Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-12
THE END OF THE HEARING Ways and Means Committee Con-
 cIudeS Its Work OF HEARING THE REQUESTS For Protection of Home Induss for the
 Benefit of ManufactuS SuNDRItS AND THE REE LIST Draws Out Large Num,~ of Representa- lives of Business clS rns-MoKin-
 ley Rates Tfgq..ss,1 in all the
 ArgumensSS Made.
OF HEARING THE REQUESTS
suNDRIEs AND THE s aEE LIST

Washington, Jan. 1.-The tariff hear ings before the ways and means commit tee were concluded today, the schedules containing "sundries' and the free list'' being considered. Representative Corliss, of Michigan, asked a protective duty on tobacco, lumber, fish, wool, and other in dustries of his state. J. R. Smith, of Waterbury, Conn.,, representing the man. ufacturers of vegetable ivory buttons, asked specific duty on buttons of cent per line or one-fortieth of an inch per gross, and 20 per cent. ad valorem N. $. Greenoch, of Cleveland, on behalf of the manufacturers of coal tar, asked a small specific duty on this article and duty on its principal product pitch, of $2 per ton. Both articles are now on the free list
 Ex-Mayor Schieren, of Brooklyn, filed paper protesting against any increase in the duties on hides.
 J. c. Storey and C. c. Kemp, of Boston, tar. The domestic supply was insuffi- cient to meet the demand, and if a duty were placed on the product manufactur- CTS using it would be driven out of bus mess.
 Abe Gruber, of New York, spoke on the SuDJcCl Ol WcdIiLS dpPdICi DiOuShl by tourists. A duty on this class of goods would yield a duty of $1O,000,000 per annum. In this connection he cited the Astor case, which caused a member of the committee to remark that all tourists were not Astors.
 MT. Gruber replied: "No, and there will be less Astors here if this law is not changed"
 l.. Littauer, of New York advocated duties on gloves at the rate of $2, $S and $4 per dozen, according to grades.
 w. J. Curtis, of New York, asked the committee not to discriminate against any particular class of gloves.
 MT. Littauer, intefrupting, said that the rates suggested were particularly de- sired on ladies gloves.
 Kennel H. Barnhart, representing Marshall, Field & Co.,, of Chicago, coun- seled moderation in duties and submitted a schedule covering goods imported by his firm.
 Charles E. Smith, of New York, a glove importer was willing to have 20 per cent. added to the present duty on gloves. Specific duties on the basis he recom- mended, he said, would yield revenue of about $2, ,900, ,000 annually.
 Representative Keller, of Minnesota, on behalf of his constituents, requested a restoration of the Mckinley rates on potatoes and starch.
 Representative Linney, of North Caro- lima, said that North Carolina had new industry, the mining of "monezite," product used in a patent light apparatus. Brazil was driving the domestic article out of the market and he desired as hig4 a duty as the committee could give.
 w. J. Farrell. of New York, an importer in corks, requested a reduction in the duty on corks, the duty to be made spe- cial at z cents per pound in those manu- factured with cork squares on the free list.
 H. Wallerstein of New York, repre- senting the importers of shoe leather, spoke against any increase in the duty on this article About 90 per cent. of the shoe leather consumed in the United States was of domestic product. About $S,963,000 worth was exported last year, while but $2880314 was imported. The latter were principally enamelled and patent feathers not produced here. Amer ican makers were beginning to export shoes and he thought an increase in the duty on leather would hurt this trade.
 H. Burke, of Philadelphia, representing the makers of glazed kid and Morocco feathers, said the present duty on those goods was adequate, but desired the pres ent ad valorem duty made specific Ten years ago glazed kid was almost entirely imported and sold for 80 cents per square foot Today glazed kid of a superior quality was made here and sold for 35 cents.
 This is one of the industries that had DeeH Dulll up pTOleCt1On III a IeW years he thought patent leather would be made successfully here. The only ar ticles on which he desired an increase were East India tanned skins, which were of inferior quality and were driving do- nestle goods out of the market.
 o. J. Kraft, of New Jersey, a maker of piano feathers, asked an increase in the duty on buckSkin.
 Frank c. Hapet, of Plainfeld, N. J., manufactures of chamois skins appeal ed for duty of 35 cents on these articles. On the passage of the Mckinley bill he had closed his factory in France and moved it to the United States. Under the present circumstances he had hardly been able to exist.
 l.. D. Brands, a representative of the New England Free Trade league, on be- half of the consumers and business men of New England, objected to a change in the condition of things. They wanted to be left in peace. If this were done lbusi- ness would revive
 When 1t was suggested by member of the committee that revenue was needed he said that $32, 2,O00,00o could be raised by a tax on beer.
 Representative Morse, of Massachu- setts, on behalf of the jewelry manufac- turers of New England, asked an increase in the duty on Jewelry.
 H. G. Tresher, of Providence, R. l., said the jewelry business was greatly de- pressed. Not only was higher rate of duty required, but new classification was needed, as the present law was be- ing evaded and jewelry was being im- ported under the metal schedule. A duty of 75 cents would be required.
 J. A. Bannister, of Newark, N. J., de- sired the present rates on leather con- tinued.
 J. H. Collet, of New York, representing two hundred and fifty artificial flower manufacturers, said the importation of these goods were depriving American workmen of $2,000.000 In wages annually. The competition here was now so great that it was like fifty dogs fighting for one bone. Under the present law the raw ma terial they used was paying more duty than the finished product