The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-07
TARIFF HEARINGS.
Makers OF Metallic Bedsteads and Macnron
Protest Against Any Reduction.

Protest Against Any hcducuOn.
WASHINGTON Sept. 6-The hearing before
tho Ways and Means Committee to-day was
opened by W. o. Witcomb. President OF the
Witcomb Metallic Bedstcad Company Of Bir-
minRham. Conn. Before entering upon the
manufacture OF bedsteads no had been an i'm
porter OF these articles While engaged In i'm
porting he became convinced that the increas-
Ing demand for the metallic bedsteads would
warrant their manufacture here. The indus
try. which was started three years ago with an
investment of 100000 In buildings and plant.
had as yet yielded no profits. 1t was Just get
ting on its feet. He asked that no change be
made in the present tariff. which was consid-
cred fair. and was necessary to enable
them to compete with the foreign man
ufacturers. The workmen here received
three or four times as much in wages as those
abroad. His company had made their invest
ment and would not get out OF business II the
tariff was reduced, but they would have, to
scale down wages to those paid abroad in
order to compete with the foreign goods that
price OF the goods was labor The manuia",,
ture OF these goods here had proven decided
BEEN reduced. and goods thai sold for $3.50 or
So when mported were now being made here
and sold for So Tho domestic goods were
Nj; Bynam asked what his company sN would
Mr.. Witcomb replied that they would proba-
bly, have to go out Of bus mess. It was his
opinion that II the industry here was destroyed
the prices OF the imported goods would go
back to what they were before domestic facto-
In. Conclusion Mr.. witcomb said that moth
Ing had yet been taken out Of the business:
the profit made had gone back into 1t for en-
larglnR their plant.
A. j. Toomey. member OF the Now York
Prod uce Exchange and manufacturer OF high
grade macaroni. advocated the retention OF
the present duty OF cents a pound on i'm
ported macaroni. He based his request on tho
Italy. In his factory sixteen men received
$3.50 In week. an average OF $40 week each.
and twenty three girls received S0S. an aver
age OF about 45O per week. In Italian facto-
ries sixteen men receive $40 In week. an
average OF $3.50 per week each. and twenty
three girls receive SIS, 40 in week. an aver
age OF 90 cents per week each. We pay $23S
week for labor where they pay $50. said Mr..
Toomoy. The American manufacturer had ex
perienced great difficulty in overcoming the
prejudice against his goods. Our goods are as
good as II not superior to the imported article.
but the American public have not yet been
able to appreciate the fact The very best
wheat was used In the production OF the do
nestle article.
Mr.. Turner asked what price tho domestic
goods would bring L the tariff on the imported
article was removed
Mr.. Toomey replied that it would reduce the
price about one cent n pound. Since the
manufacture of the domestic macaroni had
been begun the price Of the Imported article
he did not think the American manufacturers
could exist and II they did. they would GER
tainly have to reduce wages
Thel committee adjourned until tomorrow.