New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-19
A DINGLEY ANOMALY
COMMITTEE PERPLE4ED.
Starch Trust Sells Cheaper an
England than at Home.

lean market he mas only to go to England put .
chase starch produced and exported from here
and ship it back to the United States. BY this
course he would save 40 cents on every hundred
pounds and obtain for 81 Is the same amount or
/ starch for which he would be compelled to pay
/ SO 65 in this country. In this transaction there
! would be included the payment of 10 cents
/ hundred pounds for shipment from Great Britain
! to the United States. 1t perplexed the members
/ of the Ways and Means Committee for some
! time this afternoon at the hearing on starch
! schedules and after more than an hours ques-
tioning Of witnesses and fruitless discussion, the
reason remained mystery.
The question came up in the testimony of E.
B. Walden. sales manager of the Corn Products
Refining Company, of New York, who began his
statement by saying that one-fourth Of the
starch manufactured by his firm was shipped to
Great Britain. where it was sold at q loss OF
about 10 cents hundred pounds. He said the
price of the commodity in this country is ~ SO,
while in England the same American starch is
sold for s215, even after freight charge OF
10 cents a hundred pounds is paid. This state
ment rather startled the committee. and VOL
/ ley OF questions hurled at Mr.. Walden.
which he cleverly evaded.
Representatives Clark and Underwood. Demo-
cratic members, asked why the goods were sold
at loss in England when they could be profit
ably disposed of here Mr.. Walden replied that
his company had formerly sold starch at a profit
in that country, and hoped that this condition
would soon recur. This explanation did not seem
satisfactory to the committee. and several mem
bers pressed the question without result. Mr.
walden while not absolutely refusing to answer
and insisting that he had given lucid explana
ton. continued his evasve replies until at length
Representative BouteH asked why the American
buyers dealt with the Corn Products Company
and not with the English starch dealers. Mr..
Walden made pretence of answering this
question.
Something of a sensation was created by Rep
resentatve BouteIls question and as the hear
ing adjourned shortly afterward. number OF
opinions could be heard TO the probable
suit A member OF the committee said that
proba bic consequence will be thorough investi-
CATION to determine whether the starch is really
sold abroad a loss and why the American
buyers don't take advantage OF the low price in
the English market. He also said that in his !
opinion the Corn Products Refining Company is
in practical control of the American market and
can force buyers to pay the American price.
Representative Boutell said that he would insist
on more specific explanations in the briefs which
will be filed with the committee. and it is prob
able that the revision OF the starch schedules
will depend largely on the result Of these ex-
plantations
One Of the starch producers explained the low
price abroad by the old story OF dumping the
surplus the foreigner" but in this instance
the surplus, was so large that the committee
appeared to be unsatisfed.
FRUIT GROWERS HEARD
The committee began its hearings on the
schedule for agricultural products and pro
visions The California citrus fruit growers !
the first to be heard. b. F. Woodward |
surveyor of customs at San Francisco who
headed the California delegation. asked for a
higher rate of duty lemons and hops and de- |
sired that the present tariff be maintained on |
other articles of this schedule A. F. Call. OF |
Carona, Cal, made similar requests and gave |
the committee much information on the cost and |
methods of raising citrus fruit. It is not ex-
pected that many changes will be asked on the |
articles coming under Schedule G.
A protective tariff on oranges and lemons was |
strongly opposed by +. A. Hamilton. represent |
ing the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the |
citrus fruit trade of New York
Senator Hale does not expect anv effort to |
change the tariff law at the short session of |
Congress. once in a while" he said to-day, |
you will hear such suggestion. but it is clear
~ out of the question and it will not be under
taken; and he added lit is safe to say that |
there will not be any radical changes when the
much talked of revision is made Recent events |
have made it certain that there will be no
Necessarily there
will be some alterations, some readjustments
but no general tearing down and building up
IT is clear that the country does not expect or
court such a course, and Congress will not enter
upon it
Mr. Hale has returned to Washington to at
tend the meeting Of the monetary commission
next Monday. He said that the commission had
not prosecuted it's inquiries far as to be able
to make any important recommends ton at the
forthcoming session of Congress. I'VE learned /
a number Of interesting facts during our visit |
Europe last summer, and have done much
work in this country" he said. but 1t will nee /
esssarily be some time before we shall be in a |
position to make any definite suggestions for /
the modification of the monetary system Of the |
United States. 1t is big subject and will re- ,
ouire careful attention. 1t is possible that we :
may ask to have some changes made in the law
regulating the inspection Of banks, but if that
is done II will be merely incidental"
ITO ask us to put aside our business affairs !
and at our own expense, go TO Washington on
q desperate mission is asking a little too much. /
whether the demand comes from the committee
or from a Presidcnt-elect,' is the substance Of !
a letter addressed by Charles Francis Adams to /
Representative Mccall Of Massachusetts, and
made public by the latter to-day in explanation
Of the failure Of the tariff reformers to present 4!
their case TO the Ways and Means Committee
Mr.. Adams declares that the persons who wish /
the tariff schedules to remain unchanged either /
are thieves hogs" and admits that he be-
longs to the first class But ne is also a tariff |
reformer desiring TO every protective sched- |
ule swept out of existence. As mere citizen
he thinks he would receive from the Ways and
Means Committee scarcely respectful hearing
if any at all.