Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-08
TARIFF in ENGLAND.
CONSUL MAHIN AT NOTTINGHAM
WRITES OF BRITISH
RATES
Clinton Man in ,"e Diplomatic Corps
Has Splendid Opportunity to Oh
serve Conditions in European Ma
lions and Reports on investigations
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Washington Bureau Of the Courier.

Washington Bureau Of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., March 8.
Consul Frank W. Mahin, the Clin-
ton man stationed at Nottingham, Eng
land, has recently been giving consider
able attention to the tariff question in
that country. He says the report Of
the Chamberlain tariff commission on
the British hosiery industry is based,
to a large extent on the testimony of
witnesses from the city in which he
is located The fact that under the
new consular bill which recently
passed the United States senate the
salary of Mr.. Mahin is to be increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 is an Indication
that Nottingham is becoming a post Of
the first Importance. Mr. Mahin as
serts that the imposition of duties on
British hosiery. going to foreign
countries. is having the effect to in
jure the industry The general sec
rotary of the hosiery federation says:
"The importation of foreign made
goods into our markets has prevented
any advance in wages, 1t has neces-
stated the removal of machinery into
country districts, it has created the
need for improved machinery which
will be simpler and may be operated
by girls, displacing fifty per cent Of
the men. American, French and Ger
man tariffs have been raised and this
has operated to exclude our goods, in
some cases altogether. Hundreds of
our members have moved from Not
tingham and Leicestershire because Of
nothing to do or irregular work"
Another uitpacc coid. ttrrbo NfoKjn
ley tariff seemer to knock us out al
together and we did not know what to
do. but the Germans were not so
seriously affected. The American buy
ers formerly came to England, stopped
off week or ten days at Nottingham
and then went to Germany. Now they
go to Germany and do not stop at
Nottingham at ALL"
Germany is actually selling fine cot
ton underwear in Great Britain at
fifteen per cent below cost to the
British and Italy and Switzerland are
doing the same thing 1t Is declared
that the United States is exporting
| fieece-lined cotton shirts at prices
twenty per cent below cost in England.
| The Germans and French have practi-
cally taken the market away from Eng.
land, SO far as the continent is con.
cerned, and the best authorities do not
believe 1t can be recovered.
/ Touching the carpet industry Con
sui Mahin says that markets formerly
almost entirely in the hands of the
British are now almost closed to them
by high tariffs and foreign carpets are
being imported into England. The
conditions Of trade with the United
States have compile, ly altered. AS re.
Gently as 1886 one firm exported
twenty-nine per cent Of its product to
the United States In 1902 this had
fallen to three per cent
From authentic sources 1t is ascer.
tanned that the wooden industry is also
losing ground. The number of factor.
les and the number Of hands EN-.
] ployed show a decrease while the
I factories of Germany and France are
increasing in numbers and in hands
employed Formerly no British wool
of any account was shipped, now large
amounts are exported to the continent
Consul Mahin says the reason for
this is the tariff on wooden goods i'm.
posed by continental countries. An
English firm that formerly sold $3.50,
600 in Russia, now does not sell dol
lars worth. The tariff in operation In
the United States makes it possible for
American spinners to underbid Eng
lish makers and the same Is true OF
Erarca Tn ono r,,op,, 70 1T =, ri,, q ,1;et ~