New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-26
New York, March %. 1909.

A careful study Of the tariff bill reported on
March Is to Congress disclosed the fact that al
though the country at large desired an honest re-
vision meaning that wherever necessary the sched-
ules should be lowered. yet few domestic manu-
facturers have succeeded IN having many rates
radically advanced and others maintained at the
present high figures We desire to draw your at
tention TO two of the lines most seriously ahecfeo
namely, cotton hosiery and women's leather gloves
believing that public sentiment should be empnau-
caIly manifested at once against the advances on
these goods.
A eroun Of hosiery manufacturers have received
a 90 per cent increase ove- the prevailing 50 per
cent rate making total of so per cent against
foreign goods. This would exclude all Foreign 20
cent hosiery, and would enable domestic manu-
facturers raise their prices proportonately' Az
So cents and 80 cents the public would have the OPP
ton OF accepting inferior foreign article 10 that
sold heretofore or buying a domestic suosutute
which is less desire pie.
That the present rate of duty is high enough 10
pay liberal wages to the operatives and generous
profit to the manufacturers is shown by the lates'
government census: Domestic output, 1900 ~ 'o9'
2l9: 1905. s4S,190.957; increase. 100 per cent
During 1908 domestic manufacturers themselves
estimated their output at between S0OoU'V' anu
ssO000.oo0.
To prove how completely they getting control
of the home market under the present tariff note
the amount Of foreign hosiery imported 1891
S5l620S5; 1890. s4.m64S2: 1908, s6.645.5lo
The above official figures show conclusveIy thH'
the amount of foreign hosiery imported from year
TO year remains about the same, while the Amerl-
can supremacy has increased so per cent IN hVe
years.
The little competition American manufacturers
are getting to-day Is only q healthy stimulus, and
tends TO keep domestic prices in bounds lo-uaS
nearly 81 per Of the fashioned hosiery hlaoe al
this country is sold by one commission mousse WHICH
Is mainly the interested party in securing an ad-
vance of % per cent more making the industry
practically hosiery trust
The glove manufacturers have not been backward
in making similar requests, and their demands are
no less uniusthable and outrageous They nave
secured tariff which will exclude foreign gloves
altogether. They would put practically the whole
industry into the hands Of group OF mahuiact-
urers in Fulton County, n. Y.
Under the present act gloves not over fourteen
inches are taxed according 10 length, IN Schnas-
chen from 81 10 10 81 IS in lamb suede from
e. 30 TO 81 80 dozen, in lamb giace from s. - 10
a 80 a dozen and in kid from g to 81 30 dozeh'
while under the new act the rates are uniform on
gloves Of all kinds OF leather. ranging from - u
50 81 dozen according 10 length Manifestiy these
rates are prohlbitive and intended 10 he so.
The rates suggested are increases over the pres
ent rates Of from 12s to $50 per cent for 5chnlaS
chen. from 50 to ia per cent for lamb ana from
81 to 1Q2 per cent for kid. which is in direct oppo
,ion n the wishes u the people OF this country,
VINO have declared themselves in favor OF reduc-
lions IN the present rates OF duty.
sucb increases mean tho levying OF tax Of $
cents pair upon the cheapest glove imported. and
from that rate advances TO 50 cents pair. ana
chase taxes are exclusive OF the additional duties
provided for lined embroidered. piaue. prix seam
and silk lined gloves.
Statistics show that the domestic product for the
year 1906 was 81 74O 2s5. compared with mporta-
tons Of s. sea 7s3 From this II Is clear that the
domestic interests have control Of more than "a
per cent OF the market for leather gloves In this
country.
The present majority OF the Ways ana Means
Committee has shown some disposition to handle
the tariff IN the public interest, but II cannot
escape the tyranny Of custom. based on greedy
and organized private interest. That tyranny car
be broken down only by the force OF an intelligent
persistent, widespread public sentiment expressed
throughout the country
MARSHALL FIELD co.
New York March % 1909