Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-03
HEARING on THESE ARTICLES DY
TARIrF-FRAMING COMMITTEE.
OIL : CLOTH AND LINOLEUH
An Intiiuation That Those Making
Them Get Rich Enough to Become
Bankcrs-I3urinps, BiDding-Twinc,
CottOp-BRgGing, Etc
CottOD-Bsgging, Etc

ltuAdHcc VI ptASOii9 Ai4s~t D@e~" 80
Industries.
The first person to be heard was Mr..
William Rutherford. of Oakland, Cal,
who said that in California they were
engaged IN making twine, yarn, and
cloth in a great many varieties. The
first Of these mills was started there
about thirty years ago, and within that
time the business had increased large
ly. They now wanted a reasonable pro-
lection 10 run their mills, and he sug-
eested such changes in the tariff as were
considered necessary for the purpose.
The manufacturers Of California he
said, I'm the last election had given their
votes for protection. thinking this the
quickest way to give employment to the
idle; protection for themselves. and
revenue for the government. The mus
OF the United States had been active
I'm keeping down the price OF these
goods to the farmers. Up 70 the pas
sage of the Wilson BILL fair duty
had been given the industry. The mea-
sure benefited the mills Of Calcutta ana
other foreign countries at the expense
Of the domestic manufacture. Between
1893 and 1895 the imports OF Jute ana Dur
laps more than doubled. Under the
clause in the free-list, admitting cotton
baga,ing and certain goods made OF bur
laps. importers were bringing in cloths
of various kinds, including horse ana
carriage robes This was not fair' nor
the intent of the act, but the words AN
such material" used in the act enabled
the goods TO be brought in. The makers
of mixed iute and cotton-goods suffered
from this He had called the attention
OF the customs officials TO II, ana ne uh-
derstood mat they now had the matter
under consideration.
one Of the oldest plants I'm the unlted
States. established at Black Point Cal'
during the war; had been taken uo"
and transferred TO Japan. lie h"n uCVH
advised to transfer his plant 10 hoho
hama. II being possible for MN 10 Be'
his labor there for 10 i cents per u"s'
and his coal for about 80 cents per Ton,
Rrt he had found that foreigners couid
not hold property I'm Japan, ana tnere-
fore he had to give up that idea
Tbe summing up of Mr.. RutherIora
statement was the suggestion OF tho Iol-
lowing rates in the new tarih: buIlaPs
~ anv width, Of fax, jute, or hemp or IA
which fax. tute, or hemp, or either vi
them shall be the component material oi
chief value. except such as may De ac-
centable for cotton 81 cents per pouhl'
Bags for grain, made Of burlaps, 2 cents
per pound
OII~CLOTH AND LINOLEUM.
Mr.. Crawford Lyons, of Baltimore, was
the next speaker He began by chafac-
terizine the last witness as misleaoer
ord alsrmfst, and he contradicted state
ment of MIR Rutherford as TO the ad-
mission Of iute fabrics free of duty. Inc
interest in which he himself appeared was
that of oil-cloth and linoleum. In the
course Of Mr. Lyons's statement he MADE
a remark as TO manufacturers OF OIL
cloth in Baltimore becoming presidents or
principals Of banks.
Mr. Grosvenor asked what Mr.. Lyons
meant TO imply by that remark.
Mr. Lyons said that he preferred 10 go
on with his statement and be interroga'eu
afterwards.
This SUGGESTION was resented by several
members Of the committee, and Mt.
Grosvenor added: Suppose l insist on
having my question answered now. Tell
the committee what you mean to imply
bv saving that certain bank presidents IN
baltimore have been engaged in the
manufacture Of oil-clothT'
II imply nothing" said the witness.
say that certain manufacturers Of OIL
cloths in Baltimore have become presl-
dents and principals Of banks"
perhaps they were bank presidents
before they became Oil-clOth manufac-
turers." Mr. Grosyenor suggested.
THAT IS not so,' said Mr.. Lyons.
"Then you mean to imply" Mr. Grosve-
nor persisted, thai they made unreason-
able profit as oil-cloth manufacturers and
went into the banking business"
Il leave you 20 imply whatever you
like" was the reply
The oil-cloth and linoleum business, he
said. was in the hands OF a few com
NAMES. Any increase In the present
duties would prohibit irnportations, anc
place the makers here In a position tc
squeeze" the public, an opportunity
they had never been known TO over
look. The cost Of making these products
was now lower than ever before, and II
addition. the Improvement Of machinery
enabled one employee TO do a great dea
more work.
Mr.. Rutherford. Of California, the first
witness. said that he did not object tC
being called an "alarmist," but he would
not submit TO being characterized as .
misleader. and he went on TO argue that
he was right in his original statement.
FLAX AND HEMP.
John Wilson, OF Newark. n. j.. fiar
worker. spoke on behalf of those en-
Gagged i'm this trade He asked for the
restoration Of the duty OF per cent
oer mound for raw material. IL raw
material were taxed ] cent pound, h'
asked 41-2 cents per pound on the dressed
article. to even the difference In wages
here and abroad.
Leslie Combs. of Lexington, KY, said
that. prior to the passage Of the present
tariff law, he had been the largest hemp
grower in this country. His business
had been practically destroyed under that
law. and he had not grown pound for
years.
The putting OF sisal-grass, MANILA,
and iute on the free list had greatly dam
aeed the hemp industry. At the time
of the formation Of the Mckinley BILL the
growers of hemp did not understand the
danger from these Obstacles. He asked
for duty Of $50 per ton on Russian and
italian hemp, and SIS a ton on MANILA.
isal-erass, and jute. He also wished
q clause placed In the law, making II a
crime TO sell jute goods, c0lored and dyed,
as hemp. II was an outrage 10 allow
cheap, common jute products TO be
brought here from abroad and passed
of as the genuine Kentucky hemp.
Representative Vanhorne. of Missouri,
spoke Of the destruction Of the hemp fn-
dustry I'm his State. The farmers Of Mis-
souri,. he said. would be glad TO return
10 hemp-raising, and would Go 80 If pro-
lection were afforded.
BVRLAP BAGS.
! n. Bemls. OF Boston, representing
the burlap-bag manufacturers OF this
country. claimed that there was no bur
Ian Industry here TO cope with that
abroad. and. therefore, no Industry 10
protect. He requested a duty on burlap-
boes sufficient 20 cover the difference In
he cost OF labor here and abroad. He