Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1907 — The Duty on Hides. [ARTICLE]

The Duty on Hides.

In reply ins to the assertion of the Waterville Sentinel that the tariff on hides adds 10 jh'j - cent to the price of every pair of shoes and costs the poopie of Maine $140,000 a year more than under the Wilson law, the Kennebec Journal makes the excellent'point that shoes are as cheap to-day as they were in the dismal period of 1803-1897. The Journal misiit have gone further and shown that the tariff affects only the heavier hides used in making sole leather, and that the duty of 15 per cent can not possibly increase the cost more than 2 cents pair. This cost comes out of the manufacturers profit and not out of the consumer's pocket. Yet a large number of shoe manufacturers have become enormously rich, and are getting richer very fast in spite of that 15 per cent duty on hides. Rightly the Journal contends that this duty should he retained because the farmers want it. Ahplltfh the duty on what the farmers have to sell and the farmers would very quickly demand the removal of duties on what they have to buy. ‘That would mean the end of all protective duties. Though they apparently have not sense enough to see It, those who urge the removal of Jhe duty on farm products practically advocate free trade. That Is the SIEC Of it.

Solicr Connldcratlon Needed. A whole lot of us have gone crazy over the tariff—following in the leadership of a few politicians who merely want to work themselves into some office sail who may know Ht nit about tariffs, nor about labor and wages. There is hardly a thing that our workmen are now doing for us at good wages tiiat the Jaidtoese enunot rto for us more cheaply, hut shall we shoot or starve our own workmen? As for ourselves, we are still in favor of looking uffer our own family, believing that the nation which will not look nfter Its own household first Is worse than a heathen, as the Scriptures hath It—C*dar Rapids Republican.