The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-28
TALK ABOUT THE TARIFF.
MORE MANUFACTURERS BEFORE
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.


of Life aud Death With Cutlery lGan-
ufacturers A Plea for Protection
for the Tin Plate Industry-Other
Arguments.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-The House ways
and means committee went promptly to
work at 10 O'Clock this morning, and
listened to a statement by c. s. Landers Of
New Britain, Conn.,, on the subject OF table
cutlery. He was satisfied with the pro-
vision Of the Senate bill, except in regard
TO one feature of classification. The
average duty on table cutlery imposed by
the bill was SO per cent. and the change
proposed in classification would increase the
average to 1923 cents Cutlery manu-
facturers would have to be protected, or
they would have to die.
]. Logan Chapman of Michigan read tele-
grams from several stove firms in Michigan,
protesting against mica being removed from
the free list.
Charles Brice, representing the Gold
Dealers Association, argued in favor Of
an increased duty on gold leaf and bronze
powders
Clark Fisher of Trenton, N. j., wanted
the duty on anvils raised to two and three
tenths cents per pound.
THE TIN PLATE INDUSTRY.
William G. Cronmeyer, of Pittsburg de-
scribed the unsuccessful efforts Of Ameri-
can manufacturers TO produce tin plates at
profit. In response TO queries by Repre-
sentative Burrows, the witness said that to
manufacture a box of tin plate in this
country cost about $3.50; while in England
it could be produced at $2.25 less, the
difference being attributable to the differ
fbo IF IaE Tho d,1fx
was not a protective one, but that proposed
by the Senate bill, while not as high as it
ought to be, had the merit Of being pro-
sective. If the tin plate industry
could be built up in this country, it would
support a number of people nearly equal to
the popula ion Of New York city. In con-
clusion, the witness read an extract from
the Iro1amonger, published at London,
warning Welch tin-plate manufacturers Of
the efforts being made in America to in
crease the duty on that article. but declar-
ing that those manufacturers had enough
friends in the United States to defeat the
scheme Of the eultra-protectionists.
CONSUMERS BENEFITED.
William Metcalf of Pittsburg, who is in
terested in the production of crucible steel,
impressed upon the committee the fact that
since tariff had been placed ON steel and
iron the cost to the consumer of articles
reduced. He stated that he sold steel to Mr..
Fisher to be used in the manufacture of
anvils, and that within twenty-one years
the price of this steel had fallen from 80 to
so per cent.
George 7. Oliver, representinglmanufact-
urers of wire rods and wires, addressed the
committee. He was well satisfied with the
existing tariff on everything except wire
rods. On this material he advocated a
specific duty of 6-10 of a cent per pound on
rods not smaller than No. S wire gauge, and
of ! cent pound on rods smaller than No.
3. Any reduction of the duty on wire rods
would inevitably advance the price of
harbed wire fencing and wire nails to the
consumer.
CUT VERSUS WIRE NAILS.
A. W. Campbell of West Virginia, a
manufacturer of cut nails, controverted the
statement made by Mr.. Oliver to the effect
that the wire nail was cheaper than the cut
nail, and he contepded that the contrary
was the fact. He thought that manufact-
turers Of s1ft steel should receive the same
measure of protection as was accorded to
the producers of steel rails, and he expressed
himself as satisfied with the provisions OF
the Senate bill.
f. j. Slade, of Trenton, N. j., addressed
the committee on the subject of structural
iron. The price for iron beams to-day was
three and one-tenth cents per pound. When
he went into the business, twenty years ago,
the price was about douole that. In re-
sponse to question by Mr. Flower, Mr..
Slade stated that there was combination
among the. producers of structural iron, but
he denied that the profits of the business
were too large. They did not average more
than s per cent. Unrestricted competition
would lead to bankruptcy. Combination
was advantageous to trade, and it was the
duty of perso S engaged in business to look
after their own business. The manufact-
urers of beams simply said to one another:
Let us charge fair prices for our own
goods" That was all the combination there
was. No effort had been made to close out
firms that did not belong to the comblna-
tion, and there was no understanding that
production should be limited.
vIRGINIA'S COAL AND IRON.
Gen. Imboden of Virginia, speaking for his
section of the country, favored the reten-
ton of the duty on coal and iron ore. In
fact he felt that it would be wise policy to
increase that duty. He described the
growth of the coal, irol, and railroad in
dustry in Virginia, Tennessee, and Ken
tucky, and contended that all this industry
would be imperilled If coal were placed on
the free list. Having stated that coal from
the Virginia coal fields was sold In the West
Indies and Central America, Gen. Imboden
was asked by Carlisle whether, If that we're
true, the Virginia coal producers could not
compete in their own country with Nova
Scotia coal. Gen. Imboden responded in
the negative, and declared that an abolition
of the duty would ruin the coal industry OF
Virginia. He then proceeded to argue in
support Of retaining the duty on iron ore.
CLAIMED TO REPRESENT THE NEGROES
He represented no skilled labor, but I'M
skilled labor. The men who worked the
mines in the south were principally negroes.
These peorle had TO be provided with work.
If they did not receive work they would live
on the whites dishonesty. The negro would
not steal if he could get work. The negroes
were the best mine workers. They were
practical, industrious, and faithful if they
were paid promptly and treated kindly.
Let congress do nothing which would de-
prive these people of the opportunity OF
making an no, est living by delving in the
ground with pick and shovel
He was protectionist. he al
ways had been one, and he believed
that if in the south there could be square
and fair vote on the protection issue, with
out any extraneous issues, the prott ctionlsts
would overwhelmingly carry at least four
or five southern states. The north had been
made rich by protection. 1t was now the
opportunity of the south to become rich. IL
-t.eIx fr.h ha fad would