New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-25
ruE WORSTED VALUATIONS
ercoyp HEARING BEFORE THE AP-
PRAISERS.

-.rsrro MANUFACTURERS PRESENT THEIR
SIDE OF THE CASE.
~...,,s bsfore the Board OF General Appraisers
20 "a n the alleged undervaluations OF worsteos
70. :, bradford. England was resumed yssteTuaS'
not,rs side of the question had been presented
im ts an THURSDAY, and most OF the time yesterday
s~ruped in listening 20 the testimony of tile
:" ~, manufacturers. an whose representations
S-r,iees were raised by Appraiser Cooper
". -. grounds on which these manufacturers based
.nniou s1at the goods in question had been
N-valued we're TWO. In the first place. they held
80 :, ,r.s impossible 10 produce the goods at the
- ouoted To prove this, they wished 10 present
So Of the cost Of the wool and the various
60 Of manufacture, based on their own ex
-. The Board declined TO receive their est
70. h.vever a. the men Offering them had had
..,sonsl experience in manufacturing worsteds 80
80 and were not. therefore, qualified TO Judge
-, m This point the importers had produced at the
- heshng the afdavits of all the Bradford
-rt,eurers asserting that the invoice figures were
-. ony rot below the cost OF production, but repre-
- a fair profit besides.
:, ,he second place the domestic manufacturers
A, .hst The importers had paid TO their buyers ex
80. commissions which are not dutiable and that
,,,-esoOncing reduction had been made in the pur
.,snr nice in order 10 save the duty on the differ
ne In England commission house always acts
sa .s.nt Of the buyer, and from it he receives his
o,snlsson instead Of getting ii from the manufsct
- * Is the custom here. This commission, under
N. Mckinley act is not dutable and the importer has
- nav duty only the cost of the goods TO the
..rmissicn house that acts as his agent.
rnta within recent years this commission has always
her al.s per cent. some time ago the commission
Sopsps IN Bradford raised their rates and demanded
he ma rCht IN
nav. f6ai commission of per cent was excessive
spd that lie change made IN order that the noni
vi cost Price might be reduced. If this
v,. done the importers would save the duty on > u
p,r cent Of the value Of the goods The importers
declare that this manipulation Of fgurrs does not &C
eur add thst they do actually pay the increased com
Mission
One Instance. however. where a reduction Of the
kind alleged did occur brought at the hsar-
In. yesterday. Carl Victor of Victor & Achels. the
only importer who testiued yesterday said that in the
case Of one contract which being filed whom the
incresss commission went into effect the Bradford
commission house raised tho commission on part Of
the goods and made O corresponding reduction in the
hAng price in order that Victor 4 Achels should not
bs put at disadvantage regards tie other i'm
psrtsrs Mr.. Victor dic not make clear Just
how this could be done, for IL showed either
that the commission house had been making
profit az well a. commission. which all the importers
declared they do not DO, or that it had UNDERMINED
the goods in which case not only broke the customs
Law but also put the other importers AT disadvantage,
instead Of evening up matters
The WOOllen GO3dS Association was represented by
rs agent Is. H. Hines. William Ct. steele and George
Campbell, wOr,ted manufacturers OF Philadelphia.
testified The points raised by the manufacturer.
The Importers were represented By their counsel = e..
Clarke. and about dozen merchants. A letter from
John A Tbn1ts. United state, Consul at Bradford.
was read. Il the results OF investigation Of
the mslcer ordered by the Treasury Department, and
in the main favorable 70 the importers view OF the
case, IL bore out their Assertions thai they bought
their goods in open market and paid full market prices.
The decision Of the L0ard viii be sent 10 the Collector
early on Monday morning.