The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-03
THE TARIFF HEARING
Republican Lyon Provokingly
Upholds the Wilson Bill.
A FLUsTERED COMMITTEE
Mr.. Lyon Did Not Believe in
Abuse OF Protection" {
HEMP, FLAX, JUrE SCHEDULES
Mr.. Combs of Kentucky Deprecated
Putting of These Articles on Free
List and Said Wages Had
Been Lowered by 1t.

Washington, Jan. 2-The Ways and
ldaens committee devoted the day to
listening to those interested in the sched-
ule covering fax, hemp, jute, MANILA.
and other vegetable fibres. The manu-
facturers, growers and importers display
ed considerable antagonism. Those who
appeared were: VIM. Rutherford, Of
Oakland, Cal, Crawford Lyon, Of Balti-
more, Md, John Wilson, of Newark, n.
T., Leslie Combs, of Lexington, Ky,
Congressman Van Horn, of Missouri, j.
n. Bemis, Of Boston, II. r. Biddle, Of
New York, Congressman-elect Charles
e. pearce, of st. Louis, and John w.
Bell, Of Andover, Mass.
Mr. VIM. Rutherford, representing
company which has manufactured irvine,
yarn and cloth for 80 years, was the
first speaker.
They asked first that yarns made of
jute be advanced from 80 to 80 per cent
ad valorem; second that burlaps and
bags for grain made OF burlaps be trans
ferred to the dutiable list, the section to
read, "Burlaps of any width of fax, or
hemp, or of which flax, jute or hemp, or
any of them shall be the material Of chief
value, Except such as may be suitable
for bagging for cotton), 1A cents per
pound"
Bags for grain made Of burlaps two
cents per pound.
Third, that gunny bags and gunny
cloths, old or refuse, fit only for remain
ufacture be changed from the free list
to ~ cent per pound.
MIR. Rutherford also pointed out that
Japanese competition was entering the
market One big jute mill had transfer
rcd its machinery TO Span to get the
benefit Of Japanese cheap labor. One
japanese capitalist had endeayored to ef-
feet a deal 10y which Mr.. Rutherford's
mill would be transferred to Japan, guar
anteeing that labor could be secured at
u cents per day bf 13 hours, and coal
at so cents a ton.
The next witness, Mr. Crawford Lyon,
Of Baltimore, characterized Mr.. Ruther-
ford as an ''AlarmIst" and declared that
his statements Regarding free entries of
goods were absolutely untrue. Mr. Lyon
is an importer and :he came armed with
a load Of samples: declaring that only
three varieties of the many he exhibited
were entered free. His plea was for
lower duties on oil cloths and linoleums,
as the Wilson law, he declared, restricts
importations and laRishly protects man
ufacturers.
AFR. Lyon fell into ia wrangle with the
committee at once when he declared, on
being interrupted that he would answer
questions when be hsd finished his state
ment. The committee insisted that ne
answer when questions were asked. In
the course Of a description by him of
how American oil cloth manufacturers
had grown rich under the present and
past tariffs he said Iaany Of them had
become bank presidents.
Mr.. Lyon continuing, said that Amer
lean manufacturers could make these
goods cheaper than they could be made
abroad by reason Of more efficient ma
chinery and that any, requests for an
advance Of tariff shotld be looked on
with suspicion. 1t wOhld give the four
close corporations contrplling the Ameri-
can market an opportunity to squeeze the
public, chance they never had neglect
ed and would deprive the government OF
revenue. In 1894 before the passage
of the Wilson bill trust had been form
ed in oil cloths. The importation of oil
cloths had practically ceased.
Il am Republican in good standing"
Mr.. Lyon said. Il support protection as
a sound policy, but not the abuse of it."
Questions Tained upon. him 80 thick
that the subject became aopelessly COM
plicated before he finished. Then Mr..
RUTHERFORD offered a statement in re-
buttal, by exhibiting samples of goods |
imported by him. 10 this showing Mr..
Lyon replied that the officials OF the port
Of Baltimore refused to admit similar
goods free, under decisioas Of court
Chairman Dingley stated that under the |
Wilson law importations OF 4inoleum had |
increased so per cent and revenues de- |
creased 33 per cent.
The fax dressers were represented by /
Mr.. John Wilson, Of Newark, n. j., who |
in behalf of the workingnlan asked for |
a duty OF Az cents pound on dressed |
flax
Leslie COmbs, Of Lexington KY, who |
said he was the largest grower of hemp |
in the country before the act OF 1894, |
said the placing Of fax, jute and hemp |
on the free list had destroyed entirely
his ability to produce heInp and since l
that time he had not produced q pound /
He came before the committee therefore, /
he said with no selfish interest, as even |
if fair protective duty was put on hemp
he would not again engage in its produc- /
ton But he appeared, he said, in be-
half of the farmers Of Kentucky who were |
dependent on its production. He declar-
ed that there was a larger percentage Of /
labor cost in the production of hemp |
than in any other agricultural product /
Tine labor employed in this industry in
Kentucky was the most intelligent and
industrious colored labor in the country /
and during the profitable production of !