The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-31

need no protection, for no other country
could grow cotton so cheaply as the
United States. For the present, duty
of cents a pound on Egyptian cotton
was needed and such duty would help
to improve the quality of all cotton grown
in the south.
Robert w. Cooper, president of the
British Hosiery company of Olneyville,
X. l., sent figures to show that the cost
of producing the grade of goods manu-
factured by his firm is $166 per dozen
in the United States and 80 cents in Ger
many. The labor cost ~ cents in the
United States and "a cents in Germany
Workmen in the American mills earned
SD n week and women So, while those
| ly. In behalf of his firm, he asked Il
duty of 40 cents per dozen and 30 per
cent ad yalorem, 80 cents per dozen pro-
| lection being necessary to place the
American goods on an equality with the
| German goods.
Mr.. Payne of New York incidentally
said that freights from Germany to New
| York were often as cheap as from New
| England points to the same city.
James Talcott of the American Hosiery
company of New Britain, Conn, manu-
| facturers of full fashioned hose and un-
derwear, stated that ut the present rate
of 80 per cent ad valorem his mills had
been idle or running only limited time
under the Wilson law. The rate should
be raised high enough to give the gov
ernmenti revenue or keep out foreign
goods.
w. FL 4Bityeu of the Philadelphia Knit
ting mills stated that the hose manufac-
turers would later present schedule of
rates desired by them.
Robert Pillings of Philadelphia, repre-
senting the manufacturers OF cotton
hosiery, gave notice that he would later
submit a brief in favor of some changes
in this schedule. The main difficulty
with the present schedule, he said, was
! in the Importation of fashion goods,
mostly from Germany. In reply to a
question by Mr.. Dingley as to the labor
conditions in Germany, the chief manu-
facturer of hosiery cotton, he said the
wages here were four times those paid
in Germany.
| AT the afternoon session, silk and silk
goods were taken up. L. II. StOner of
Wrightsville, Pa, filed brief asking for
a new classification of embroidered cur
tains and other embroidered goods. The
duty on such goods was reduced by the
act of 1894 from 60 to 80 per cent. Most
of these goods. he said, were made in
Belgium and many millions were annual
| lN imported. he uSkcu lOT DUtH va
loren and specific duties.
w. ii. Chapman. silk button manu-
facturer of East Hampton, Mass, made
brief argument in favor of placing silk
buttons on the silk schedule.
Il. G. Hovey of New York, represent
ing the Textile Manufacturers associa'
ton. appeared to make n general argu-
ment in favor of return of specific du'
ties. The subject of under-valuat
leading to extensive frauds in the rev
enue, he argued, should be carefully ex'
amined by the committee. lie said he
had made an extensive tour abroad last
year to look. into, this subject. and as q
result he appealed to the committee t(
look carefully nj every schedule to sec
if they could not wipe" away every loop
hole hy which the dishonest importer got
the advantage of the honest man.
Mr.. Hovey was also connected witt
the board of appraisers in New York anc
said he was more interested in the ad
ministration of the law than the duties
imposed. He expressed the opinion thai
specific duties. when levied, were Il per
feet remedy against fraud, but he re
allied that specific duties in many cases
were impracticable. In reply to ques
tions by Mr.. Dingley, he said that tho
duties imposed by Great Britain, France
| anu DeTlllitny Ncic "iihoo' '-NN'"'' .
specific. -, =,
81 know of but two countries" he said
(which cling to ad vrlOrem duties; one
is the great United States and the Other
is Turkey" Uaughter)
Mr.. Hovey severely scored "stoo
pigeons" to whom imported goods were
consigned, and declared that so long AZ
these "stool pigeons were permitted tt
receive goods from the real owners, 81
long would the government be defrauded
He personally did not see why, the re
sponsible consignee could not be made
to go on record. He gave it as his opn
ion that on silks, owing to under-valua
tons, the government received but 81
per cent, while the duty was 40 per cent
This completed the hearings for today
and the committee adjourned until ,omor
row at 10 O'Clock, when the sugar sched
ule will be- taken up.