The herald., 1897-01-28
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS
Consider the Need of American
Shipping
A RESOL UTION PREPARED
For Presentation TO the President and
Congress
First and Foremost the Tariff Law
Should Be Revised-Reciprocit
Must Be Encouraged
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
| PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 27.-The man.
| ufacturers' convention at its morning
| session today appointed special commit
, tees to consider the best means of re-
storing American shipping and to pre-
pare a resolution for presentation to the
president and congress in regard to hav-
| ing American consuls forward reports
| from foreign countries of interest to
American manufacturers. Immediately
| after the convention had assembled for
| the afternoon session the subject of
| tariff came before the members in the
| shape of the report of the special COM
! mittee appointed yesterday. 1t was
! known that the committee had labored
| for hours with the subject in the hope
of being able to agree upon some express
| sion of opinion that would voice the
| sentiments of all the manufacturers. A
discussion that lasted for some time fol-
| lowed the presentation of the report, and
! it was finally adopted by the convention
after some slight changes had been
| made. The report as presented was as
! follows:
Resolved, That it is the sense of the
National Association of manufacturers
that the tariff law should be revised at
the earliest possible moment, in order
| that uncertainty may be removed, con-
fidence restored and business permitted
| to revive.
Resolved. That rates of duty should be
made as low as possible. consistent with
adequate protection of our manufac-
turing and agricultural Industries and
the labor they employ. The tariff should
contain only specific duties or mixed
, ad valorem and specific duties
Resolved, That congress should be in
vited to re-establish and etXend the sys-
TEN OF reciprocity, which may be en-
ployed to secure for the United States
tariff favors in n-American and
other markets in which we are the largest
buyers, while Europe is the preferred
seller solely because of the lower wage
rates and the lower general cost of pro-
duction in European countries.
The debate that followed hinged en-
tirely on the words "as low as posi-
BILE" and the fight for the dropping out
of those words was precipitateJ by liam
ilton of California. He felt that with
these words remaining the resolution
would not have the weight with the
ways and means committee of congress
that it would otherwise have.
He urged the convention to adopt
| just as strong resolutions as possible,
| and added that with the words in ques-
| when lie went before the committee to
! urge a high tariff on certain goods,
| would be told why, your association
wants il just as low as possible"
Matters were finally adjusted by the
! substitution of the words. such as shall
be consistent" etc. The vote on this
| was rs for and 81 against.
The report was further amended in
| the same paragraph by the substtu-
| ton of the word duties" for rates of
| duty" The entire report as amended
was adopted, and it was further re-
| solved to send copy to every men,
! ber of congress, and also to the new
| members elected at the last election.
| When all had been finally disposed of,
| the convention rose In a body and gave
| vent to loud and prolonged cheers.
| Several minor committee reports were
! then adopted, after which the resolu-
| tions committee presented. with a fa-
| vorable recommendation, a resolution
| urging the United States senate to
enact such a law as will allow distillers
| to bottle distilled spirits in bond. so
the manufacturers. preventing the ex-
| portatiop of distilled spirits in bottles
and cases in bond, may be removed.
! The resolution conterGed that this
would largely increase our export trade
| to all parts of the world. and particu-
| iarly to Central and South America and
Mexico and afford the manufacturers
and opportunity to compete with for
| eign competitors, particularly with "a
madam distillers.