The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-30
TARIFF 0NTEXTILES
SILK AND COTTON SCHEDULES
TAKEN UP BY IGft1 HOUSE COM
MFTTEE.
MORE INCREASES ASKED.
ORAL HEARINGS GIVEN TO MEN
PROMINENT NE BOTH IN
DUSTRRES.
A PLEA FOR Specific DUTIES.
Opportunities for Characterization
and Fraud Alleged Against the
AID Valorem System.

1iOI dS loI sc y CSICIOdy, anu the NUM-
Der who appeared to make oral argu-
ments was much smaller The com
mittee is encouraging the filing of
briefs wherever possible. The feature
Of the day was a brief oral argument
made by E. c. Hovey, of New York
representing the Textile Manufacture
ers' association, in favor of more strin-
gent regulations to prevent under-val-
uations and fraud on the revenue. Mr.
Hovey has a quasi connection with the
New York board Of general appraisers
Arnold B. Sanford representing the
Cotton Yarn Spinners' association of
the United States, about 200, 900 spin
dies, said that the main trouble was
the present law was that the duties
levied were practically ad valorem and
permitted of extensive under valuation
Mr.. Sanford produced statistics show
ing that in 1898 the importations of
yarns were $4,000 pounds and in 1896
2,431, 900 pounds. He said that the
commOner grade Of yarn could be
manufactured in this country, especial
ly in the South, owing to long hours
and cheap labOr,y perhaps as cheaply
as in England. He recognized, he said,
that some time infthe future this coun-
try might becomeia competitor in the
manufacture of the finer yarns.
SIldSS, ILL., II dIl 1llN6T, On
behalf of the cotton cloth manufac-
turers, said that those he represented
did not ask an increase Of duty al
though on the fine. grades they did not
have adequate protection. They recog-
niZed that the new classification in
the act of 1894 was in the right direc-
ton. They also desired a new defini-
ton of goods containing 800 threads
and upwards to the square inch. Upon
embroidered or figured woven goods,
q class Of goods of. arecent manufac-
ture, they asked an additional duty of
so per cent. Mr. Chase also asked for
some provision which would protect
them from handkerchief manufacturers
who manufactured cloths marked off
with simple lines of color. This he
claimed, was a clear evasion Of the
law. |
Mr. Chase and Mr. McMillin had a
sharp tilt over the effectiveness Of ad
velorem duties. lad valorem duties"
Mr.. Chase said, "catch nothing in the
custom house" Wy
In reply to a question from Mr..
Wheeler Mr. Chase expressed the
opinion that 1t was hardly possible
that the cost of manufacture of coarser
cloths in the South was but twO-thirdS
that of the country's at large. He
said that the exports from the South
went chiefly to China and were of such
class that the cost of the raw mate.
rial made up the bulk Of the value.
g. M. McMillin attempted to show that
this was not the fact in the case of
many protected articles, but Mr.. Chase
insisted that it was true except where
artificial combinations existed.
''Then, in your opinion, artificial COM
binations do exist" asked Mr. McMil-
lin.
81 have so understood replied Mr.
Chase.
WELL" calculated Mr.. Steele, of In
diana, looking b1andly across the table
at Mr.. McMillin. What are you going
to do about it %
A shower Of interesting questions
put by Mr.. Dingley developed the fact
that the manufacturers here paid
much heavier taxes than in England.
Mr.. Chase said his mill paid $24, 900
taxes, while a similar mill in England
would pay but $4,000. In England ev-
erything was done to stimulate man
ufactures; the employees were dealt
liniently with and the workmen were
forced to give up part of their wages,
Here the employers paid all and the
employe nothing@d' o.
Come down into our country" said
Mr.. Wheeler, "and we will fairly ex-
empt you from taxation"
THAT is one Of the advantages the
South OFFERS" replied Mr.. Chase.
A representative oflthe cotton grow
ers Of the Mississippi valley, Mr.. Craig,
Of Vicksburg, Miss, appeared to ask
a tariff duty on Egyptian cotton. The
same question was discussed by c. P.
Baker, treasurer Of the Lawrence
Manufacturing company, of Lowell,
Mass. He said that the Egyptian cot
ton was finer than the American goods;
That the American product could not
be used for certain goods for which
Egyptian was employed, and the man
ufacturers were willing to paw ~
cents per pound more for the Egyptian
goods in which either class could be
used. The expense Of producing Egyp-
tan cotton was great because the lat
ter had to be irrigated.
robert w. Cooper, president of the
British Hosiery company of Olneyyille
r. l., presented figures to show that
the cost of producing the grade of
goods manufactured by his firm is 81. SO
per dozen in the United States and IS
cents in Germany. The labor cost Is
| II cents in the United States and "a
cents in Germany. Workmen in the
American mills earned $12 a week and
/ women Sc, while men in Germany made
81 and women $1.75.. In behalf of his
| firm he asked a duty of 40 cents a
dozen and 80 per cent aid valorem, 81
cents a dozen protection being needed
to place the American goods on the
market on an equity with the Germans.
Mr.. Payne, of New York, incidentally
said that freights from GERMANY to
New York and Chicago were often as
cheap as from New England points to
| the same cities.
James Talcott, Of the American
Hosiery company Of New Britain.
Conn, manufacturers of full fashioned
hose and underwear, stated that at the
present rate Of so per cent ad valorem
| his mills had been idle or running on
| limited time under the Wilson law The
rates should be raised high enough to
give the government revenue or to keep
out foreign goods. W. H. Binyeu. of
the Philadelphia Knitting mills stated
that the hose manufacturers would
later present schedule Of rates de-
sired by them. 49,
Robert Pillings.f of Philadelphia rep
| resenting the manufacturers Of cotton
hosiery, gave notice that he would
later submit brief In favor of some
changes in the schedule The main
difficulty with the present schedule, he
said, was in the impertation Of fash
toned goods, mostly from Germany. In
reply to question by Mr. Dingley as
to the labor conditions in Germany, he
said the wages here were four times
those paid in Germany.
At the afternoon session silk and silk
goods were taken up. p. f. Stoner, of
Wrightsville, Pa, filed brief asking
for a new classification Of embroidered
curtains and other embroidered goods.
and a specific duty. w. Fl. Chapman,
silk button manufacturer OF East
Hampton. Mass, made a brief argu-
ment in favor of placing silk buttons
in the silk schedule. I. c. Hovey, Of