Evening star., 1896-12-28
Begun Today blythe House Ways and
Means Committee.
SHARP BUSINESS METHODSTO PREVAIL
Representatives of Different In
terests Present Statements.
THE OPPOSITION POLICY


the tariff hearings by the ways and means
the intense interest with which the subject
is regarded. The committee is proceeding
upon the plan of devoting one day to each
schedule. Today the chemical schedule
was considered. If this hearing may be
taken as a sample, it is evident that the
committee is going through with its work
very expeditiously. The oral statements
we're brief, most of the arguments being
submitted In writing. and comparatively
few questions were asked by members of
the committee. A short, sharp business
method prevailed, and no indication was
given by Mr.. McMillin, representing the
minority, Of an intention to obstruct or to
consume time. The questions asked were
usually of a technical character and not
argumentative. AS far as can be judged
by what Is said by those who have appear
ed or have applied for hearings the i'm
preston is given that the business men Of
the country generally understand the re-
quirements of the present situation and are
rot disposed to make unreasonable de-
mands. There appears to be q disposition
to be reasonable in the demands made
upon the committee and not to disturb
business by seeking changes that are un-
necessary. Dire predictions have been made
by the antagonists of tariff duties that as
soon as the question of an increase of
duties was opened the manufacturers would
come down TO Washington like lot of
wolves scrambling for all that might be
many applications for hearing a disposl-
ton to be moderate and to assist the COM
m1ttee seems to prevail. The general un-
Outstanding seems to be that the bill is to
pe moderate. so as to unsettle business
piahs as little as possible, aiming first to
provide the necessary revenue for the gov
ernment and giving just as much protec-
tlon as Is absolutely necessary and making
no change where the business Interests
Will De best served by not being disturbed
Fhe Character of the Bill,
purpose is manifest to construct a bill
that VIII excite as little antagonism as.
possible between the two houses of Con-
gress' SO that 1t may not be held long in
dispute' while the country is kept in doubt
as to what may be depended on.
Members of the majority of the ways and
means committee and republican members
OF the Senate finance committee have con-
Ierred very carefully over the subject. with
the view of avoiding disagreements diff1cujt
oL e adjustment. The leading republicans of
the Senate committee are extremely con-
serVatlVe, and, moreover, the peculiar situ-
alton In the Senate has got to be taken into
consideration. The belief is that the hin
cons.eucted sts by the ways and means COM
accept without great number of changes.
ihe policy OF the. opposition to any tariff
iegls!atlon Is not likely to be such as
10 70. delay action inordnately in either
the House or the Senate On account of
their political necessities, arising from the
combination Of silver men who have various
views on the tariff question, a distracting
ngnt over schedules Is not expected to oc-
cur. An effort will be made by the onno-
sition to make their chief attack upon the
measure one on which they can ali agree
.nat the cure for the present bad condition
OF tne country cannot be found in tariff
legislation. This will be the general line of
attack The democratic tariff reformers
Will, OF course, attack the schedules where
an increase of duty is made but II is he
neved that they will not want to make this
opposition stubborn enough to entirely dis
tract attention from the contention of the
combined anti-republican forces. This pol-
icy is likely to shorten the fight, especially
as some OF the most extreme silver demo-
Gratis are Of the opinion that 1t is best. If
they are to preserve their domination of
the democratic party and hold to the silver
question as the main issue, that the tariff
reasonable time.
Chairman Dingley made preliminary
statement as to the hearings which will he
neld each day from 10 to 4, with a recess
from 100 to 30. He said the commit
tee desired to avoid repedtions as far as
possible, and would prefer, where con-
yerient, to receive condensed briefs rather
than oral arguments.
Mr.. HarrisOn's Statement,
Thomas F. Harrison of Philadelphia, rep
resentlng the manufacturing chemists as
sGc!ation Of that city, first made a brief
statement to the committee to pave the
way for brief which will be submitted
by that association later in the week.
II general way he said the manufacture
Ing chemists would ask for moderation In
schedules, and, as far as possible a change
from ad vaiorem to specific duties He
called attention to the fact that $50 OOO, 600
were invested in the manufacture of chem
icels. and that the product annually ap-
proximated the same sum. Those whom
he represented. he said. asked no favors.
They only desired Justice. They were now
teing crushed between the textile manufac-
tLrerS and importers. He said that some
data would also be submitted relative to
the competition they had to meet from
China and Japan.
The First Formal Argument.
Mr.. H. Krebbs Of San Francisco SUBJ
mitted the first formal argument. It was
for change of the schedules of the act of
1894 relating to borates and borax. The
pre- law provides a duty of cents
per pound on boracic acid and cents on
refined b.rax. This duty, he argued. did
not fulfill the revenue expectation of the
government or the producers. He argued
Tor new classification of the compounds
OF borax to prevent avoidance and evasion
OF duty with slightly higher rates. The
schedule he presented was as follows:
Borate of soda, 3 cents; borate of lime,
containing not more than A per cent of
anhydrous boracic acid cents; borate of
lime, containing more than A per cent,
cents; anhydrOus borax. cents; boracic
acid, cents, and anhydrous boracic acid.
. cents.
In answer to a question from Mr.. Nc
Milltn MIR. krebbs expressed the opinion
that the schedule he proposed would pro-
dCce as much revenue as the present sched-
ule and afforded much better protection to
the producers. Practically all Of the 90
OO0.OOO pounds of borax and its compounds
used in this country. he thought, could be
produced here.
James Mcguire of New York made a
brief statement in behalf Of a dlstinc tion
between hydrate and anhydrate of alumina
SO that the former should pay duty only
on the alumina contained in the product
He desired no change in the rate Of four
tenths Of one cent per pound.
Other Representations.
w. H. H. Childs of New York, who Is in
terested in the first Installations from coal
tars, submitted paper without oral argu-
ment. and ]. T. schoelikopf of Buffalo,
N. T.. made an argument in favor OF m
creasing the duties on coal tar dyes from
. per cent to 35 per cent ad valorem, with
. clearer classification of the schedules
y. 8. Page OF New York, representing