New-York tribune., 1882-08-15
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
THE TARIFF COMAISSION.

AMERICAN CULLEN manu- ANi C''i'i'''
THEIR INTERESTS EXPLAINED BY W. r. ROCKWELL
OF MERiDEN, CONN, THOMAS W. BRADLEY AND
r. II. CArLIN-A SCIENTIFIC VIEW OF The
TARIFF.
LONG BRANCH, n. j., Aug. 14.-1he TarliL
Commission gave a hearing this morning TO W. +. Rock
we'll OF Mefden Conn., a representative OF the man
ufacturers OF pocket cutlery He urged the Commission
to recommend specific duty Of 90 cents per dozen on
blades Instruments and an nd yalorem duty OF
80 per cent stated the average wages paid In the
trade here to be So day. while the average wages paid
in England less than half that eand the average
cost of material was 20 per cent OF the production and
that OF labor 80 per Foreign competition came from
England and Germany, where work was done largely on
the family plan. The importation for last year was
about 81 OOO being increase OF 30 per cent In the
last three years, while the manufacture mere was
only 81 100000, an increase OF not over 20 per
cent He stated that the quality OF genuine
American pocket cutlery is almost universally conceded
TO be far superior TO the average German and TO
the lower grades OF English wares; but that
its good name has been greatly compromised by foreign
manufacturers OF Owgrade cutlery adopting American
patterns and American names The average price OF
pocket cutlery was onetbrd less than II was ten
years ago
Mr. McMahon-u you were protected against under.
valuation and against introduction or foreign goods
under American trademarks would that be sufficient
protection
Mr. ROckweu-Yes; but we think that SPECIFIC duty
would be better protection than ad valorem duty
The relative cost price OF American, English and Ger
man cutlery with proposed specific and ad vaorem
outIes added to the foreign goods given follows
On oaud-s-han inch penknife, two blades. brass
lined with ivory etaghOrn covering, per dazen: Ger
man-Cos Of material 3s cents cost Of labor So cents
duty Specific and ad valOrem), 81 y; total. So H.
English Of material 3S cents cost OF labor 81 04;
duly 81 AZ; total. 50 "a Amercsn-Cost Of material,
cents cost OF labor 81 OF; incidental expenses %
cents total. SO "a
statement in the same interest made by Thomas
W Bradley, OF Walden. y Y lie SAID that the Ameri-
can cutlery manufacturers sufficiently protected by
the existing tariff against the better class Of English
goods bnt not against the cheap German goods He had
never heard of American manufacturers stamping their
goods with OF Rogers Wostenholm. although
ne knew that some years ago Mr.. Wosenholm visited
this country for the purpOse OF prosecuting some per
sons who using bis name on American cutlery
F. H. Catlin. of Norihheld. Conn, spoke in the same
interest aud that there al least twenty-five
firms engaged the mtnufacture Of pocket cntiery in
country that there were about $l6O00OO invested
in plant that amount of goods produced last year
was 81 $50 900 and that the number Of persons en-
ployed was abOnt lSOn
Frederick H. HawIey. OF New York. who described him
self A. strden Mt of economies aud author Of "a recent
book ia re ailon 10 capital population, read paper
10 tho Commission IN the interest he said OF the comm
pi;y He claimed Co nave scovered a fOrmula which
would enable the COmmissiOn at precise con
cnsons on the tariff to be recommended TO Congress
That formula There Is persistent ten dency for
capital press upon It's limits swhch are population and
the state uf the community cannot continue ITS
accumulation of capital beyond the amoGnt that can he
profit. bly, utilized in the employment OF lis labor TO
allow of any permanent addition 10 this amount there
be increase III he number OF laborers or there
must diversion OF It's Labor from industries using
little to those able to utilize greater amount o capital
in proportion to the labor employed.
In order to determine the loss gain due TO the pro
"a frdtt
TO compare the imported cost Of the commodity pro
duced with the money valne of The agricultural products
which tne diverted labor might nave Produced The re-
suit would be accurate determination Of the gain
los. OF protcc ing such industry THIS result followed
lion Of international demand" He applied this principe
to the industry and deduced from It that in inc
seven OF Boston Cncnna Newark, Philadelphia.
Providece ST. Louis and New Ork, where there
50 1877 900 and producing $50 100000 worth Of cotton
goods (of which the raw eral was worth 2OOO0OO,
nave produced ouy unaking the same deduction for
matcraD l500O000 worth He calculated from series
of data that the protection OF the cotton industry yielded
in 1880 profit Of 20 per cent TO the whole community
the cotton fabrics consumed The Com,
mission, be said. should ascertain certain general
aud special facts, such the money value OF the pro
duct Of the yearly aDor of common agricultural la
bsrer the percentage OF Its reduction if factory hands
became agricu laboTers the percentage OF reduc
ton the price OF exported agricultural products. etc
report from the Commission founded upon lhe asser
ton that protected indusr cs allowed Of greater
uatiOn Of capitalized wealth than the industries in which
the people would be engaged under reetTade regime.
and upon a comparison of what the nation produced
aud what it would produce If It's projected artisan
labor employed in agriculture, would commend
itself to the common sense OF tue people.
A communication was read from the Ashland Emery
Company OF PERTH Amboy, ~ j., asking for the repeal
of the duty crude and the collection Of
dnty acturcd emery, as originally intended in
the tariff schedules. communication read from
o. b. Dxweil. OF Boston, the prOiDOsed change from
foreign to home valuation and also one from Dr. jeff
riea OF Boston, expert color blindness complain
ing OF the fact that while he could send his treatises
scirntinc abroad without cost, he had 10 obtain
from the Custom House and pay duties upon like
tises sent by them TO him He characterized this q
natural mortifcatOn, and suggested tna presentation
copies OF foreign books be placeu On the free list.
Edward :. Motifs of Philadelphia, resident Libcrian
Consul. made statement his being compelled, I'm
porting oil from his works In Liberia
duty OF 30 per cent on tn American made bottles
WHEN he had sent there II tins law continued
he would Buy his bottles IN England, where lie
could get them 80 per less could in the
United states and the United States Government woui
receive thanks Of Oottc-nakers Ill all foreign