The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-30
lotion MILLS AND TARIFF.
kCREAsE IN THE RATE ON FINE
YARNS DEMANDED.

try Declared Unable to Compete
with Foreign PrOducers--ImpOrta-
lions UndervaIued Under the Pres
ent Bill.
washington, Dec. 29.-The second day of
IA tariff hearings before the committee
Il ways and means of the House of Rep
i sentatives, opened with the discussion of
&bedule /, cotton manufacturers. There
oere six members of the committee pres
Id, when promptly at 10 a. M, the pro-
&edings opened. These were the chair
nan, Mr.. Dingley of Maine, and Messrs.
faine of New York, Evans of Kentucky
H. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, ali republic
hns; and Messrs. McNillin of Tennessee,
no Wheeler of Alabama, democrats.
8The first section of the schedule relates
Il the duty on cotton thread and carded
7arns and on warps and warp yarns. The
4entlemen who were present to enlighten
he committee in regard to those manu-
&ctures were Andrew B. Sanford, r. c.
kerr and w. D. Rowland, representing the
hilton spinners association of Fall River,
Mass, j. A. Campbell, ]. C. Young and
IA. y. L
BIRD stated the views of the cotton spin
kers association and was subjected to
ose questioning on the part of the two
democratic members.
MIR. Sanford said that the proviso placed
b the present tariff bill had practically
made an ad valorem measure. 1t was
amply impossible for the spinners of this
eountry to put out any fine yarns. AS far
b the yarns went the bill was imperative
and the mills had been compelled to stop
De making of fine yarns and try the max
hg of coarse goods for which their ma
<hnery was not adapted. Under the pres
fnt bill fine yarns imported were under
Salued. The manufacture was injured
Il nd the government was deprived of much
Hvenue. The cotton spinners' associa-
lon would be willing to have the present
1ate on cotton yarns remain, if the pro-
Fisos in the law regarding them were
*tricken out. The importation of these
YARNS had increased from some 100000
bounds in 1894 to over 100000 pounds this
near.
The paragraph in the present law COM
Blamed of provides that in no case shall
Die duty levied exceed s cents per pound
pn yarns valued at not exceeding % cents
per pound, nor exceeding Is cents per
pound on yarns valued at over 25 cents
per pound, and not exceeding 40 cents per
bound; privided, further, that on all yarns
Valued at more than 40 cents per pound
there shall be levied, collected and paid a
duty of 45 per cent. ad valorem.
S. b. Chase of Fall River, Mass, spoke
Tor the makers of cotton cloth. They
we're not sufficiently protected on the fine
Ind of the business, he said, and would
6sk for a few amendments to the present
law in this direction. They wanted a new
classification for cloths exceeding 300
Threads to the square inch, otherwise they
were satisfied with the present duties
They also desired to have goods known
Rs figured weave" specially provided for
This was new branch of the industry,
hnd the figure double the value of the
Goods
Another matter he wished to call atten-
ion to was the importation of plain
both marked off in colored squares the
<ize of handkerchiefS, as handkerchiefs.
Vine cloth was imported in this way, du-
liable as common handkerchiefs. AS soon
rs imported, these goods were sent to be
bleached, the lines taken out, after which
They could be used for any purpose. In
fhis way, great frauds were perpetrated.
He complained bitterly of ad valorem
Duties, and the differentiation practiced
Upon them.
Answering Mr.. McMillen, he said that
rs the process of manufacture improved
fhe price of goods fell Competition was
n sharp in the United States that it
Would keep prices down even if a prohib-
Nory duty was placed on the goods
Replying TO Mr.. Dingley, he said that
uring the past two years he had been
3prced to import fine yarns, as no maker
this country could supply them at
prices as low as at which they could be
Imported.
His attention was called by Mr.. Wheeler
Alabama, TO the statements of several
authorities, to the effect that labor was
Ietter paid in Europe. He did not agree
p this. On the other hand, he said, he
Mas positive the American laborers CHS
leasD were the better paid.
Robert Pilling of Philadelphia, maker
"A stocking and underwear, said that later
ne would submit a statement covering
What hose makers desired. The present
w was satisfactory, especially on fash
]pn goods On underwear, no change
would be asked.
He requested the committee to strike
Pom the stocking schedule clause 261. This
<overed a class of "old cut'' goods made
pn knitting frames. They were no longer
made, and could not be sold, but if the
Hause remained 1t might prove loop
|.4piC LOT fraudulent iIupOFtdllOnS.
referring to labor, he said that here IL
6<as paid four times as much as it was in
ermany, the great competitor in the
tocking trade.
For years, he said, our people had been
truggling to supply the fashion goods"
4nd were beginning to get a foothold but
Nnder the present tariff law, they could
Hpt succeed. The seamless machine" an
american invention, was now being made
broad, and this added greatly TO the CON-
&etition.
r. W. Cooper Of Olneyville, r. l.. a man.
facturer of the finer grades of stockings,
kked for a tariff of 40 cents per dozen and
per cent. ad valorem, on all goods cost
Wg $3.50 per dozen and under. The cost of
making goods here was three times as
Ereat as it was in Germany and the rate
ked for would exactly equalize condi-,
IONS in the two countries and put our peo-
ne on the same footing. His company had
BEN doing business for twelve years and
pa never paid a dividend. II was begin
ing to get on its feet under the Mckinley
Nv, but under the present tariff had just
managed to exist.
Games Talcott, representing the Amer
pan Hosiery Company of New Britain,
%pnn., said that under the present tariff
industry had been very much depress-
and fhaff mill mil ali he ar r.aH ar