Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-07
NATIONAL CAPITAL BUDGET
Wool Manufacturers Have An Inning
Before the House Ways and
Means Committee.
SOME ADROIT ARGUMENTS PRESENTED
Senator Mills Introduces a Resolution
Declaring That the President is Not
Paramount in Recognizing a
Foreign Government.

washington, Jan. nc HrsO spoahoi
upon the schedule of wooden manufac
lures to-day was s. D. N. North, of Bos
ton, secretary of the National Wool Man
ufacturers' association. He said that his
association counseled moderation in fix
ing rates, requesting moderate protec
tion, which would enable them to reopen
mills with promise of permanenoe
Changes were only less evils than rates
too low to permit competition with for.
eigners.
The wool manufacturers suffered more
than any other class by the tariff of 1894
The months preceding the tariff re.
vision of 1894 and the two years subse-
quent included the most disastrous period
known to American wool manufacturers
The bulk of the wooden and worsted ma.
chinery has been wholly or partially idle.
At the present time there was more
machinery in operation than during the
summer, but the general condition of the
manufacturer was bad. The prospect of
business revival brought no promise of
Improvement in this industry.
The total imports of manufacturers of
wool ia 1895 were valued at $60,319,0o0,
foreign value; the duty value was $780,
100000, about one-third of the value of
woolens made in the mills of the United
States in 1890, and equal to about one
half of the domestic product of 1896.
The United States had enough machin-
cry, when in operation, to supply home
consumption. These importations of
low valuations, he said, crowded upon a
sluggish market, broke down domestic
manufacturers, while foreigners SO or
dered business that they seldom suffered
from reaction.
The cause was that the quality of goods
was falling so that the unit of value, the
pound of imported goods, fell from 80
cents in 1894 to SO cents in 1895.
It was the belief of the wool manufac-
turers that, while the law nominally allows
duties of 40 and 80 per cent of protection,
because of undervaluations it did not ex-
ceed from 25 to 35 per cent.
The manufactures didn't complain of
the present rates, but of the form in which
they were assessed and collected and the
dividing lines in levying ad valorem
duties. The special committee of the rate
association of the wool manufacturers,
after years of investigation, had concluded
that 1t was impossible to do away with
the ad valorem principle because of the
variations in the weave, texture, materials
and finish, which distinguish wooden from
other textures.
Therefore compensatory duty was
vital part of the wool schedule. The pur-
pose of this was. to place American manu-.
facturers in the same position as though
ha bu1 hio noodn 1utv frao
SESSION OF THE SENATE TO-DAY.
In the senate to-day Mr.. Mills, of
Texas, member of the committee on
foreign relations, brought forward new
phase Of the Cuban question by offering
the following joint resolution:
Resolved, By the senate and house of
representatives, That the expediency of
recognizing the independence of foreign
government belongs to congress, and,
when congress shall so determine, the
executive shall act in harmony with the
legislative department of the govern.
ment.
Second, That the independence of the
republic of Cuba ought to be and hereby
is recognized and the sum of $4,000 is
hereby appropriated for the salary and
expenses of minister to that govern
ment whenever such minister shall be
appointed by the president.
Mr.. Mills said that he would address
the senate on the resolution on Monday,
to which day the senate decided to ad-
journ.
The senate then took up the bill for free
homesteads on lands acquired from the
Indians.
PACIFIC ROADS IN THE HOUSE.
Despite the fact that the house to-day
entered upon the consideration of the Pa
ciic railroad funding bill the attendance
was not large. Great interest, however,
was manifested in the debate.
Maps showing the route of the Pacific
railroads, ereotedin front of the speakers
rostrum, were frequently referred to by
the speakers.
Under the special order adopted before
the holiday recess, the debate will con-
tinue until Saturday evening and voting
will take place on Monday.
Chairman Powers, of the Pacific rail-
road committee, made the opening argu-
nent. The bill the committee reported,
he said, constituted plain business
proposition and he asked the members
to consider it as such. He described the
necessity which existed in the early COS
for transcontinental railroad, the diff
culties which had been undertaken at the