The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-08
ARGUING THE TARIFF
BEFORE SECRETARY OF TREASURY
la Regard to Its Bearing on Imported Steel BIOOnr
The iardshIps the Late Rullugs Of the DEPART
msRt WOFk-SpsAEOr KsIfsr'S Task Of
TOrulas COmnlttsSi-C Notes.
Special Dispatch to The Ia!el!Iseaees

Special Dispatch to the InellIgencer.
WASHINGTON, D. G., December 7.-Secre'
tary Folger granted a hearing to-day to
persons interested as to the amounto duty
properly chargcable on imported steel
blooms. The case was brought up on an
appeal OF II, Collins, Of Pittsburgh, from
the decision OF an appraiser at New York,
charging q cents per pound specific duty
on $500 steel blooms for rails imported for
Carnegie Bros, ithe Edgar Thomson Steel
Works at Pittsburgh, instead Of 45 per cent
nd valorem, which Mr., Collins claims
should have been charged under the ruling
Of the Department in September last, Both
the importersan manufacturers Of blooms
were represented Mt the hearing There is
a general desire on the part OF both classes
Of dealers that the Department shall take
some action which will be final and irrevo-
cable, thus removing the question OF tho
rate OF duty from the uncertainty which ut
present surrounds II,
INTERESTED PARTIES PRESENT.
There were present at the conference
with tho Secretary today, Assistant.secre-
tary French, II, 4. Collins, D, ], NTorrcll,
Of Johnslown, Mr.. Post, Of Clark, Post &
Martin, importers, New York, and their
attorney Mr.. Beaman, Of tho firm Of
Eyarts, Southmayd 4 Choate, and Mr..
Knock, Superintendent OF the Rome, N.
u, rail mills, representing the importers,
and James Park, Jr, andJ, d, Weeks, OF
Pittsburgh, on behalf Of the manufacturers.
Congressman Errett and Shalenberger at.
tended the meeting, Mr.. Collins stated
his case to the Secretary, lie had lost
$4,000 on tho importation cited above by
the ruling Of the appraiser. He claimed
TINT the precedent established by tho De.
partment had been departed from in
q cents specific duty instead OF
45 per cent nd valorcm.
THE sEcRETARY's OPINION.
Secretary Folger interrupted the pro-
ccedings by calling the attention OF the gen.
tlemen to n statute which prohibits the Sec
retary Of the Treasury from modifying the
decision OF his predecessor in Office in
manner adverse to the interests Of the
without the concurrence Of
the Attorney General and said that until
tho question OF what would be adverse to
the interests Of the Government had been
settled, 1t would be useless for the gentle.
men to continue their arguments. 1t was
always assumed that the higher rate Of
duty would increase the revenue, and
therefore, DO advantageous to the Govern
ment.
THE ARGUMENTS
It was decided finally to go on with the
hearing.
Mr., Morre!l stated the case Of Godfrey
4 Co., Of the Cambria Iron Works. They
had imported $40 blooms. lie claimed that
had, by mistake, assessed
rail blooms as steel-wire blooms, which arc
required to pay aspecihc duty
Mr.. Beaman made n long argument, 60
ing into the history Of iron and steel man.
ufactures in the United States md Europe.
He analysed the meaning Of the terms in.
gots, loops, blooms, &c. lie saidthOt prior
to the decision ot1S7O, fixing an nd valorem
duty on blooms, Mr. Ntorrell had done all
that he could to have tho rate changed to
a specific duty, but had now found il to be
to his interest that the rate should be ad
valorem. Under the September decision
Of the Department 1t wNs required that rail
blooms should weigh six hundred pounds
each, although blooms were required for
the construction Of rails weighing as low as
ninety pounds, and from that weight up to
eight hundred pounds. The difference In
duty was between Sl3 10 per ton ut the nd
valorcm rate, and $50 90 per ton at the spe.
ciflc rate.
BtYt, ,ta0,sEt,