The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-09-05

Interests of tho American People,
But in His owa Interests and in Be
half of the spanish Growers OF
Grapes-Bormuda EnvoyS E1hibit
Great GaIl-The First Days Hear-
inss by Mr. Wilson's Free Trade
Committee Develop Some Interest
ing Facts.
WASHINGTON. D. O., Sept 4-The pro-
tectsd industries which have been
elsmorine for a full hearing before the
vavs ana means committee before q
General tariff should be prepared, do
not appear anxious to avail themselves
Of the courtesy granted by the commit
tee in this regard. at its last meeting
the committee on ways and means gave
due notice by setting apart the period
from September A to September 20, in.
clusiye, tor hearings Of all those inter-
ested in the tariff schedules. Applica-
tions have come in to considerable ex-
tent, but the gentlemen desiring hear
inc are usually so fastidious as to the
exact time and circumstances under
which they are to make their arguments
that the committee has been consider
ably hampered in its arrangements,
After certain industries have been al
ioted DAYS and been invited by the COM
Inittee to be present and present their
arguments, they have on one pretext or
another made excuses for falling to fill
the time and have asked for another
date.
who low was to have addressed the com:
mittee to-day on the subiect Of the
duty on oil cloths and protection to
American manufacturers caused the an
nouncement to be made this morning
after the committee assembled that he
would not avail himself of its courtesy
now, but that he would beglad to be
heard on some date subsequent to the
Sth, John w. Stewart, OF New York,
now announces that he will not address
the committee on the 18th, but asks
that he be granted q hearing on some
later day. Heinze, Lowry y 90. were
set down for a heariag for Wednesday
next on the imporb duty on hosiery
and gloves, but have requested the
committee to postpone their hearing
until the 18th inst. As the hearings
arc limited to the period ending Sep.
tember 20, tits feared the failure OF In
terests to avail themselves Of the time
now allotted to them will lead to gem
eral clamor for the latter dates and re.
suit in many interests failing abso-
lutely to get in their arguments.
THE BERMUDA DEIReATtoNs.
In the absence OF other interests the
first hearing of the day was accorded to
a adelegation from the Bermuda Islands,
consisting of T. j. Watson and S. a.
Masters, representing the legislative
council Of those islands. Mr.. Masters
read an appeal signed by all the mem-
bers Of the legislative council. 1t ex-
planned that the United States was the
natural market for the Bermuda Islands
for potatoes, onions and other early
fruits and vegetables shipped between
April and June 10. .
The duty which the islands pay to
get their products to market in the
United States amountsto $50, 900, or a
tax Of $40 per capita for every inhabit-
ant Of the Islands. The Bermuda coun.
Gil desired that their early vegetables
be admitted to the United States on
the same terms that the same preducts
were admitted into those islands, and If
not that they be admitted on the same
terms as obtained before the passage Of
the Mckinley law. The imports into
Bermuda amount to $97S,000 out OF q
total Of Sl,5S0,O0o. showing that two.
thirds OF all the products imported are
obtained from the United States. OF
the exports $685., 900 out of total OF
S554, 600 go to the United States.
In other words the balance OF trade
il in favor OF the United States to the
amount OF $541,000. The revenue OF
Bermuda is derived from duty on
tobacco and spirits and q small tax OF
five cents on potatoes, Bermuda has Q
population Of $1,000 and has but 400
acres under cultivation. The conten-
tion Of the inhabitants was that the
early vegetables exported to the United
States by Bermuda did not come in
competition with like products here.
The present duty, he said, only In
creased the price here and made 1t o
hardship for the Bermuda inhabitants:
Mr.. Perkins-This il q case, then, OF
where the foreigner pays the tax
Mr.. Masters-Yes, sir. Laughter.
In explanation OF his reply Mr.. Mas
ters cited an instance Of the shipment
Of 10000 boxes OF onions last spring.
The tariff was thirty.seven cents per
box and the selling price was only fIty
cents.
The shipment on accounted the heavy
tariff was at an actual loss to tho ship
per. Mr.. Masters stated that the yege-
tables shipped to the United States
came into the market fully two months
earlier than those grown in the south
ern market.
Mr.. Greer-''The removal of the duty
would make your business more prohta-
ble?"
MI. Masters-"Yes It would also
double our production and enable US to
buy more of the United States"
FRANK ADMISSIONS
Mr.. Masters then yielded TO his col
league, AR. Watson. The latter, IN
reply 10 9 question, then took up the
matter Of who pays the tariff tax and
explained in support Of his assertion
that the inhabitants Of Bermuda 1.-THE
toteigners) paid the tax, that this was
due to the extremely -perishable nature
o. the products shipped TO the United
States. After the tariff tax is paid in
New York the products 60 on to the
market and bring what they can.
In answer to q question by Mr.. Hop
kinsi Mr. Watson said that since the
enactment Of the MeKinley law Ber.