New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-21
SILK DUTIES.
TEr DIPrf ssIoN N sILK--A CARD FROM THE SEC
EFTARY OF THE sIL6 ASSOCIATION.

THE DEPRESSION N sILK--A CARD FROM The SEC
EFTARY OF THE sIL6 ASSOCIATION.
Sir. There are serious errors in this morn
fngs TRIBUNE in the article entitled THE Democratic
Plan You say that under tho new t<lh the rates OF
duty on silks have been retained This Is not at ali true
Under the urw tariff the rates silk goods are largely
rduood On general manufactures of silks (at least four
frhs NJ the whole import the duty wa> 60 per cent and
j. now so; on hatters plush go. now 25i on sewing
silks 40 pow 80; other threads and yarns -,
now 30 The reduction OF rates on mixed
fabric containing silk is quite as great, 9Ht
ned ,1t Trouble you with details. The mistake as
10 the main TACT probably led % me IuIIhe erlTL IA VIZ
by cnequlrter the reduction Toniu oI%S inats
urors have not made 80 much tusS ov Vt, u ad
hardship their friends IN ne iron IA a3a q
lowcrifg OF the dutes sik goods would DC grave
calamity. Yours reI d e', - y-'vc,.orr
Secretary SILK Association Of America.
Fel,- To5l. Jan. l. lsS4
tOur correspondent complains because TIE TEIB-
IN. I'm contrasting the reduction Of duties on
different articles under the new tariff spoke OF the
leh duties IN tobacco spritS and silks as havlngb
RETAINED" Ii was not intended to imply that
there had been absolutely reduction or change.
bpt onlg that there was no such important change
m rscct 10 the classes named as was made ID the
Duties on some other products Bat the correspon-
seni further says: Our silk manufacturers have
not made So much fuss over their hardshps as their
friend, I'm the iron and wool industries but their
busye., has suffered greatly since the new tariff
vent INTO operation" This remark causes some
sunrise. On the 18th of October, 1852, the presi-
dent OF the SIX Association of America. MI Frank
h. Cheney on behalf of that association. formally
recommended 10 the Tariff Commission ascale OF
Suites on silks which Congress adopted almost to
ibe letter. excepting that Gd rdtore@ instead OF
sDe.ifc duties were chosen. Mr.. Cheney closed his
formal recommendation with these words The
tenor Of nat We ask for is that shall be given
protection Of 30 per cent III lieu OF GO per cent"
Among the names signed to this recommendation
WAS that Of William G. Wyckof secretary of the
association. Congress did give this manufacture
substantially what it asked d" a protection Of 30
Der cent i'm lieu OF 90 pcr cent" and now MIR.
William C. Wyckofi complains that the bus-
ness has, suffered greatly since the new tariff
went INTO operation The same letter objects
to the remark OF THE TRIBUNE that reduction
of one quarter Of the duty on silks would perhaps
have been harmless" Nj. Cheney. Mr.. Wyckoif,
aud the entire association formally requested a
reduction from GO to 30 per cent but reduction 70
a. per cent, II Is implied. would have been
dreadful We cannot the absurdlty Of
saying that 10 per cent might possibly have
been harmless when a reduction 10 90 per cent
MAS asked The value Of all silk goods imported
durpc four months after the tariff went into
operation was $40, J0l sos, against $l6,35a,144
durine the same months of the previous year
Certainly tho business cannot have "suiiered
greatly from the fact that foreign Importation'
were reduced We infer that the depression III that
erea, industry has not been duc wholly OF
mainly 10 q change of tarih.-Ed.l