The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-25
Witness Says Oxide of Zinc
Is Controlled by One
Big Company.
WANT REDUCTIONS
IN STEEL DUTIES
Manufacturers Cause Surprise by
Asking Several
a. Changes.

Today's session Of the WAYS and
Means Committee furnished the sensa-
lions which have been expected, and as
a result of the disclosures made by the
witnesses the Department of Justice
will be called upon to 40 some more
'trust busting" Champ Clark, Of Mis-
souri,, has been looking for a trust for
three weeks, and he thinks he found
one today.
Alexander o. Ihlsing. OF the Circle
Mining Company. Of OrOnOgo. No. told
Mr.. Clark that the New Jersey Zinc
Company, which produces the greater
part Of oxide Of zinc, might fairly be
called trust, and that 1t dictated the
prices which that metal should bring
in the market.
Have you Informed Attorney General
Bonaparte of the habitat of that
trust?" asked Mr.. Clark.
The witness replied that he had. not,
whereupon Mr.. Clark said: IT propose
TO inform the Attorney General myself
then and ask him 10 start an investi-
cation"
Lower Tariff on Steel.
No less important was the announce
ment by representatives, of the steel
industry that instead Of asking for the
retention Of the present high tariff
schedules. they would recommend TO
the committee substantial and radical
reductions in many OK the commodities
in the schedule.
This announcement was made by
Willis l. King. vice president of the
Jones & Laughlin Steel Company, of
Pittsburg. manufacturers Of steel bars
and structural material
Mr.. King said the men interested in
the steel industry We're fully aware Of
the impression that had gone abroad
10 the effect that they would oppose
any attempt to revise the steel schedule
downward. IN TefutaJiOu he said that
at conference Of the steel men in New
York yesterday IL was decided 10 point
out to the committee that the high
protection now given on many articles
is no longer necessary.
Some Of the men who win follow
me, said Mr.. King, representing
large manufacturing interests, VIII rec
ommend substantial and in many
eases radical reductions in the steel
schedule"
Dir. King thus prefaced his remarks
and asked that they serve as an apOl-
ogy for the request ne was about 10
make. He asks that the duty on steel
bars be increased from $40 Of cent TO
AID. of a cent, and suggested that steel
bars should be put In the same para
graph with iron bars. This would bring
about an increased tariff on steel, but
would reduce the tariff on iron bars a
tenth OF q cent.
Wants Duty on Zinc Ore.
S ". Mitchell. Of Carthage. No.
asked that zinc ore be taken from the
free list and made dutiable at IL cents
pound. Such q tax, he said. was neces-
sary TO keep down the tmpOrtation3
from Mexico and to give the American
miner a fair chance in competition.
Mr.. Ihlsing supported the argument
Of Mr Mitchell, and when he had con-
cluded his brief he was taken in hand
by the Democratic members Of the
committee. The witness admitted that
a tariff on the Mexican product would
bring about an increased cost 70 the
consumer.
Mr.. Cochran of New York set about
getting an analysis Of the present duty
on zinc and its products, and the wit
ness made some interesting revelations
as to what appeared to be pTOhibitiVe
duty. he said the cost Of labor on
oxide was 50 a ton, and the American
producer was protected by a so duty
the cost of labor on spelter IS S17, and
fl has a protection of $780, sheet zinc,
including all cost from the time IL is
mined until It leaves the rollers, has
= AopOL COoL u go anu q HACeS|tiHS AeNJ
Of $40.
Cochran Much Pleased.
Mr.. Cochran, who could not conceal
his pleasure at the statements, was dis
Cussing with the witness the economic
principles involved in prohibitive duty,
when he was interrupted by the chair
man with the remark that the commit
tee did not have time to listen.
Every we'll" said Mr.. Cochran, snil-
ingly "since Il wounds the sensibilities
OF the chairman, i will not prosecute
my inquiries further
Mr.. Ihlsing then gave in some detail,
at the request of Mr.. Clark history of
the New Jersey Zinc Company, its meth
cd Of producing and marketing the ore
and the manner in watch IL dictated the
price at which it should be sold. AT the
conclusion OF his testimony Mr.. Clark
announced his intention OF bringing the
matter TO the attention Of Attorney
General Bonaparte.
Gives Steel Statistics.
Mr.. King, who was the first to repre-
sent the steel industry, said In reply
10 Mr.. Underwood, that the total pro-
duction OF steel in the United States
was between five and one-half and six
million tons ia 1907, and that the total
Importation only amounted to 10000 tons.
He admitted that the present tarif
was practically prOhiBittve at times, but
said that IL it was not maintained for
eigners would dump their steel here at
a less price than il was sold for abroad
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