New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-14
INTEREST IN THE HEARINGS
CROWDS ATTEND THE SESSIONS OF THE
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
THE DUTIES on GLASS DISCUSSED BY MANU-.
FACTURERS AND IMPOETERs-OTHER SEIZED
ULES CoNsIDERED-THE TIME Al.
LOWED FAR TOO SHORT.
TpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I

tho attendance n the hearings before the Com
mittec on Ways and Means is good evidence OF
the deep interest felt in the subject OF tariff leg
islation The careful attention PAID not only by
Congressman, but by other persons VINO come
from day to day and remain for hours to listen
TO the statements and arguments Of manufact-
urers. importers and workingmen furnishes a
strong contrast to the inattentloh ana ihuiHer-
ence so often manifested during debates In the
House of Representatives. 1t is probably due to
the fact that most of the men who appear before
the committee are thoroughly Informed in respect to
the subjects which they have come TO discuss,
and. having something to say. say 1t in clear.
plain language that everybody can comprehend.
This is not always the case In the House oil Rep
resentatives The committee has already OBJ
tanned vast amount of useful ana 'aIuaple' as
well as practical information In regard 10 the
actual condition OF the industries OF the coun-
try and the causes that have produced 1t, and
has been placed in possession OF vast num-
Der and variety OF facts which ought to be con-
sdered and allowed due weight In the preparation
Of a tariff bill.
Despite the discouraging impression, which pre-
walls to a considerable extent among manuidct
urers and others who are opposed To tarin re-
vision which will break down the protective sys-
tenn that no arguments which they could advance
no facts which they might submit would after or
in the least modify the purpose Of the majority OF
the committee to make just such revision, many
Of the more important industries have already
been represented ably and well ana otherS VIII De
before the hearings have concluded. Inc unioflu-
nate IMPRESSION referred TO- however has doubtless
kept many persons away who ought 10 APPEAR
especially as the chairman and several other Demo
cratic members OF the committee have declared
over and over again since the hearings began that
they do not favor or desire any legislation that VIII
lure or destroy American Industries oI course
the proof Of tina. pudding VIII be In the eating
but there is as yet no reason why the members
of the majority of the committee should not be
taken at their words.
That tho period allotted to the hearings by the
original resolution Of the committee IS too short IS
evident Every hour Is already mortgaged, ana II
is known that all who have applied cannot be
given an opportunity to be- heard before the date
originally set for closing the hearings. An unusual
degree OF interest is manifested 10y foreign sub
jects who desire to submit their Views. Repre-
sentatives from Austria. Bermuda and Ireland have
been heard and "A Canadian delegation has OK
pressed desire appear. In that case. however il
is understood chairman Wilson was unable 10 COM
ply owing to the pressure and priority of appll-
cations from citizens Of the United States.
The hearing to-day was devoted 10 a review OF
the plate glass and mirror Industries. the trad" IN
foreign looking glass plates the trade III forrsn
window glass. the linen shirt. collar and cum IN
dustry. certain branches Of the Ncw-England cot
ton manufacturing Industry and the trade in for
eign cattle Al of the statements submitted were
exceedingly interesting and several OF them were
highly Important. The existing condition Of the
Industries Of Ncw-England as de
scrib.d by President Lowering. OF th" Ark"rlSht
Club is dcporablc and members Of the committee
who listened 10 him must have been deeply I'M
pressed 10y his recital OF the injury which falls
upon other parts of the country which produce
wool coal iron and steel. brcadstuns and meat
products, lumber etc. when New England lndHs-
tries are Frustrated and the vast army 81 consum-
ers there lacks the means TO buy the commodities
that other States have produced and desire 10 sell
T.. A. Hitchcock Of ST Louis. representing the
CRYSTAL Plate Glass Company. asked the commit
te, In behalf of this interest. as we'll "a ID" hhOr
interests closely Identified with n, not 10 dis
turb the existing rates 81 duty on plate glass. and
justified the request by asserting that they had
ALREADY accomplished what Was sought 70 b" So
cured by reducing rates. viz: lower prices q the
consumer which prices were to-day less than one
half what they were ten years ago. while no chang"
or reduction whatever had been made In either ia"
tarn or in the rates paid for labor done This had
been brought about By competition caused hy th"
increased plants brought into existence By the pro-
tective tariff There now only on" direction
in which cost could be further reduced. and that
was by a reduction Of wages. which during the eN-
istenc Of tho present tarin had not boon disturbed
or varied but which must feel the fun effect Of
any blow struck against this Industry. all other
means for reducing cost having been exhausted
Mr. Hitchcock gave statistics to illustrate the
extent Of the glass Industry and figures 80 show
the cost Of production here and abroad. II" said
his company paid 4 man 81 Il month for casting
twenty pots a day Abroad man east about
foriy-eight pots and received so month.
Alfred Bloom. Of Bloom 4 Toch. New-York. i'm
portcrs OF pGtc-glass for thu manufaciur" Of mir
rors. said that they had to import - per cent Of
the glass they used as 1t was Of small sizes not
III gr.1.
for IT, He could not see why duty should be- put
ON glass Of this size.
Leo Austrian, Chicago furniture manufacturer,
and one Of the committee Of three appointed 10y
the National Furniture Association. appeared be-
fore the committee in behalf Of III" association To
ask Congress to help them gain an export trade.
The furniture Industry Of this country. he said did
not need ask for protection. 1t was one of the
few Industries which could stand foreign compcti-
ton The industry employed about lel@D hands,
and It's product valued at about 100000 Il
year. German looking glass entered largely into the
composition OF furniture. II not made in small
Since the passage Of the Mckinley law the price Of
this glass had increased 20 per cent. and was con
trOlled by the German Looking Glass company OF
trust 1t increased the cost of the
article to the consumer.
revenue duty?
Mr.. Keed-We are not doing his Kind OF thing.
We are here 10 abolish PROTECTIVE dni'cs .
Mr.. Rc"i cdl"u the attention % chairman wilson
10 the extraordinary proposition.
MIR Bloom also asked that the duty Of - per cent
be taken OFF mahogany lumber. This he said. could
not be grown by legislation.
Mr. Payne reminded him that this another
revenue duty.
Mahogany logs Mr. Bloom said were free but
did not Ike to buy Them as they
could not tell what they were buying. II these re-
quests were granted it would help the export Of
furniture.
Charles II. Corllss. rcpres' nting the Troy Collar
and Shirt Mandatory, asked that the following
schedule OF the tariff remain Unchanged Collars
and cuffs composci entirely Of cotton, L. cents per
iozcn pieces and 81 per cent al valorrn: COMPOSED
IN whole I'm part OF linen 30 cents per dozen
pieces and 80 per cent al VaDTcm. shirts and q
iTicics OF wearing appIrl Of every description not
specially provided for IN this act. composed wholly
lr in part OF linen, - per cent adj valOirm.
The percentage of wages paid was ~. per cent
)f the sales and CA per cent Of the cost Of produc
ton. There a capital OF 81 90 invested In
he shirt business of tho United States and the
,.l,n ~ tho rrnduct uas ia III. M.