, 1889-09-12
DEoIsIoN ON wo0L.
Secretary Batchcllor Answers somo
Complaints Made by Dc1lsrs.

hJ hftlttINs
WAsHINaroN Sept. 9.--Acting Sccre-
tary Batcheller has written at length 10
Columbus Delano, secretary ot the
National Wool Growers Association, at
Mount Vernon, o., in reply to bis lottcrs
inviting attention TO the alleged frauds
pructiced in the importation OF scourol
woods under the false designation Of
waste. In his letter the acting secretary
SAYS the question us to the proper tl1s. /.
ticaton of wools imported and invyjcsd
as different kinds of wool has been u
subject of careful consideration hv tho
department since the incoming admin.
istration.
Reference Is made to decisions made
since MaTchilast relative TO broken wool,
top and garnettel waste, and 10 Is said
the subject has been recently thoroughly
investigated at the ports of New York,
Philadelphia and Boston, and it has been
definitely ascertaincd that these dcCis-
ions of the department restricting tho
classification of such material to woolon
waste contemplated by the statute are
being properly enforced. The published
statement of the bureau of statistics to
which one OF the correspondents refers,
shows the quantity of WOODEN rags,
shoddy, mango, waste and blacks ems
tered, but does not specify
what proportion OF such commodities
was made, and it is impossible to tell
how much of this quantity was properly
waste and how much was secured wool,
and what proportion was found by tha
appraisers to be dutiablc at higher rates.
In lhis connection it may be men.
toned, says Batcheiler, that nearly all
these importutiOns OF the yaar 1883 come
in under rulings of the department.
made prior TO the incoming of the present
administration Also a large proportion
of the so-caled "waste" recently brought
in under guise OF broken tops, waste, oi
garnett waste, was entered for the ware
house and had been exported because OF
said decisions of said department above
referred to. Naturally that portion
which was entered for consumption and
subjected to higher rates of duty 10y tho
officers of customs was put upon the
market ut once TO avoid further loss, and
hence the unusual quantity9ofiepd in
the markets.
The statements given of alleged ex
ports from England furnish no indica-
lions of actual importations into the
United States. AS to thread waste"
and "ring waste,n so-called, they are
named in the decision OF court ut
Philadelphia in the suits to which refer
ence has been made, but as to the latter
commodity, tile department is now in
vestgatiug the matter for the purpose Of
causing it to- be classified as secured
wool, if such a course can be legally
taken. II may be further stated that as
a rule the decisions of the department.
now in force exclude all classes of wool
from classification as waste, except what
is actually wasted, or refuse material
properly provided for by the law as such.
In conclusion the acting secretary says
the representations of wool dealers and
wool spectators at the seaboard, who
may have an interest in putting ont
alarmist statements, with a view of de-
pre-, sing the market for other ulterior
purposes, should not De accepted as con-
elusive unless confirmed by satisfactory
proof.