New-York tribune., 1886-03-09
DUTIES on SILKS.
THE AID vALoREM SYSTEM OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
PROPOSED.

THE AID vALoREM SYSTEM OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
PROPOSED.
"I have become convinced by a long expert
ence iu manufacturing and importing silks ana other
fabrics" said lanes McCreery Of James MeCteery &c
Co. TO TRIBUNE reporter yesterday, that our prssehs
al yalorem tariff duties all goods OF this sort ought
to ne changed to specific The al vaorem ratio
seens beautifully simple and uniform and easy Of appl
cation but In reality is based on mistaken theory
and cannot be applied practically WIN any degree OF
fairness The ad valorem charge gets its pausDllly
from the idea there is certain definite market Vue
easily ascertanabe with all this class OF imports Iheres
mo such standard hero in New-York. Some time ago
went down to the Custom House with friend TO SEQ
obout a reappraisem ment q consignment OF printed
fabrics Experts differed widely In teir opinions OF us
yaue and we went over to broadway wholesale store
TO lind out for ourselves Five to ten pieces OF the STUN
cost IOl9 yard with discount OF per cent loe
cash case of fty pieces cost 10s yard, less
10 per cent and per cent for cash Five cases OF ny
pieces each cost lOi2, less - per cent and per
cent and We could get fifty cases. with not less than
twenty pieces to coloring OF each style. for ia
cents yard with per cent off for cash. You see IL
makes great difference IN the price whether inc ni-
porter has bought 100 yards or 100 miles, Inc market
value in Europe is equally hard TO ascertain
Suppose there are 5000 pieces OF DlacS
grosgran silk on the Lyons market on any given day.
II large London importer. who has no duty TO pay ana
can purchase largely should buy lOOO or ZoOO Oh tng
Le mere fact OF his purchase wOld put Up lue oeiuS
value OF the rest and buyers IRON Other
countries would nave to pay hlSheF price Ihe
often ucuates thus in single day i've or six anu even
ten per cent. - - --- i, >, -,
"The ad vaorem rate too. acceDtuates every fa ana
rise in the market and encourages speculation, not
Legitimate commerce. suppose that tho cost OF an ln
vnIce Is $500 aud duty at hity per cent nd yaOre
i5O IL the foreign price rises TO SiOO the duty also
rses TO 5000 and the is $500 II the price
falls 5000 the duty falls To 500 aud the net price Is
only $500. Specific duties, on the other hand, WOuu
cOunteract the effect OF this hqctustlon IA
values and be safeguard 70 Ieglt-
| innate business. As long we have an
nd ygorem rate underyaluatOns IN yltabe SIN al
buyeTs must pay more prOportiOnatcy Invoices as
| have snOYn than large ones. Honest importers nave
bpcu driven out dishonest aud the import trdo
here has fallen into hands chiefly or agents OF
foreign houses whose only object is to get goods IN
cheaply specific duties would etctuay prevent such
| frauds and put us all on an even basis.
Two of specific duties have been lad Detore
Assistant Secretary Farcnd, Dy the American SILK
Association and the other by the Association OF SIX I'M
pOrters. The first is combination duty, by pound
weight aud square yard, the pound welEht duty alone
bearing lightly ght fabrcs aud too heavily on
heavy tile square yard duty doing the reverse
| be very fair to all silk goods except
! those weighing less than one ounce or moro
than eight 10 the square yard Inc importers,
however think that the pound weight and square yaru
duty il at all equivalent 40 80 per cent, ad VAL
Oren would exclude all low priced French ana SWISS
" and propose duty OF much per pound ana square
ward for each 1000 threads OF the warp Cheap sNKs
have fe the warp ana dear ones great many,
and the importers claim that such duty VIII De Dotn
fairer 70 tie consumer aud better protection 10 tho
manufacturer is certainly far better than the
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