New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-16
TO RUIN THE SILK MAKERS.
n THIS A PLOT OF FOREIGNERS
MANUFACTURERS AND woRKMEN ALAEMED-A
RELOCATION TO WAIT UPON CONGREss

MANUFACTURERS AND wORKMEN ALAMEDA
DELEGATION TO WAIT UPON CONGRESS.
The silk manufacturers Of the city are up In arms
over the recent decision Of the United States Circuit
Court at Philadelphia in the suit OF John wanamakcr'
to recover duties pad silk ribbons ard other arces
which he claimed properly como under the mean OF
hat Trimmings This decision, II sustained, would
allow of the Importation OF silks under duty OF OUT
90 per cent While the old rate, which was Imposed on
all silks was so per cent The result oil >sueh
decision could but be disastrous to the American
silk Industries.
meeting was held yesterday afternoon At the
rooms Of the SIX Association Of America NO 4fo
Broome-st which was attended By about my Oh ''c
leading manufacturers Of New-York and Vicinity ~
large delegation Of worldngmen, representing every
silk MIL I'm Paterson, also present me mcc""s
was held with closed doors and reporters were reiuse"
admission. After tho meeting was over IL was Az
nounccd that the manufacturers had decided to scnd
delegation to Washington to lay the case before Con-
g-ss and ask for relief This delegation Is compriscd
OF the following manufacturers: william Cheney Oh
Cheney Brothers. Hartford: D. Richardson, secretary
OF the Silk Association; william T. A strange OF
Strange Bro, Paterson J. W. Condon' OF fa'orS"'
and Hugo Funke, Of No. % Greene-st
The workingmen will also send delegation OF Two
10 cooperate with the manufacurers' committee ou'
they have not yet been appointed ono OF the "olA
ingmen present said to Tribune reporter aIce ''o
meeting, This means more TO US even thah u o"cS
to the manufacturers, for II they have 10 cIose
UP most Of them have money enough 70 nve
all right but with us 1t will only be starvation IL
the decision Of the Is sustained will anect all
kinds Silks for dress goods could be brought IN a.
the low rate under the plea that they were intended
to be cut up for hat trimmings. whether they Woum
DO 80 cut up Is another question:
Among the firms represented Cheney Bros,
Dexter Lambert & Co, Johnson Condor Co., Pcl-
gram & Meyer, and William Strange & Co. The re-
porter talked with a number Of manufacturers, all
of whom were decided In the opinion that the qucstioh
meant disaster to the business Henry 10th, OF NO
OF Greene-st who was called 10 give expert test-
mony In tho wanamakcr case, said that he mad
listened attentvcly to all the evidence given and was
satisfied that though the decision was according 10
the letter OF tho law 1t was not according 10 us
Spirit Before the tariff laws were revised In 1883,
he said there was a provision In ths old law allowing
hat trimmings, made from vegetable products 10
be imported at . 90 per cent duty This was 70
allow straw brads and Ike articles that are not made
here 10 como IN at q nominal duty. When the laws
were revised tho word vegetable was omitted ana
on tho strength Of that omission the present SUIT
had been brought
at is plain to be seen that the intention vas not
to allow SILK ribbons to come In at 20 per cent "he
other kinds OF silks taxed so per cent no sau
q" But II 1t should finally be decided otherwise, u
would drive every manufacturer OF silk ribbons out OF
the business When the duty mems hat bands was
reduced from 80 to 90 per cent II killed the BUSINESS
I'm this country entirely. II was given as evidence
I'm the wanamaker suit that of the total amount OF
ribbon consumed hero but 10 per cent OF II was uscu
for hat trimmings and suca being the ca'e, "hal
is to prevent them from bringing In piece SIX ana
velvet and even some woollen cloths, which are oe-
casonay used for hat trimmings, at the rdloulousiy
low rate Of 90 per ccnt7' Mr.. 10th was confident
that tho error would be speedily corrected Another
man who Is an authority on such subjects, out VINO
did not care to be quoted, gave the following as inc
etst Of the matter: This is only leak IN the Dam
It IS only one thing but II they should go on ADDING
to the list OF goods that come In under tho ~ per
cent tariff It would lrreparably damage the American
silk industry. The law was originally intended to
include bands used mems hats ana straw p' ~
used in making ladies' hats but Is so Moded nd
as there many things that are gsed ,h lo
trimming LADIES' hats we don't know put rha On 'h ny
same scale. 1t is hard to tel where to draw ING
line on ribbons, for the reason that they are ussd
In such a variety Of qualities and styles ana IN al
manner Of ways in trimming hats Mr. WanamaHer >
suit only represents nominal amount o, money oa az
per duty this class OF goods instead OF ~ pei
The usu amount paid to the Government in excess
of 90 per cent the law of 1853 went into enect
rers has taken the matter hand and arc to receive
oneha the amount they recover from the Go GSv oGn
III they snOu!C cOllfCt al Va wv
there is fortune In the scheme for all OF them even
allowing for the enormous expenses they would De
under The silk importers take no risk CONSEQUENTLY
they have everything TO gain and nothing 10 .os tS o
n tho case goes against them they pay none OF .ne
expcnses < great deal OF the money pald oy inc tne
importers has been paid on cons gnmeni rom co ,o
manufacturers which the importers seu on COLE ,hs
Mission: should they win this suit, OF course ING
money should go to the manufacur Re- o G' III 20
,,bcra n should The movement IS especially danger
ons because there Is so much money behind II, ana
consequently there IS great incentive ~ 'e"'' Az
Stone uuturned to win It,"