Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-27
THE TARIFF COMMISSION.
Pertinent Testimony offered on the Sub
ject Of Chemicals, ETC.

LONG BRANCH, n. j., July 26.-Ia the
public session of the tariff commission to-day
statement was made by Alexander Jones
on behalf of the Manufacturing Chemists
association of the United States. He said the
association was composed of manufacturers of
chemicals in various parts OF the country,
Cinciu natl, Cleveland, Chicago and elsewhere.
AT the last meeting of the association tariff
committee had been appointed (of which he
was chairman) and had been Instructed to
confer with various manufacturers OF chemI-
calls so as to get their view as to the rate OF
duty that they would suggest. That COM
mittee was not ready to report, but would pre-
pare schedule to be submitted to the associ-
alton and afterwards to the commission. The
tariff committee was not entirely in accord as TO
the abstract question from trade and protec-
ton to home industry. They were, however,
unit on one point, namely: That manufactur-
ers OF chemicals were as much entitled to a fair
share OF the accepted policy of the govern
ment as any other manu- facturers, whether
| that policy be protection of home industry or
whether 1t be free trade. They were subject
to the same conditions as other manufacture
ers. All they used and wore and consumed
| were dutiable and therefore they took the
| ground most uureservedly that whatever the
| policy OF the government might be, that
1
| dustry, just as much as to iron or anything
| else
He made this remark because in the last
| two congresses chemicals had been made a
special object of hostile legislation by the
| committee OF ways and means. Chemical
manufacturers would not ask for excessive
| duties. III the policy was to be abolition of
all protective duties they would fall into line
and not complain, but If the policy of the
| government were to be the protection of
| home industry against unlimited foreign
competition then they wanted 10 receive
! fair share OF that protection. There were a
few chemicals made in Europe and not made
| here. Chloroide of lime, for instance
| (bleeching POWDER was not made in this
| country at all. 1t was on the free list. As
long as 1t remained on the free
list 1t never would be made here.
He did not know of any articles
on the dutiable list that could safely be put on
the free list.
Mcmahon inquired whether duties could be
simplified by bringing large number of
chemicals under one rate OF duty.
Jones replied In the negative, giving as his
reason the cheapness OF some drugs and the
expensiveness OF Others. They could not be
grouped under any percentage OF duties.
After concluding his statement the repre-
sentative OF the association of chemical manu-
facturers, Jones submitted an argument as
one OF the few manufacturers of quinine in
favor OF restoring the duty OF 20 per cent. .on
sulphate of quinine. That article. he said,
had been made in this country almost from
the time it was discovered until within few
years since. American manufacturers had
been supplying almost the entire home de-
mand for quinine and 1t was undoubtedly as
good as any qulnlne made in the world. In
order TO keep the quality good and insure a
full supply OF quinine it should continue to
be made here.
Kenner inquired as to whether quinine was
not very extensively used as a medicine for
chills and fever, and whether that was not a
reason for having the price as low as posi-
BILE.
Jones admitted that was the case but argued
whether the wholesale price OF qulnine was
81 an ounce without tax or 81. AZ with tax
the difference in price could not possibly enter
into the cost of the very small dose of quinine
taken by the sick. An ounce of quinIne con-
tanned 1914 grains and il was taken in pills
containing only few grains. 1t was the
apothecary and not the sick person who had
the profit.
Kenn hr inquired &c to the number of quinIne
manufacturers in this country. Jones gave
the number as five. There are, he said, very
few quinine manufacturers In the world.
There are only two in Great Britain, four or
five in Germany, perhaps as many in France,
one in Holland and one in Italy.