OCR Text |
Show Free Trade in Sewing Machines Tho effect of free trade In sewing machines, as provided for in the Underwood Un-derwood tariff law, Is a subject of Interest. It will be remembered that much ado has been made of the sale abroad of American sewing machines at a Jower Price than thht which was charged In this country. Apparently the period of export discounts on American sewing machines has passed. pass-ed. Conditions havo been reversed. Foreign mado machines aro now coming com-ing Into this country free of duty hnd taking the place of machines mnde by American labor and Industry. In tho first four months of 1914, under free trade, thero has been n big Increase In-crease In tho importations at New Yorkas shown by tho following custom cus-tom house sttitlstlcs which give the relative values In the four months periods of 1913, under n protective tariff, and 1914, under free trado: Sowing machines Imported from Scotland , Germany Jan .. 3091 2,45G I4,S84 $7,388 Feb .. 1,281 104,328 3,G93 5,903 March 590 75,CG2 2,781 1 7,097 Apr .. 415 90,C74 3,S41 7,892 Total $2,&95$273,120$15,099$2S,340 In entered valuo of machines Imported Impor-ted from Scotland, where the S.'nger Sewing Machine Company operates a factory with soveral thousand employes, em-ployes, the increase amounts to $270,-520 $270,-520 In four months, while from Ger many, for tho same period, tho Increase In-crease la 113,211, tho total Increase being $2S3,7fll. These, however, arc foreign vn'ues what It cost to produce pro-duce the machines In Scotland arid Germany, whero wages aro one-half to one-third tho wages paid In American Amer-ican factories. These values, moreover more-over represent only what aro known as "heads;" that Is, tho operating parts of tho machines, tho parts which involve tho highest percentage of labor la-bor cost. Tho entered valuo of the "heads" represents a total of about 28,000. Tho cheaper parts, requIrlnR less labor, such as tho Iron frames and the wooden tables and drawers, nro mado In this country. Tho question Is, do American consumers con-sumers get tho benefit of theso Increased In-creased imports of cheaper machines mnde In Scotland and Germany? We should be glad to bo able to answe; this question; also tho question as to what number of American wage earners havo lost their Jobs through freo trade In sewing machines. Free trade In sewing machines Is hurting American labor without hurting hurt-ing tho big concerns which manufacture manufac-ture Bewlng machines. |