Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-08
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Hears Arguments For and Against the
Duty on Ou ClOth-Gentlemen VINO
Want Buttons Taxed.


Duty GU Ou CIoth-Gentlemen Who
Want Buttons Taxed.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December T.
Il. G.. knight, Of East Hampton, Mass;
and y. c. Newell, OF Springfield, ap-
peared before the Ways and Means
Committee this afternoon In behalf OF
the duty on buttons. Mr.. Knight
sketched the extent Of the button ln-
dustry which included about 29O estao-
EShments with a capital OF S3,OOO'OOO'
Mr.. Knight argued in favor OF the re-
tention OF the present rate OF duty on
the ground that in this Industry compe-
tItlon was sharp, profits small and
prices low.
George w. Blabon, representing the
Blabou company, OF Philadelphia, man
ufacturers OF oil cloth and lineolums'
followed. The main reason he ex-
ulaluei for the existence Of the present
duty was the high rate OF wages paid
here which, was so per cent. higher
than ab cad aud which comprised,30 per
cent. uf tue cost. The entire founda-
ZION Of these articles was imported.
sWnat you want then is protection
on your raw materials" said Mr.. Breck-
enridge.
NO, l don't" replied Mr.. Blabon
empbasically. II don't want anything
Of the kind"
This rather nettled Mr.. Brecken-
ridge.
A. ]. Potter, Of the Potter Company,
Philadelphia, next appeared and John
f. Preston, OF Baltimore, rather SUR
prised the committee by appearing In
antsgOnism.
"Who do you representa-" asked Mr..
Dalzell. Not those on the other side
of the water"
No" replied Mr.. Preston, aaring
M. Il represent sixty odd million OF
peoDle who are being oppressed by high
tariff taxes and squeezed by the sixteen
concerns engaged In this industry"
"You represent not the sixty mill
ion. but the odd mem" interjected ex-
Speaker Reed sarcaStically.
Mr.. Preston grew very much excited
and after little adroit ross-question-
ing admitted that he was lawyer aud
not engaged in the business, but that
his information was gained from j.
Crawford Lyons, OF Baltimore.
you come here as q lawyer, then, ="
asked Mr. Burrows. 81 suppose your
! services are not gratuitous?"
6, NJ ,s sSqsSssssf - sfasaF5, 20, naid." lLsue a.
''Yes, fee II successful" Laugh
ter.
From this point on, the dialogue was
more like that Of a farce comedy than
a serious hearing before the committee
that Is 10 mould the tariff destinies Of
! the country.
After the committee had amused IT.
self sufficiently at Mr.. Preston's expense
be was allowed to escape.
Mr.. Johnson, representing the firm
| OF George z. Heard Il Co. of New York,
appeared on behalf Of the man ufactur-
! erS OF paper, envelopes, note paper and
cut cards, 10 argue for classification
/ of paper duties so as TO increase the
duty on envelopes to 35 per cent, en-
bOsSed paper and black bordered paper
20 As per cent. aud black bordered
cards to 40 per cent.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Johnson's
statement, j. Crawford Lyons, OF Balti-
more, aud importer of wool and straw
mating from China and Japan, and OF
oil cloth and linoleums from England,
secured few minutes time. Mr.. Lyons
is the importer for whom Mr.. Preston,
who had been practically laughed out
Of court, had appeared. Mr. Lyons
statement was much more lucid than
that Of his lawyer champion.
He asked a reduction of the duty to
10 per cent. sd valorem. He said that
oil cloth was N article used in every
house in the land and 1t was time the
monopoly was broken and healthy
competition substituted.
Adjourned