The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-12
TARIFF HEARINGS AT AN END.
SUNDRIES AND THE FREE LIST THE
CLOSING TOPICS.


Sight-Specihc Duty Wanted on
COnI Tar-Abe Gruber of New York
Wants Wearing Apparel Brought
in by Tourists Put ON the List-A
New Yorker Suggests Rates to BE
Placed on Gloves.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE tariff hear
ings before the ways and means commit
tee were concluded to-day, the schedules
containing "sundries" and the free list
being considered.
Representative Corliss of Michigan ask
ed protective duties on tobacco, lumber
fish, wool and other industries of his
| state.
]. Z. Smith of Waterbury, Conn.,, repre-
senting manufacturers of vegetable ivory
buttons, asked a specific duty on buttons
of l cent per line of one-fortieth of an
inch per gross and % per cent ad valorem.
N. S. Greenoch of Cleveland, on behalf
of the manufacturers of coal tar, asked
small specific duty on this article, and
| duty on it's principal product, pitch, Of
| 81 per ton Both articles are now on the
| free list.
| Ex-Mayor Scheren of Brooklyn filed
! paper protesting against any increase in
| the duties on hides.
J. C. Storey and C. c. Kemp of Boston
| protested against placing a tax on coai
! tar. The domestic supply was insufficient
to meet the demand, and if a duty were
| placed on the product manufacturers US
ing it would be driven out of the business.
Abe Gruber Of New York spoke on the
| subject of wearing apparel brought in by
| tourists A duty on this class of goods
would yield revenue of $1O,0O0,OOO per an
mum. In this connection. he cited the As
| tor case, which caused member of the
committee to remark that all tourists
were not Astors.
Mr.. Gruber replied: mo; and there will
! be less Astors if this law is not changed"
! l.. Littauer of New York advocated du-
! ties on gloves, at the rate of S. So and 81
| per dozen, according to grade.
w. j. Curtis. of New York, asked the
committee not to discriminate against any
particular class of gloves.
Mr.. Littauer, interrupting, said that the
| rates suggested were particularly desired
! on ladies gloves.
Kenneth Bernhart, representing Mar
shall Field & Co., of Chicago, counselled
| 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. Spe
he said, would yield a revenue of about
| 81, 100000 annually.
Representative Keifer of Minnesota, on
behalf of his constituents, requested a
restoration of the Mckinley rates on pota-
| toes and starch.
Representative Linney of North Carolina
said that North Carolina had a new in
| dustry, the mining of "monezite,' a pro
! duct used in a patent light apparatus
Brazil was driving the domestic article
| out of the market and he desired as high
a duty as the committee could give.
w. J. Farrell of New York, an importer
of corks, requested a reduction in the
| duty on corks the duty to be made specific
at cents per pound on those manufac-
tured, with cork squares on the free list.
II. Wallerstein of New York, represent
ing the importe s of shoe leather, spoke
against any increase in the duty on this
article. About so per cent of the shoe leath-
er consumed in the United States was of
domestic production. About IS, 963, 900 worth
was exported last year while but s., $50 3l4
was imported. The latter were principally
enameled and patent feathers not pro-
duced here. American makers were begin
ming to export shoes, and he thought an
increase in the duty on leather would hurt
this trade.
II. Burke of Philadelphia, representing
the makers of glazed kid and morocco
leather, said the present duty on these
| SOOuS was dueQudle, DuL ne desired Ine
present ad Valorem duty made specific. Ten
years ago glazed kid was almost entirely
imported and sold for so cents per square
foot. To-day glazed of a superior quality
was made here and sold for 80 cents This
was one of the industries that had been
built up under protection. In a few
years he thought patent leather would
be successfully produced. The only arti-
cles on which he desired an increased duty
was on India tanned skins. which were in
ferior in quality and driving domestic
goods out of the market.
o. j. Kraft of New Jersey, a maker of
piano feathers, asked a duty on buckskn.
Frank Chapot of Plainfeld, N. j., a man.
ufacturer of chamois skins, appealed Tor
a duty of 30 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. b. Brandeis, 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 bust
ness would revive.
When it was suggested by a member of
the committee that revenue was needed,
he said that $32, 100000 could be raised by
a tax on beer.
Representative morse OF massachusetts,
on behalf of the jewelry manufacturers
of New England, asked an increase IN
the duty on jewelry.
H. G. Tresher of Providence, r. L. said
the jewelry business was greatly depress-
ed Not only was a higher rate of duty
required, but a new classification was
needed as the present law was being
evaded and jewelry was being imported
under the metal schedule. A duty Of Is
per cent. would be required.
j. A. Banister of Newark N. j.. de-
sired the present rates on leather con-
tinued.
]. II. Collet of New York, representing
$50 artificial flower manufacturers, said
the importation of these goods were de-
prving American workmen of 50, 10000 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 material they used
was paying more duty than the finished
product.
Representative Sparkman of Florida de-
sired the rate on oranges, lemons and
lines, suggested a few days ago by Rep