Show DUTY FOR WOODEN SHOES Nothing apparently is too small fur for formen furmen furmen men who desire to accumulate te money mo ey through the tire operation of a beneficent tariff to reach out after There is in Michigan a large colony of Hollanders These Dutch people excellent citizens were accustomed in their home land to wearing wooden shoes It is a custom from which they y have been loath to de depart depart depart part and they have been in the t e hab habit t of sending back to Holland at inter intervals intervals intervals vals for wooden shoes These shoes have up to the present time been ad admitted admitted admitted free tree of duty Now a firm in Grand Rapids the place where the furniture comes cornea from has recently engaged In the manufacture manufacture ture tur of wooden Clen shoes for the special He benefit of the The Theother Theother Theother other day the proprietors of this fac factory factory ac tory filed with the house committee on ways and means me ns a pe petition asking for fur forthe forthe the imposition of of pir p cent ad valorem on wooden shoes It J t is set st forth In the petition that the shoes are now being Imported at a t figure considerably below that for which they can be manufactured an in the United UnU d States The plea is made that here Is Isan Isan isan an infant industry deserving of en encouragement encouragement encouragement and that the only proper way to encourage it is to levy the tax t x proposed It is not contended that the duty would add a single dollar to the rev revenues re revenues of the country The sole pur purpose purpose purpose pose of the tariff would be be to mike m impossible the importation of wooden shoes from Holland and to compel c the purchase of the American Am product The figures are not obtainable hut but Ii t I is s svery svery very doubtful If it more than n a few fuw lW thousand dollars worth of wooden shoes are being imported now Conse Couse Consequently not many pairs could be sold under any circumstances The Amer Arner American ican lean public is not going to begin basin w jer jering r ing ng wooden shoes The only ler lt of the tariff would be to add to the tho bur tur burdens burdens dens of the little Holland colony olony The matter may seem laughable ton to toa toa a n great reat proportion of the public but it itis itis itis is not a trifling one to the Dutchmen They will see no humor in being com coin compelled compelled to pay more for their shoes just to fo males an American manufacturer of i wooden shoes a little UttIe richer Still it itis itis itis is difficult to see congress can get getaway getaway away from levying the tax It jt in involves involves involves a great Republican principle the principle of protection the build building building ing up of home industries So the Hol Hot Hollanders landers laners can go hang The wooden shoe factory must prosper |