Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-28
BEroaE WAYS AND MEANS"
Rsprc DC i.tatives CT IIou. Coal. EiCa
and Tia Iudustries Heard 1cucning
the Tariff

! The Hou,e ways and means con mist e
| this morning listened to "a statement By C..
4 S. Lanlers Of New -itain. Coau.. On tie
necessity Of prots citing table cutlery.
| Hon. j. Logan Chpmsn Of Miehirsn
read t.le grams from various stove a n' N
| hIich gan protesting again t mics icing re-
moved from the free list.
Charles Brice. representing gold dealers
! association, argued in favor Of increased
duty on gold leaf and bronze powder.
Clark Fisher of Trenton, N. j.. advocat
ed an increase in the duty on snvils. For
ty years ago there were 25 anvil frms in
the country. Now they lavs become ex
tinct with thee exceptions. To lower
the duty would have the effect Of wiping
out these three establishments.
William c. Crommeyer, Piusburg.
Penn, described the unsuccessful etorts
of Ame ria n. manufacturer to produce tin
plates at profit.
In response TO queries by Mr.. Burrows
Mr.. Crommeyer said that to manufacture 4
box Of tin plate in this country cost about
s5 30, while in England it could be pro-
dueed At 81 SO less, the difference being
attributed to the difference in the cost OF
labor The present duty was not protec-
tive one. but that proposed by the Senate
bill, while not so high ~ it ought to be.
had the merit of being protective. If the
plate industry could be built up in this
country, it would support q number Of peo-
pie nearly equal to the population Of New
York City.
Metcslf Of Pittsburg, who is interested
in the product Of crucible steel impressed
upon the committee the fact that since the
tariff had been placed on steel and iron. the
cost to the consumer of articles manufsc-
tured of those materials had been reduced.
| He sta7ed he sold steel to Mr.. Fisher, to
/ be used In the manufacture Of snvils. and
that within two years the price Of this steel
had fallen from 30 to so per cent.
| George T Oliver, representing manufac-
turers of wire rods and wires, addressed the
committee. He was well satisfied with the
/ existing tariff on everyti lag except wire
! rods. On this material he advocated = spe-
cific duty of 6-l0 cents pound on rods not
smaller than No. wire gauge, or of one
cent pound on rods smaller than No D.
( Any reduction of duty on wire rods would
inevitably advance the price of barbed wire
/ fencing and wire nails to consumers.
| An address by d. J. Slade Of Trenton,
| N. j., on the subject of structural iron was
/ lfafu. lie Hihttu tftTc " hs iob
among the producers Of structural coal but
denied the profits of the business were too
large; did not average more than per
rent. Unrestricted competition would lead
To bankruptcy The manufacturers OF teans
/ simply sa! TO one another Let US charge
q fair price for our own goods No effort
had been made to crush out hrm that did
not belong to the combination and no under
standing that the production shoud be
limited.
Gen. Imboden of Virginia, speaking for
his section of the country, favored re'en-
ton OF the duty on coal and iron ore. He
felt IL would be a wise policy to Increase
that duty Contended the coal, iron and
railroad industries of Virginia. Tennessee
and Kentucky would be imperilled If coal
was placed OF the free list. Having stated
that coal from the virg'nia coal fields sold
in the West indies and Central America,
Imboden was asked by Carlisle whether the
Virginia coal producers could not compete
in tneir own country with Nova Scotia coal.
Imbodeu responded 10 the reRative, and
declared aholit on of duty wculi ruin the
coal industry OF West Virginia. lie rep
resented unskllei labor Men who worked
the iron mines IN the south were prircipa 'ly
negroes. These prtple had 10 be provided
with work. II they did not receive work
they would live on the whites dishonesty
A negro would Tot steal il he could get
work The negroes are the best mine
workers. Let Congress do nothing which
would deprive these people of an oppor
,unity os making an hoses! living by delv'
ins 10 the ground with pick and shovel
lie umbo6en) WAS a protectionist. and be-
lieved if in the South there could be q
square and fair vote on the protection issue
sIthout extranous issues, the protectionists
would Overwhelmingly carry at least foul
or nve Southern States II any body is te
protected be would rather have 1t make AZ
American rich than Hungarian, Italian, o.
Belgian.
Flower Of New York inquired whethe,
Imboden meant the color line had to b
drawn and the gentleman had to vot'
against his sentiments.
. Imboden-We are compelled to stand to
sether there under certain conditions. Th'
tsrif sinks into insigni6cance. In the re
, cent election voted. with extreme reluc
, ,ance. the democratic ticket.
|. Judge Bowling Of Virginia, argued II
favor Of the retention of duty on iron ore
He thought this matter Of protection to tn
industries of Virginia became one OF th
most important features in the determine
tion of the race question. Farming di
e NOT nav in Virginia and other labor mus
! be supplied to the negro. When he ha
4 lsbored and received wages for it he got
). lir,le home and ceased to be politician.
. CONGRESSMAN Louis A. McComas Q
= MARYLAND opposed any reduction Of duty o
q bituminous coal, holding that such redut
e ton would not cheaper coal for the dresid
d but would paralyze m important indasti
,s and lesson the price Of its labor. II voul
h strike . heavy blow to the coastvise trsd'
would give cheaper and better coal to tt
,. English steamship lines. help English cal
d i,sI and delay severely American shippinl
4 o. NJ. Hitchins of Maryland, coal oper
+ tor, formerly mined in wales, testified
re the duty Be taken Of coal, WEIGH co
,e could not be kept ont Of the country.
in james A. Slam Of Maryland. practic
ae miner, urged that NO eAanes be made
the duty q coal. Hs did nos wish q