New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-09
. PRICE THREE CENTS.
MORE STRICKEN INDUSTRIES
GLAsswORKERs AND POTTERs APPEAL
FOR PROTECTION
HOW THEY HAVE SUFFERED IN LOSS OF WORK
THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, ARGUE FOR
RESTORATION OF THE DUTIES or 1850.


RESTORATION or THE DUTIES or 1850.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrruSE.l
Washington Jan ST the statements made
to the Committee on Ways and Means to-day
by the manufacturers ard workingmen who are
or down to the spring Of 1893 were engaged IN
making glassware and earthcnware are true.
these industries have suffered and are now SUE
ferinC intensely on account Of the tariff legisla-
ton Of 1894. and nobody in this country, ex-
cept the agents OF foreign manufacturers ana
possibly few importers. has been benefited
That the statements made are true and not
exaggerated there Is not the slightest reason 10
doubt and they were not directly challenged
even by Mr.. Mcaiillin or Judge Turner Tae
former has seemed since the hearings began TO
he trying discover a theory which would
harmonize with the results OF the law OF 1874.
Of which he was of IN. more active ana
conspicuous trainers. anu also with the theories
which governed in the preparation Of that be-
wderng legislation but ne has not yet sue
cceded. II will he somewhat difficult for future
investigators who may attempt To follow Mr.
McMillins trail through the reports Of the hear.
ings keep their bearings and say when they
reach the end Of it what he was probably driv-
ing at He seems to have abandoned the claim
t"at 'ne wilson Dill was lfinleu III oInrf u
produce revenue only" because II has not
done He misses no opportunity 10 call at
tention TO the figures which show that the
quantity and value Of certain article imported
I'm 1893 were greater than in 1896 but cases In
which the mportations OF 1896 exceeded those
Of 1893 in both quantity and value. and the
amount Of duties collected in 1893 exceeded the
amount collected In 1896. he passes over in 81
lence
DANGER IN JAPANESE COMPETITION.
In the course Of ,o-day's hearing reference
again made to the subject Of Jaranese COM
petition. which discussed when the sched-
ucs OF Gotten goods and of textiles manufact-
ured from jute were under consideration The
matter was called up to-day and considerable
light shed on II ny Representative Taylor. OF
Ohio in his address in behalf Of the pottery
industries. II is apparent that members OF the
committee have already become awakened to a
sense of the dangers that may threaten some
of the more important industries Of the United
States from japanese competition.
To-day as on every day since the hearings
began the demand for specific rates OF duty was
strong and urgent and almost unanimous. the
only dissenting voice raised being that OF a rep
resentative of the crockery importers. 1t APP
pears hat he manufacturers Of earthenware
goods have become deeply impressed with the
necessity well 6eslrahility ~ specific rates
Of duty that they have been making thorough
investigation To ascertain whether or not u
would be practicable to substitute specific for ad
valcrem rates on table and ornamental earthen-
and chinaware. and Mr. Taylor said that
they had found a practicable plan for the impo-
siton Cf weight duties. which would be submitted
for the consideration of thu committee as soon
as all the details had been worked out
OPENING THE HEARING.
The hearing opened by F. ". Walker. Of
Beaver Falls Penn. who represented the manu-
facturers of floor and wall tiles. They desired
the substitution of specific for ad valorem duties
under which there have been excessive importa-
tons fraudulently undervalued invoices in
the last two years. He explained one of the
ways in which the frauds committed An
order would be sent. he said. to a foreign manu-
facturer or his agent accompanied by draft
for half the amount of the order. The invoice
would be made 10 cover the entire shipment but
tho values would be entered 10 correspond with
the unpaid half of the order and to escape de-
lection a few inferior tiles would be scattered
through the shipment in order to deceive the GUS
toms officers In many cases. ne asserted. the In.
voices did not show more than one-fourth OF the
actual foreign market value Of the shipments.
According To Mr. Walker bout ~ per cent OF the
domestic consumption of floor and wall tiles II
in the United States The capaci-
ty Of domestic production had doubled under the
law of $500 but there had been no increase I'M
der the existing law. and the present condition
of the industry exceedingly unsatisfactory.
BY the substitution Of specific for ad valorem
rate Of duty and some changes OF classification
which were suggested the revenues would be in
creased and the domestic industry again restored
to a prosperous condition.
Robert W. Leslie. Of Philadelphia. submitted
n printed statement in behalf Of the manu-
facturers of cement. The duty on This article
was not disturbed In 1894 and no change was
now desired The revenue derived from inn
ported cement had averaged 100000 year for
the last 1--WE years. and the domestic production
had Increased to the extent OF l.OO0,OW barrela
HARDsHIPs OF THE GLAssBLOwERs.
The condition Of the cement industry offered
a striking contrast to that OF the manufacture
Of glass bottles as described by workingmen
who are employed In that industry. or were
therein employed before the enactment OF this
law 81 1894 which deprived many OF them Of
employment and furnished work TO the re-
mainder not more than two-thirds OF the time.
The first speaker in behalf OF this industry
was Edward a Agard. Of Streator. ILL.,. green
glass bottle blower. In behalf ~ his fellow
workingmen and of the manufacturers. Mr..
Agard urged the restoration Of the duties OF
1890 He said that the law OF 1894 had
wrought decentralization and havoc in the in
dustry. and the last two years had witnessed
a struggle for bare existence on the part Of the
men who had been employed therein Under
the law OF 1890 the business had been pros
nd and, nd
new law (which reduces the rates Of duty
nearly one-half. labor. which II always first to
suffer In such case had found its wages
reduced IL to - per cent. and had found itself
deprived Of employment about one-h half the
time II had been idle six months Of the year
instead of the two months when the weather
Is too hot for glsssblowing
Another evil effect OF the law had been to
hreak down and drive out Of husiness thu