The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-30

duties on cotton hosiery and a slightly
higher rate; Robert NJ. Cooper OF Olncy-
vile. X. f., who asked for 10 cents a dozen
and 30 per cent nd valorem on colt On hols-
cry, James Talcott of New Britain. Conn.
and w. IL. Biteau OF Philadelphia, for high
err rates on hosiery. and W. X. Craig OF
Nicksburg, Miss. for a duty on Egyptian
cotton
Washington December 2o.-Silk and cot =
ton manufactures were the subject OF the
hearings before the ways and means COM
mittec today.
ed the Cotton Yarn Spinners' association Of
the United States. of about ! 900 900 spin
dies. He said that the main trouble with
the present laws was that the duties levied
were Practically al valorem and Permitted
Of extensive under valuation. rhe present
schedule would be satisfactory II the two
provsos were stricken out which limit tho
duty on yarns not exceeding % cents per
pound to s cents exceeding 20 and no, ok
ceeding 40 TO Is cents, and exceeding 10 20
a. per cent al valorem. MIR. Sanford pro-
duced statistics showing that In 1898 ,he
importations of yarns we're ii1 900 pounds.
and In 1896 2.i3i 900 pounds. lie said the
coarser grades OF yarn could be man fict-
ured In this country. especially I'm the
South. owing to long hours and cheap labor.
perhaps as cheaply as In England 1t Is
recognized he said. that sometime In the
future the South might become a compet't-
or in the manufacture of finer yarns.
Simon h. Chase Of Fall River, Mass, on
behalf of the cotton cloth manufacturers,
said those whom he represented did not tak
an increase Of duty although on the finest
Grades they did not have adequate protec-
ton. They recognized that the non cllssitl-
cation In the act of 1894 was In the right
direction. What they desired was Two or
three amendments to compel Importation
of certain classes under SPECIFIC duties as
they were persuaded that abus IS had frept
in. They also desired new definition OF
goods containing 800 threads and upwards
to the square inch, Upon embroidered or
figured woven goods, a class of GOODS Of re-
cent manufacture. they asked an additional
duty Of 50 per cent Mr.. Chnse rlSo asked
for some provision which gould protect
them from handkerchief manufacturers,
who imported cloths marked off with
sample lines of color This. he claimed. was
clear evasion OF the law.
Mr.. Chaso and Mr.. McNillin Ind n sharp
tilt over the effectiveness OF advalorem dn
Ties.
IA valorcm duties said Mr. Chase
catch nothing in the custom house, -
In reply to n question from MIR Wheeler
Mr., Chase expression the opinion that II was
hardly possible that the cost Of ,nanufnct
urc of coarse cloths in the South. WIS but
two thirds OF The cost In Manchester lie
said the exports from he South mt ohet-
ly to China and were of ouch n class that
the cost Of the raw material made mp the
bulk of that Proceeding. MIR. Chase sale
the selling price of goods was kept down tC
the lowest point by competition.
Mr.. McMiliin attempted to show that this
was not the fact in the case Of many pro-
| icctcd articles but MIR. Chase nsis,ed that
II was true except where artificial oorllina
tons existed
Then in your opinion artificial comblna-
tons do exist?" asked Mr.. McMillip.
Il have so understood" replied Mr.
Chase.
Well, calculated Mr.. Steele ~ Indiana
looking blandly across the table ut Mr.
McMillin. what are you going TO DO abou,
ito"
| A representative of tho cotton growers
Of the Mississippi valley. w. II. Craig OF
Vicksburg Miss, appeared to ask for q
! duty on Egyptian cotton. This product
was undcrsclling the extra staple cottor
Of the Mississippi valley, having great,
decreased in price during the past ter
! years. Extra staple he explained was
worth to cents pound more than tbs
upland cotton and could be used for most
grades Of glossy goods in which Egyptian
was utilized. Many New England man
ufacturers bought Egyptian or American
| for the same purposes, according to which
was cheaper. Tho years growth Of extra
staple In the Mississippi valley was 100. j.
COO bales and the Egyptian importation,
from the port Of Alexandra alone was co.
I'G0O bales. the Egyptian bales being 80 pei
| cent heavier than American. II the indus
try was once established It would need n,
| protection. for no other country could grow
| cotton so chcaply as the United States, Foi
the present. a duty OF cents pound OF
Egyptian cotton was needed and such
duty would help TO improve the qualit,
of all cotton grown In the South.