $900,000 worth of leather each month, and our exports have been increasing rapidly within the last few years, as may be seen from the following table: Pounds sole Pairs boots Exports. leather. and shoes. 1880.21,834,492 378 274 188128,690,648 300,968 1832.133,777,711 389,120 188328,593,894 442,687 1884 22.421,293 502,122 1845 27,313,766 492.9'96 188624,265,880 554,3 i 5 1887...30,530,488 623,714 1888 1889 35,558,945 518,750 Notwithstanding these growing exports, there is in the McKinley tariff law a duty ranging from 10 to 35 per cent, on leather and manufactures thereof. These duties are almost as absurd as the .McKinley duties on corn and wheat.