Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-11

w ASHINGTON, Nov. 10.-With
w few exceptions the interests af-
fected by schedule A of the
Dingley tariff. which includes over 100
articles under the heading Of "chemi-.
Gals, oils and paints" do not desire
any changes in the rates Of duty now
operative.
This was indicated today at the first
hearing for consideration OF revision
of the tariff held before the house COM
mittee on ways and means.
The hearings are preliminary to the
taking up of the question at the extra
session OF congress.
The chemical products, coal tar pro-
ducts, chemicals, paints, oils, varnishes,
medicinal preparations and extracts
for dyeing or tanning were the principal
subjects on which the committee OBJ
tanned information from those who APP
peared before 1t today.
There were few requests for increases
in the present rates of duty. A strong
advocate of lower tariff rates was
Albert Plant, who drafted the schedule
for medicinal chemicals for the Wilson
bill.
Duties Prohibitive
"The duties on medicinal chemicals
he said. ARE mostly prohibitive, being
in most cases % per cent, which is
prohibitive rate. The duties are prac-
tically the same as the tariff of 1883
What was good for the trade then is
not good now"
In addition to recommending that
medicinal chemicals now scheduled to 20
per cent ad valorem should be reduced
to Is per cent, Mr.. Plant said that GER
tain articles of a similar nature should
be taken off the free list, naming
quinine as an example, and recon-
mending for it 10 per cent adValorem
rate.
Creates Amusement
N. d. Arnold, representing the Var
nish Manufacturers National associa-
ton, declared that varnish manufac-
turers of the country are satisfied with
present conditions.
Replying to Mr.. Underwood of Ala
bama, Democratic member of the COM
mittee, Mr.. Arnold admitted that his
trade did not need any protection with
regard to alcohol varnish.
He said in view of the availability OF
denatured alcohol for manufactured
varnish an ad valorem rate of 20 per
cent for alcohol varnishes instead OF
the present rate of 35 per cent should
be fair.
He created much amusement by his
frank statements with regard to the
oft-repeated assertion that surplus pro-
duction is offered on foreign markets by
American manufacturers at less price
than Is demanded in the home markets
declaring that this was not true.
More Duty on Coal Tar
John F. Queeny of st, Louis ane
representatives of the Semet- -Solvency
company of Syracuse, n. Y, favored
higher duties on coal tar products, the
former requesting that duty be i'm
posed on salain, now on the free list.
DR.. Springer, representing chemical
firm of Cincinnati, asked that 3 la
cents a pound be put on PRUSSIA soda
instead of the ad valorem rate OF -
per cent which now applies under para
graph for chemical compounds.
He said the low price of this article
abroad made it impossible to manu-
facture at a profit in this country.
He asked for 80 per cent ad valorem
rate on tetrachloride of tin. but adj
mitted that this would be prohibitive
rate of duty which would permit him
to increase his profits.
II. S. Wiredner of New York, repre-
senting zinc interests of New Jersey:
Alfred NJ. Isaacs, who favored a re-
duction on low grades of glue, and
Larry Mohun of this city, who sug-
gested duty of u cent per pound on
cocoanut oil, also addressed the COM
mittee. Charles Evans, a manufac-
turing chemist of Philadelphia; w. w.
Skiddy, representing the manufacturers
of extracts for dyeing and tanning, and
f. H. Dyer, representing the Paint
Manufacturers Association of the
United States. advocated the retention
of the duties imposed by the present
law.
The committee held two sessions and
will resume tomorrow.