The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-24
SORELY CRIPPLED.
The Tariff Bill and a Local
Industry.
Plain Unvarnished Reply to the
Senate Committee Which viii
Bear Close Studying.

When the Committee on Finance of the
United States Senate was busy tampering
with the tariff, it sent out notifications to
the varinus manufacturers engaged in the
industries which the tariff bill will affect.
Among others addressed was the CalifOr-
MIA Cotton Mills Company of East Oak
land.
The company replied to the committee,
stating that it manufactured cotton duck,
Irvine, turlaps, etc, that the mills were
established in 1884 and had 5000, 600 of
capital invested in the plant.
The mills company made other replies
to the company as follows, which replies
will bear perusal and careful study By the
people at this time:
Our productions are cotton duck, towels
twines and rope, 1ule burlaps, bags and
Since June, 1898, occasionally we have had
10 run short by reason OF less demand for
our product, caused by general depression in
trade.
To meet competition with British India
specific duty OF 1s4 cents per pound is neces-
sary on tute bursps and 2 cents per pound on
bags, oil account of low wages here.
IL the rate of duty were increased one third
the cost Of production would have to be re-
duced The same. The present duty is neces-
sary 10 keep running al wages paid.
Domestic wholesale prices OF our products
since 1884 have been mostly on the declin-
being In 1892 abouI Is per cent below 1884;
al date Of writing fully 20 per cent decline be-
low 1884
Yes; there has been an Increased competi.
ton IN our line OF goods from both foreign
and domestic sources during the past four
years.
We desire a specific duly for the reason that
there is then no object for importers having I'M
dervaluation on their invoices, and cOnse-
quently less chance of the Government being
defrauded.
We are not manufacturing so many goods
now as In 1892, the reason being as stated
Tue tendency of wages has been downward
during the past twelve months.
TIL cost OF board and lodging averages from
So so TO So per week.
We have found the existing tariff law easily
construed In relation TO our products.
The price OF living la our locality has de-
creased during the past four years at least
per cent
In our opinion the cause of the present de.
preston In trade proceeds from world wide
source, and the United States, we think, would
not have felt IL half so much if there had ben
no fear OF tarir reductions. We believe that
the present low prices of all produce, agri-
cultural or manufactured, is a condition TO be
deploied, and In our opinion silver demOnetIZa-
tIOD by the leading nations of the world Is the
prime cause. Our remedy would be- restore
silver II possible, but surely let the present
tariff law remain In force; then we feel certain
our county would soon regain her lost ground
and all the unemployed be again able 10 get
profitable employment.
Anthracite coal. raw cotton and raw jute are
all free Of duty.
The goods we manufacture are necessities
We pay per cent for loans per annum.
immigration increases the demand for our
product.
We employ nearly all skilled labor.
Reduction of duty on goods must be met
mostly bv reduction of wages.
We employ 12O men, 20 women, so young
women and boys: wages from SO 80 TO 81 per
day.
When working full time we work sixty hours
per week.
The character of foreign competing articles:
burllps and jute fabrics from India.
Our product is all for home consumption. No
export trade. except some TO Honolulu.
The cost OF manufacture has d creased from
10 to 10 per cent since 1884 TO this date.
The decrease has been In materials and I'M
proved methods OF production aud slight re-
duction In wages since July, 1893.
Our selling prices have decreased since 1890
about 10 per eent.
Ne use about 5000 bales Of cotton per
annum, or over 100000 pounds, mostly
grown IN Texas.
There is no duty on any of our raw materials.
We use about 100000 pounds OF iute
annually.
Wholesale prices, manufacturers product:
Cotton, about 16 cents per pound; jute. about
712 cents per p0und-decreased since 1884 10
per cent.
In our opinion the existing rates OF duty are
very evenly adjusted 10 enable American manu-.
facturers TO pay fair wages and make a small
prOht on Investments, and from our products
we would regret 10 see any reduction of duty.
Regarding the statement OF duty being re.
duced one-tbird We think II we'll to state that
on our jute products the Wilson tariff bill pro-
poses a reduction OF over one-half the existing
rate OF duty. LII this were going into effect we
fear the result would be the closing of MANY
jutemiis in America, as IL would scarcely be
possible 10 reduce wages so much. As Won are
aware there Is no duty at present on raw jute
and hence we cannot derive any beuefit in mai
direction. We feel sure, from our experiences
In the past. that the users of iute bags and bur
laps would not long get any benefit from the
proposed reduction OF duty, as almost inyaria-
bly, the exporter In India gradually advances
prices, so that the duty Is paid there and the
Government here Is the loser, without any BEN