The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-24
CARNEGIE ASKED
To TALK ON TARIFF
Committee on WAYS and
Means SeRd Invitation
COMMITTEE is RUSHED
After Session Lasting All Night the
Committee Makes Some Progress
In the Vast Amount of
Work.
COMMITTEE is RUSHED

! Washington, November 23.-As a result
of the declaration of Andrew Carnegie in
an article in the forthcoming number of
the Century Magazine that the tariff
schedules on iron and steel should be re-
duced, the ways and means committee
of the House tonight formally invited Mr.
| Carnegie to appear before it this week
to tell what he knows about the steel
industry and the possibility of the re-
duction of the tariff on iron and steel
products.
No reply had been received from Mr.
| Carnegie by the committee at Il o'clock
tonight, but as the telegram of invita-
| ton was not sent until late, no reply was
expected until tomorrow.
The members of the committee were
unit in refusing to discuss Mr.. Carnegies
article, although all of them admitted hav-
ing read it as published this morning.
Sitting in long night session to con-
slider the tariff schedules on tiles. lime,
cement. carbons and kindred articles, the
committee put in full time at work to-
day
Night Session.
In the course of the night session H. L.
Sheppard and Grin F. Perry of the Rock
land-Rockport (Maine) Lime company
were put through a grilling examination
when they asked that the present duty OF
5 cents a hundred pounds on lime be
maintained.
Mr.. Perry admitted the price of lime
had advanced ever since his firm was or
ganized in 1900
Using figures furnished him, Represen-
tative Champ Clark figured out that the
company is making "a per cent profit.
Bernard Traitel, representing the Tile,
Crate and Mantle association of New
York, asked that the crate used to i'm
port quarries, which form the the floors
of the humblest cottages be admitted
free of duty. E. E. Carey and Hugo
Reisinger, importers of carbons, asked
that the tariff of SO on a thousand Of
earbons for electric lights be reduced in
order that they might compete with the
National Carbon company of Cleveland,
o. ]. S. Order, representing that COM
pany, insisted on the necessity for the
duty.
Fillmore Congit, representing the
general committee of the state board
of trade in mineral industry OF Cali
fornia. asked that the tariff on as
phaltum be increased. Frank c. Part
| ridge of the Vermont Marble company
| sked on behalf of those concerned in
| the production of American marble that
the duty marble be left unchanged.
He said no objection was raised to the
| Importation free of duty of true works
| of art.
| In reply to a question, he declared,
as vice president of the company of
which the late Senator Proctor of Yer
mont was president that Senator Proc
tor, despite repeated reports, did not
have one dollar invested in Italian mar
BILE.
Argument on Tariff.
Presentation of arguments in the tar
iff on pottery took up the entire aft
ernoon session.
E. H. Pitkin of Chicago declared in
| favor of the duties of the Wilson bill
% per cent lower than the present
rates.
William Burgess of Trenton N j.
representing the Manufacturing Pot
ters' association of the United States
and w. E. Wells of Newell, W. Va,
favored an increase in the duty on
| imported china.
Under valuation by importers was
one of the principal subjects discussed.
! Champ Clark declared that this alleged
| differentiation is the only argument
| the manufac turers present for an in
crease in the tariff.
Mr.. Wells declaring that there would
| be a great decrease in the production
| of pottery in this country if the man
! ufacturers could not receive RELIEF from
the tariff, said the potters want a q
| cent per pound specific rate of duty on
china instead of the ad valorem rate.
! They do not desire any change in the
| duty on earthenware.
John Richardson of Boston requested
that English china clay be put on the
| free list.
Henry o. Auer of Cleveland asked
that crude fullers earth, which is on
the free list, be distinctly defined in
| the tariff
A more clearly defined description OF
fire brick was requested by James e.
| McC1oskey of Pittsburg.