New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-23
PART II.
PAGES TO ID.
WORSTED IMPORTERS APPEAL.
THEY OBJECT TO MR.. cooPER,s ACTION.

AFFTDAvITs TO SHOW THAT THE GOODS WE'RE
NOT UNDERvALUED-THE POINTS AT issue
Board No. j OF the General Appraisers consisting Of
Messrs. Wilkinson, sharretts and Sharpe. gave hear
ing yesterday afternoon TO the merchants who are
protesting against the increased valuation placed BY
Appraiser Cooper on worsted goods imported from
Bradford. England. The historT Of the has a.
ready been printed In The Tribune Briefly II this
About six weeks ago II. Herman Sternbach Co. i'm
ported lot OF worsted cloths the invoices Of which
were raised about IL per cent BY Appraiser Cooper.
This action was taken the representation OF the
Woollen Goods Association, who asserted that the in
voice prices were actually less than the cost OF manu-
facture About dozen other firms had similar goods
on the way and the invoices Of all raised until
10 total amount involved figured TO nearly $1,000
900. REIMBURSEMENT was demanded and the cases
went before General Appraiser Lunt, whose decision.
given on Tuesday last sustained Appraiser Cooper In
part. The increase made by Mr.. Cooper, being over
10 per cent carried with penalty for violation Of
the law. Mr. Lunt reduced the increase to about
per cent, which involved penalty. The merchants
we're not satisfied. however. They claimed tie rgnt
to enter the goods for duty at invoice prices, becanso
they sad the invoice prices represented the marxcs
value and the actual cost to them.
committee was sent to Washington 10 appeal 70
Secretary Foster. The result was arrangements to
have the matter taken up by the General Board
that they we're losing the fall trade by having the
goods retained in the warehouse They could of
course, get the goods by laying the advanced duty
under protest but tnis they declined to do because II
would take too much money, about sl5o,ooo
Nearly twenty importers were present yesterday ct
the hearing. Among them were James VI. Constable,
OF Arnold Constable d Co.; John Sloane Of W. 81 j.
sloan; james McCreery, of Jar1es McCreery & o.;
Petra B. Worrall, Henry GtterInan, Ernest Werner
Morris Arnold, H. Herman Sternbach ard otnerA
Afldavts presented from all the manufacturers
in Bradford, saying that the prices shown on the m
voices market prices and not only were not below
the cost Of production, but allowed fair margin OF
nroft 70 the mills Mr. Constable testified that he had
known many of the Bradford houses for over my
years He had done business with them for many
years and knew them to be reputable and Responsible
Other testimony TO the effect that the goods were
all bought in the open market and PAID ioI a. manSes
urIces No testimony offered Of the other SIDE
and the hearing adjourned until tomorrow morn
ing in order 10 allow the Woollen Goods Assocauon
and the domestic manufacturers 10 be heard
special interest is felt the decision OF this maoter
because il involves not only the question II the vaua
Of worsed goods, but also the point, when : OF IN
tere TO all importers, whether or not the inquire az
which any one can 20 into an open market ana ouy
Goods becomes the market price of those goods Inc
importers hold that II does ard say thai the question: u
the cost of production is not material II commis-
sion house or manufacturer Is willing 10 sell goods Tor
less than their cost it is nobodys business ana inc
utoms authorities have no right to base valuations on
anything but the market price, when that Is obtain
able In the case Of purchases in the English market
was shown that English commission houses act a.
aOents OF the seller and not OF tne ouyor'
which affords an additional safeguard against lnVo'cs
undervaluations On the other side, IL IS announced
that evidence will be produced tomorrow In 'he snapo
NJ letter from the United states Consul at Branroro
shoxne that the invoice prices of the worsteds 10
crsstion are not the market prices, but are much
below them.
The merchants present yesterday repudiated en-
tireIy any responsibility for the silly. senssuon~
article puhaished In "The Tines accusing the Re-
uubIican party and the Treasury Department OF en-
terfng into conspiracy 70 inture their business ior
the sake of the domestic manufacturers They were
indignant at the attempt Of that Tammany organ 10
drag politics into the discussion and declared thai
they we're not fighting the Mckinley bill or the Ad-
mlnistrative act but the rulings OF the Appraiser
The Times" article was taken as only another Illus
traton of the increasing puerlty Of that newspaper
and its inability to champion any cause without max
ing itself anu its cause ridiculous by Its blatant and
offensive remarks. "We not pOliflcans, ana
notifies has nothing TO do with the CASE said one
of the importers. We not fighting the Admin
stratiOn and do not believe that there is any us
no mon on It's part to inure Our point Is spJ
against the ruling Of the Appraiser, made on the
Misrepresentation Of certain manufacturers ana tneis
agents The assertion that Secretary Foster had tid
the committee that he felt much inclined 10 remove
: Appraiser Cooper for his action In the case "s
characterized as false