New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
FREE HIDES DEMANDED
FREE WORKS OF ART
Both Nay Be IN Neso Tariff Bill
n LiUely Hearing.
TFronn The Tribune fsuresu.1 ]

'iioeS anu leather by the Boot and Shoe Manufact-
urers Association, the National Association of
Tanners. the Saddlers' Association of the United
STATES and a number of independent manufacturers
ana wholesalers OF leather goods the features
OF to-days hearing by the Ways and Means Com
lnittee There was discordant note among the
witnesses who appeared on the leather schedule.
aIthough the cattle rasers hide sellers of the
west were represented the committee by Mr..
Calderhead. Of Kansas and Mr.. Bonynge. of
Colorado whose questions tended to bring out the
point that the tariff protects the farmer and gives
him a better market for his hides. At the close
OF the hearing there seemed little doubt in the
ninos Of the witnesses and several members of the
COMMITTEES that the duty of Is per cent leather,
10 per cent hides 25 per cent on the average
imported pair OF Shoes would be reduced to abso-
lutte free trade minimum, with some duty for
ene maximum TO be exacted exports from coun-
tries which discriminate against the United States.
The manufacturers did not, as a rule urge the re-
nloVaI OF the duty on shoes, but the consensus of
opinion was that free trade with q judicious maxi
mum tariff, would bring about the best conditions
under which the industry could operate
The chief reasons for the abolition of the tariff
presented TO the committee that the principle
or protection should not be applied to articles that
are In the strictest sense raw material on which
practically no labor is expended; that tariff
not protect stock rasers, because tax on hides
Goes not stimulate decrease the demand for
beef: that the domestic consumption of hides and
SKINS exceeds the domestic supply by 20 per cent
and that foreign raw material is a vital necessity
hides
Is comparatively inconseQuentiaI
The advocates of FREQ works of art headed by
Robert W. de Forest, OF New York president of
the Municipal Art Commission; Robert Underwood
Johnson OF The Century Carroll Beckwith. Rob
ert Reios OF the Ten American Painters and GeaFge
B. Hopkins, found little evidence that the commit
tee intends to continue duty on these articles
and it is their confident expectation that the new
bill Will place all works of an educational valus on
the free list
TANNERS ENLIvEN HEARING.
The tanners started the contest in lively fashion
by asking the committee to put hides on the <rea
list Fred Vogel, jr of Milwaukee declared that
the duty Of Is per cent hides did not protect
stock raisers, and added that the domestic con-
sumption Of hides and skins inadequate and
not increased stimulated by the tariff
When David p. Leas a Philadelphia manufact-
urer OF leather said that the Chicago packers had
monopoly in hides to which every man. woman
and child paid tribute, Representative Boutel sug-
gested that the way TO break up that MONOPOLY
was to put not only hides but shoes the free list.
'If necessary, we tanners are willing to have
shoes on the free list" said Mr.. Leass
Drop out that qualification and we will be get
ting together" interrupted Representative Champ
Clark
Put hides the free list and the American tan
ner will beat the world was the statement of
Elisha Cobb OF Boston, another manufacturer of
leather. As the result Of series of questions by
Representative Gaines Mr.. Cobb was led to say
that the tariff hides added only three cents to
the cost Of the upper leather IN shoe to the con-
sunner
And this tribute of three cents shoe that
every man. woman and child IS paying to the hide
monopoly IS not heavy after ALL observed Mr..
Boutell.
Mr.. Cobb qualified his previous answer by saying
that the upper leather not all the leather that
went into shoe.
Chairman Payne at last forced by applause
from ths audience to say that the committee did not
propose to have any expressions from spectators.
Edward P. Alexander, OF New York representing
leather betting manufacturers. asked for hides
and did not object putting betting on the free
list, provided hides free -.----.
H N Hill. Of Cleveland. representing thirty tan
ners making enanelled leather, declared that the
duty hides "a rank injustice to everybody
except the packers
II think there no limit to our trade except the
Mr.. Hill declared.
He added that labor unions might prevent COM
petition with free Canadian leather.
The duty on hides was denounced as bounty on
one industry for the benefit OF another by c. NJ
Jones' president Of the New England Shoe and
Leather Association He predicted that within
three years every Independent would be
driven out Of business by the packers. Chairman
Payne asked him to close his argument as quickly
possible, because thirty persons waiting to
be heard. /
MR. PAYNE FOR FREE HIDES
Il know that all the free trade papers will now
accuse Of hurrying this investigation but I
want it understood that I have always been in |
favor Of free hides" said the chairman. They
have forgotten that
Mr.. Jones said that change of three or five |
cents in the cost of the leather in meant a
change Of per cent in its service.
Representative Calderhead asked R F. Spencer |
of St Louis who took the stand to say that the |
West joined the East in the demand that the duty
be taken off hides. If that would increase or de- |
crease the price cattlemen would get. Mr. Spencer
replied that be could not say He added that there
was some division among shoe manufacturers as |
to whether they need q tariff on shoes
"Payne's neighbor' then appeared He was !
Charles E Mccarthy. a shoe manufacturer of |
Auburn. n. Y. He introduced his plea for free
hides by saying he belonged to the same church
Chairman Payne did
Get little closer the stenogra pher" directed
Mr.. Payne. Il don want any of this to miss get
ting in the record"
q better shoe for the same money If hides were
free I
John ". Craddock, OF Lynchburg Va spoke for
southern manufacturers in behalf Of free hides
He said that in the last nine months hides had
fuctuated 20 TO 60 per cent, that the leather
business was just gamy and sporty as a seat
n the stock market"
Charles Keifer, OF Chicago representing the
Wholesale saddlery Association said the removal
IF the duty hides would benefit the whole coun-
ny He was Indifferent to any protection the
FOODS he manufactured with certain exceptions
The discussion on hide and leather rates was
,osed by arguments by John H. Hanan, president
II the National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers'
Association, and John L Wilder. secretary of the
National Tanners Association
Chairman Payne made public a dispatch from 4.
:. Little Co.. shoe manufacturers. Of Lynn,
Mass favoring abolition of the duty on shoes
A demand for duty surgical catgut and re-
ned wool grease was made BY Charles Heber