National Republican., 1888-03-29
HEMP GROWERS AND sprNSERS

hluWtrs and Spinncrs' Association Of tho
United states convened at the Ebbitt House
1T II O'Clock yesterday morning, and sixteen
delegates were present President A. II.
Turner, ir., called the meeting to order, AMI
j. f. n. Downs was elected temporary sec
rttGry. The president read his annual al
dress, in which he spoke of the difficulties
attending the production and manufacture
Of fax, hemp, and iute in this country, ana
rCGd tables Of statistics to show why the
industry should be protected. In conclu-
sion he said: II will venture to say that the
President Of the United states Is wearing
shirts and uses towels that are made Of for
eignmade lincn.n
a large number Of communications were
read from manufacturers and growers pro-
testing against the passage Of the Mills tariff
bill, and the convention then held an elcc-
tion Of officers, with the following result:
President. A. r. Turner, ir.; vice president,
William Barbour: secretary and treasurer,
Bruce II. Ware, and board of government,
Mossrs. Christopher Bailey, G.. +. Wyman,
II. B. Simmington, Il. II. Sparks, Abram
Pently, II. VI. Allen, William Barbour, and
George H. Tor.
A Communication frCm Kentucky dealers
wGs read approving their efforts to defeat
any change in the tariff, and stating that II
petition had been sent to Representative
W. c. =. Brcckinrldgc requesting him to
see that the interests of flax growers were
protected. \ resolution was then adopted
by the convention protesting against q re-
ductOn of the tariff on flax and hemp, aud
committee was appointed to present II
copy of the resolutions to the ways and
means committee of the House. President
Turner urged the members to continue the
war against the proposed change in the
tariff.
\ resolution p,ttiOning Congress for an
appropriation Of S!5,0O0 for the purpose OF
collecting and printing information about
the hemp and fax industry was then adopted,
ard McssIs. llarlshorn Barbour and Dove
were appointed Il committee to attend to
securing the appropriation. At , o'clocl;
the convention took q recess until evening
The evening meeting was called to order
by tie Pre- sidont. Present Vim. Barbour.
of the. Barbour Flax Spinning Company, Of
Paterson. y. j.: Vim. Allen, of \. II. Hart
N Co.. of New York: \. Il. Turner, jr., OF
Ross, Tuner Il Co. Boston, Mass: c. W.
W. Dove and &. H. TolT. of the Smith Il
povc Manufacturing Company of Massa-
setts: Abram Bentley. Of Bentley & Gerwlg,
New Brighton, Pa: Il. b. Lymington, OF
Marshall & Co.. New York. y. Y; j. Smi.
ley Colcy. Of Marshall " Co., New Jersey:
w. f. Donovan. of Marshall ~ Co., Phila-
Gelphia, Pa: John G.. McMasters and Gil
foid Ireland, Greenwich, y. Y: Charles f.
Wyman. of Boston, Mass; +. \. Harts-
HON, Of Sohaght!coEc, n. Y: Chas Boyce,
Thompson ~ Co., New York. y. y; Vim
cent p. Travers, of Travcrs Bros, New
York, y. Y..!and Emery n. Downs, of the
Barbour Bros. Co., of New York, y. Y.
On motion the following firms were
elected members of the associations: Ludlow
Manufacturing Company employing GOO
hGEds), of Ludlow. Mass. Stevens Linen
Works (cmploying iO0 hands,. of Webster.
Mass; j. T. Smith Flax Scutchcr Works, Of
Heron Lake, Mimi, and the j. w. Wallace
Company, of Greenwich, y. y.
Abram Bentley then read an interesting
PAL er on "The condition of the flax and
hemp industry in America and its possibili
tics.n At its conclusion telegram from
the Stevens Linen Works, the largest man.
ufacturers of linen goods in the country
was read, protesting against any reduction
in the present tariff laws as far rs they re
late 10 the flax and hemp industry. Similar
protests were received from Appleton, Wis.
Dubuque, Iowa, Weskan, Kan, and Nun
Gle, Ind.
Besides the above protests the convention
received numerous petitions from various
pats of the country, and signed by the em
plOycs engaged in that industry, protesting
against any reduction in the duty on flax
hemp, &c. A general discussion ensucd OF
the various plans to be used in securing the
consent of Congress to leave the tariff OF
their goods alone. At . o'clock the con
yentiOn adjourned sine die. A few of tn,
delegates returned to their homes last night
but the most of them remained in the city
and win devote their time in assisting tii
committees who appear before Congress al
to sightseeing.
After the adjournment of the convention
a representative of the REPUBLICAN had NJ
interview with the president, Mr.. Turner
ard the secretary, Mr.. Downs, and from
them secured a short history of the growti
of the industry and the state of the trade.
Although flax and hemp have been grow
and spun in this country almost since IL
discovery, yet the first attempt TO operat,
that industry on a large scale was not begul
until about 1854, and then by several firm
in New England. As there was at that tim,
no demand for flax and hemp the farmers
only cultivated what they needed for thei
own use, and as consequence thcst
films had to purchase their raw mi
terial from Europc-the larger portion
coming from southern Russia. Ont
year later the Crimean war broke out
their supply of material ceased, and tn
films had To abandon the business. TIL
industry remained quiet then for numbe
of years, but was again started and ha
slowly increased until at the presen
time there are factories and firms engage,
therein all over the country, and in the Yves
alone 100000 bushels of tlaXseed wer
raised last year and nearly 10000 acres 0
land are devoted to its cultivation. TIN
capital invested in the mills and factories o
this industry is placed at SS,O0O,OOO, an'
employment is given to over 1000 working
men and omen.
A duty Of 35 per cent has been placed OF
the raw material from foreign countries, ant
as u consequence the American manuiac
coarser grades of linen thread aud yarn an,
make a slight profit. The duty On cloth
manufactured from this material, however
Is placed ut the same rate as ON the raw
| material, aud the American manufacture
cannot compete with the foreign trade, q
| he pays better wages than are paid to tn
pauper labor of Europe; and the forcig
| competitor has the trade. The value o
| these cloths exported from Great Britain TO
the year ending Dec. 81, 1887, was nearl
| Sl5,LOO,OG0, of which nearly SlO,0OO,OO
worth came to America alone.
Congress- said President Turner, st
| properly protect this infant industry, shoul
| increase the duty on the cloths, and W
| then could manufacture that class her,
But, instead of doing this, the Mills tarii
and If It is done this industry will have I
stop. Of course, we would prefer the il
crease mentioned, but We don't want thel
to reduce It, and shall ask them to leave
alone"
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SPRING boys suits Eisemm'S, cor, eth \
| =