Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-21
FIXING tine TARIFF.
Specific Duties Suggested az a
Remedy for
EVASION BY UNDERvALUATIoN
The War Department Gives General Sheri-
dan Definite Orders as to the
Cattle Trails.
WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

WASHINGTON, July 20.--Ths following
circular letter has been prepared at the
Treasury Department, and is being sent out
to manufacturers and others interested in
industrial art:
Investigations of the methods of entry
and appraisemsnt of imported merchandise
have shown that the tariff laws are largely
syaded by undervsluation wherever the
duties are levied ad valorem. A remedy
suggested for this evil is the adoption of
specific duties. With view of obtaining
information on the subject. which may be
useful to Congress in fiscal legislation, and
as an aid in the improvement of the Gus
tossrsvenue system, ii is deemed proper 70
ask the advice of those directly interested
in the various industrial arts of the country
which may be affected by tariff legislation
and which suffer more or less by reason Of
defective methods of administration.
You are requested to give your views as
to the feasibility Of simplifying the tariff and
making the duty specific, 30 far as spplica-
bic to imported articles, such as are made
or produced in the United States in which
you are interested, or with which you are
familiar, with as full information on the
subject as you may be pleased to submit. 1t
is desirable that, in addition TO schedule
showing the rates Of specific duty which, in
your opinion, should be levied upon the
various kinds and qualities of merchandise
embraced therein, the information furnished
nay C, YER the following points:
'Fmst-Commercial or technical designa-
ton OF the article, with sample or samples.
"Second-Cost Of production of a given
unit of quantity by weight or measure, with
tie following details as to each kind or
quality, viz: (al. Cost Of materials, character
u ssme-ss, for example, if wool, the kind
wool-Whether foreign or domestic origin;
if foreign, what part of the value represents
duties paid thereon. (b) Cost of labor in
details, giving each item specially, and the
rates of wages paid. (c), Operating expen-
ses and how distributed. ID Interest. (e),
Other elemants Of cost not covered BY the
above.
"Third-Descliption of building and ma
chiner7 and amount of capital invested in
each.
"Fourth-f the foreign article Of similar
kind and quality is subject to ad vslorem
duty, state as nearly as practicable the spe-
cifc equivalent per given unit OF weight
or measure.
"Fifth-Mention any exceptional element
of advantage or disadvantage in manutact-
uring, such as location of the factory with
reference to market or transportation, &C
feasibility of supplies, nature of power or
kind of machinery used, character of labor
employed, rates Of wages paid, amount of
taxes, or exemption from taxation, etc.
"You are also requested to forward such
informtiOn as you may be able to submit
showing the relative cost of manufacture of
the same article in the United States and
in Europe, particularly with regard to the
cost of labor as affected by the rate of wages
paid in the different countries. State how
much the total cost of given unit of pro-
duction is increased in the United States
over European countries by reason Of the
difference in wages and the rate of interest
on the capital employed. State also to
what extent, within your knowledge of the
special trade with which which you are con-
nected, the present laws imposing taxes on
the imported articles have been evsded, and
how the same can be corrected, whether by
specific duties or otherwise, and to what ex.
tent the home industry with which you are
connected has suffered from this cause.
1T is not intended that your reply shall
be confined to the form or scope OF the in
quiries suggested, but you are invited to
give the fullest expression of your views on
the general subject indicated in such man
utr and form as you may deem best. Pub
lieity will not be given to names or facts.
These will be treated as private if so desired.
Please reply at your earliest convenience.
Very respectfully,
DANIEL MANNING, Secretary
A Decisive Order.
TIE following is o copy Of telegram in
'elation to the opening of the cattle trail in
ne Indian Territory, which has been sent to
Lieutenant General Sheridan from the War
Department: lyon are instructed by the
Secretary of War to take such measures
and use such means as will carry out the
decision of the Secretary OF the Interior, to
open and keep open the cattle trails aud
highways leading into the Indian Territory,
and therefrom, to and upon the public
lands for the purpose of unobstructed pas
sage Of cattle and other purposes oil inter
State commerce.
A Courtmartial Resumed.
WASHINGTON, July 20 The courtnsrtisl
ofPaymastsr General Smith was resumed
to-day at noon at the Navy Department.
Counsel for the accused presented demur-
rer to the principal charge against Smith
denying completely in any way with Austin
P. Brown or his alleged crooked contracts
for furnishing Navy Department supplies.