Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-08
THE WOOL MANUFACTURERS,
Continued From First Page.

the corresponding STdue vi <Au''
wool. while the 1896 price was Delo"
the London price. The purpose Oh the
compensatory duty was TO place Ihe
American manufactures IN the same
position as though he had his goods
dutv free. The compensation duty
had never before accomplished TINS.
Mr. North discussed in detail the theory
of the compensatory duty, and estimated
the manufacturing loss on WOOL at an
average of thiry-fve per cent. AS
heretofore assessed the duty pore
no relation to the value OF the
material. it might be equivalent 10
so per cent. or to $50 per cent. advalorem'
according to shrinkage. and was tax on
every pound of dirt and grease imported
with the wool. The compensatory duty
was based on shrinkage of 50 per cent.
The tariff on secured wool three times as
high as on greasy, fixed by the growers
established in the law q uniform shrink
age of 66 2-3 per cent. but compelled the
manufacture to import greasy WOODS.
The compensatory duty piled up the duty
on goods to a point far above that nec-
essary for protective purposes, every cent
added to the duty on wool, making nee
essary the addition of four cents on WOOL
en- goods.
The disadvantages to the manufacturer
Of the wool duty We're:
/. 1t restricted him to the narrowest lin
IT in the selection of foreign woods, eX-
GLIDING him from many blends in which
the foreign manufacturer got the best re-
suits.
.. This concentration of American pur-
chasers upon small class of foreign woods
increased the price of those woods.
at correspondngly enlarged the
choice and cheapened the price of the
woods of the foreign manufacturer
An restrictions of the old ,aw upon
the importation of wool were devised TO
embarrass the manufacturer. implying
that the whole business of importing wool
was tainted with fraud.
Nevertheless. the manufacturers did
not resist the wool duties. They agreed TO
a protection on wool equal to the protec-
ton they expected on their own goods,
but they resisted any return to the eX-
IRENE characteristics of previous sched-
ules. The use of foreign woods have be-
come Indispensable. The supply of fine
woods grown here was decreasing because
the farmer found greater profit In mutton
sheep. American manufacturers bought
no foreign wool for any purpose for which
domestic would serve, because he had TO
advance money on imported TO pay duties
nine or ten months before he could realize
by sales.
There had been no year before 1893 when
the requirements of the domestic manu-
afcturers had not exceeded the domestic
wool supply. and the manufactures under
q proper tariff would promise the wool
grower quick market for all his raw ma
terial.
A plea for the small mills was made by
Thomas Simpson, of Rhode Island, who
protested against high duties on rags and
shoddy.
The same subject was handled by Sig
mund Muhlhauser. shoddy maker, of
Cleveland. Ohio. the head of the largest
establishment Of its character IN the coun-
try, employing 700 hands Mr.. Muhlhau-
ser deprecated the prevalent impression
that shoddy was a fraud. 1t was made
from remnants of pure wool and manu-
facturers bought it TO mix with new woo!s
When the witness declared that all the
leading manufacturers were his custo-
mers there was an outcry from the as
sembled manufacturers. The witness said
that the shoddy business had tiourished
better under the Mckinley law than the
Wilson law. Unlike Mr.. Sampson, the
witness wanted higher duties.
Mr.. McMlllin asked him. would you
have any objections to file with the COM
mittee a list of manufacturers who buy
your goods.
The witness replied that he would be
glad TO do So He explained that he made
:. 400 grades of goods. In the best grades
he mixed u per cent. of pure wool; the
poorer grades were all of rags. All Of his
customers bought of him with full knowl-
edge of the character of his goods
Emil Rinke. an importer, representing
several hat manufacturers. to whom he
supplied materials. asked that wool hats
he taken from the blanket cluse Of the
wool schedule and n clause covering hats
of wool, wholly or partly manufactured,
including wool hat bodies be inserted in
the paragraph with other articles of wool
not otherwise provided for. They desired
the Mckinley rates.
Wilson II. Brown of Philadelphia spoke
for several Eastern manufacturers. They
assumed. he said. that the bill would be
based on the lines of the Mckinley act.
and asked to have clauses one and two Of
the Mckinley act. clothing and worsted
woods. combined in one class.
Chairman Dinley obtained the statement
from other manufacturers that with their
improved machinery worsted manufactur-
ers were using much wool OF class one.
Mr. Turner inquired of Mr.. Brown If the
manufacturers would not prefer free
woods. which gave them among other adj
vantages wider range OF selection. The
manufacturer answered in the negative
because. he explained. free wool decreased
the flocks of the farmers. decreased their
purchasing power and the same condition
ran through all the industries.
Mr.. Moses urged the committee to pay
attention to valuations OF consigned
goods. and suggested an application of ad
,valorem duties to them. or some discrim-
ination against them.
Robert Stuntz. of New York, a manufac-
turer of wooden rugs and carpets of the
Smyrna style who stated that he repre-
scented the only factory making the goods
in the country. asked for higher protection.
The committee then adjourned.
THE POTTERS WANT HIGH TARIFF.