New-York tribune., 1884-02-22
IN SUPPORT OF FREE TRADE.
MORRISON HEARS WHAT HE LIKES.
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF FREE RAW MATERIALS
AND FREE TRADE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.]

AND FREE TRADE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.J
WASHINGTON. Feb. 21.-Chairman Morrison and
his free trade colleagues Of the Ways and Means
Committee seemed more cheerful to-day than Az
any time since the 20 per cent bill has been under
consideration. 1t was free trade day." and two
lawyers and four manufacturers. who want nee
materials did their best to enligbten the CON-
mittee
Messrs Marshall and Whitlock, who manufacture
eordage and baggng for cotton, want Manila hemp,
Sisal fibre jute and ue butts placedon the free list,
but at the time they desire duty of 4 cents
per pound on the articles they manufacture, IN
order to protect them from injurious foreign compe-
tition 6nder searching questions of Dir. Hiscoek,
Mr. Marshall did not waver in his declaration that
he thinks manufactured articles should
nav q duty, while no duty ought to be
imposed on raw materials imported
although they came INTO competition with raw
| materials OF domestic production. lie docs nov
| believe that labor needs protection or that the
question of wages is an important one lie deciared
without reservation that he can sell coIuase
cheaper in China than he can in Louisville ana yee
| he demands free raw materials and protection OK
| 10 per cent ad valorem.
A. A. Heaey. of New York, sole leather manu-
facturer desires the largest possible reduction
| of the tariff lie said that the SOLO
| leather business has been in bad
way since the Shaw failure, and therefore he wants
free iron ore and pg-ron, in order that tools ana
machinery may be had more cheaply. lie a>o de-
sres commercial treaty with France, IN order 70
open the market to American sole leather lie also
thinks that if the duty on shoe hastings, limngs,
patent leather uppers, etc, was removed, American
manufacturers of boots and shoes would soon gain
| and maintain control of the South America mar
! ket.
Jacob Schoenof a member Of the New-YOFk FREQ
| Trade Club and manufactures oil shlfts ahd oai-
morals and wOmen's clothing, demanded iree IA"
materials and deplorcd the blind obstiEacy OF the
| American people in adherng to prote cton. ie
read uortions of an elaborate argument, plcnftuiy
sprinkled with statistics compiled fron various OI-
fetal and unofficial sources.
ALAwYERs ECONOMIC ASSERTIONS.
Z. Ellery Anderson a lawyer representing
the New-Yorl Free Trade Club, made visor-
ous speech He did not profess to speak from
practical standpoint, but thought the com
mittee would never be able to reach such
an intelligent or satisfactory conclusion rom
the "pIecemeal" statements AMI microscope
views submitted by interested persons whose tesu-
mOny was not entitled to much weight Nobody
could complain that Mr.Anderson's statements Nero
moi broad and sweeping lie said his opinionsIars
not based on accurate information a. TO deta'A
The truth of this observation was evident sgt
tatlon must continue until plague spot is wiped
Anderson. Among the free trade agitatorS he mem
toned Henry Ward Beecher, Carl schurz, B. h.
Rrstow. The Nec- York Times, and several other
individuals and newspapers.
Among the propositions of Mr. Anderson were
the following:
Free raw materials benefit consumers and mannraotnI
ers and lnre nobody The displacement OF persons en-
gagged in the production Of raw uatellas !, Ioy "
little consequenee as they VII soon @ S not Tedce Wages
nor destroy any industry IL IA desirable 10 fen
G rates @ nd GO moi nfS does not advance or diminish wage.
Therein The idea OF proposition Of sentimental waSe
d PeTea IS acd5 I'd % Sn the se list by the Committee
be received with much gratitude Dy tue a. ~.
Slaves. Sunshine is a material and is free Wool
iron ores etc, raw matt rials ana shOud DC rec
VIEWS OF THOMAS q. sHEARMAN.
Thomas 6. Sheaman, Of the American Free Irade
League and Brooklyn Reform Club, is "a buyer OF
glass" having recently purchased windows for
tour new hases. lie also 1000 sheep
and wants free wool. He knows an
Ohio man. understood 70 be j. W. Book
walter who owns $1,000 sheep, and who'
ike Mr.. Shearnan, wants free wool MT
Shearman had not proceeded far before lie oeeauio
involved in brisk discussion with Mr. Hewltt ~
10 the proportion of labor in manufactures OF gasa
and ;ron Mr. Shearman depends on the census re-
tnrns for his declaration that ouly Is per cent or
iron and steel is labor, while hr. Hewitt as tho
result of twenty years OF experience as as an at Ot
of tbe iron and steel product represents labor he
thinks iron and steel can made much more cheaplY
in lawyers Office than In the furnace ana iorge'
MR. sHEARMAN's FALLACY.
The fallacy of Mr. Sheamans statements and
conclusions was fully exposed, not only by Mr.
Hewitt. but by Mr.. Hiscock and other members OF
the committee. The tables upon which he depends
: are worthless. For example, they state that the
percentage of labor in iron and steel IL lo.' per
cent and they give the percentage OF labor IN IRON
, wire-an advanced form of iron manufacturers
1873 per cent Dressed fax is placed at 2o0per cent
l,Ia l;no roods ara mt down at only 206por cent:
linen thread at 217 per cent. and wooiIen Eood' & as
Ii IIO per cent. Cutlery and edgetool+, wnicn aig
among the most advanced forms of IRON ana steer
manufacturers are set down at only 3o.l per cent,
while cotton compressng is marked up 10 10 per
| cent Spectacles aud Eyeglasses are placed ~
~ per cent while plain glass Is put AT 40 Z-lE
per cent. Mr. Shearman did not conclude Els speeon
, and will be given another hour 10 horio"'
MR. HEWITT AND ODONNELL.