Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1882 — THE KNIT-GOODS BILL. [ARTICLE]

THE KNIT-GOODS BILL.

Portet Oft. Vidette:—The Delphi Times, A Violent free-trade dera--ocratic Mieet, in commenting on Mr. DeiAotte’a vote on the Kniglgoods bill, quotes the Chicago Tribune, another free-trade ns to the effect of the passage /of the bill. The foundation for the argument of the Tribune is in its own words: “The present tax on men’s or women’s woolen or worsted , underclothing, including women’s and children’s stockings, is 35 cents on each dollar’s worth, but these 130 representatives voted to increase the tax to 85 cents on the dollar.” The Tribune is in ermr and the Times adopts the error to serve its purpose in‘ attacking Mr. Demotte, The various laws affixing a duty on knit goods were enacted in 1861, 1863, and 1867. For 15 years the importer of knit goods has paid a duty of 20,30,40, or 50 cents per pound, vaying with the value of the goods, and an ad valorem duty of 35 per cent. In 1873 a revision of the tariff laws was made by a commission having no authority to change a word in the law. Thirtyfive per cent ad valorem was levied on all goods “except wool, silk and linen.” The revisor made a mistake in copying the section, writing it ‘ ‘except silk and linen The copyist said it was a mistake, the secretaries of the treasury said it was a mistake, and if any knit goods were imported the pound and the ad valorem duty were collected. In May Inst a suit commenced by ft free trader who belives m paying the foreign laborer for work that our home laborers now do, was de* termined by the supreme court of the United States. It held that the miscopied section, not with standing the mistake, wus the law. The knit-goods bill for which Mr. Demotte .voted, corrected this error, nothing mote. It left the law just as.it has been enforced without interruption sot fifteen years, and under which knit goods of the various kinds have been cheapened to the people of the United States from 10 to 100 per cent. It did not add or take from the price of knit goods le. The merit of this bill was so apparent what but 49 members out of 293 could be found willing to record their votes against it. Less Than Half Fare.—The managers of the L. N.A. &'C. are bound to make this the most popular road in the state. People who wish to take in the great fair, anrfHhe Exposition at Chicago, can if they go on the special excursion train, Saturday Sept, 16th, get tickets for the round trip from Rensselaer for 1.80, Tickets good to return on any regular jxissenger train until Sept. 21st. Fare from Monon, Marlborough and The Ridge 2.00; from Surrey $1.75: Pembroke, Rose Lawn, and Thayer $1.60. Train passes Rensselaer at 8.20 A. m. First class coaches, all of them.