The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-13

not want to absolutely bar foreign
goods2 That would mean that the Amer
lean manufacturer could fix whatever
price he chose on his product"
1t is not the policy of the Republican
party TO bar foreign competition alto
gether' replied Mr.. Payne, and for
that reason I think a tariff which would
give the American manufacturer % per
cent of the market would be fair That
would give us 8 per cent foreign goods
TO regulate prices
Hosiery Trust" -
The hosiery dealers in New York city
are absolutely confident that the Payne
rates would result in the creation of a
trust which is already in a formative
stage and which is waiting only for a
victory in conference to actually con-
troll the market and the prices. That
The product of American hosiery mills
is practically controlled by a group of
selling agents is Illustrated by the firm
of Harrington & Waring, of this city.
That firm alone annually handles about
100000 of the output of the hosiery
factories and the firm is the guiding
influence in the group OF selling agents
which has been working for SIX months
10 Get the duties increased. This COM
pany has had a representative in Wash
ington from the day the Ways and
Means Committee first began Its pubic
hearings.
The plea that the American factories
do not get sufficient protection. and
that they are in danger OF being showed
to the wall because of foreign cOmpeJl-
ton does not harmonic with state
ments made by these same mills TO
wholesale houses which have endeavor-
ed 10 do business with them recently.
Within a day or two a Philadelphia fac
tory informed one OF the biggest J0bplnS
houses in New York that il could not
accept the order of the jobber for
fall line Of goods, because il had already
booked more orders than 1t could pos
sibly handle
Hugh Mullen. vice president and as
sistant treasurer Of the Brown, DureH
Company one of the biggest dealers In
hosiery, underwear ana dress goods IN
the country, said today that the adop-
ton of the Payne hosiery amendments
would cost the average man with a
family not less than SIS a year. That
does not look like large amount but
taken with the other increases that the
same householder is going 10 stand Tor
under he Pavne-Aldrich tariff law, it is
e very substantial amount
Cost To Consumers.
Under the Dingley rates" said Mr..
Mullen, ION stockings worth S1.O0 or
less a dozen we have a duty Of sol
that duty the stockings can be retailed
at IS cents a pair. Mr.. Payne proposes |
TO make the rate 70 cents and Is per cent |
ad vaIorem per dozen. Should that rate
be written into the bin the retail price
of the stocking would jump TO 80 cents
or IS cents a pair. On stockings now |
retailing for So cents a pair the Dingley |
rate is so cents and 15 per cent per
dozen pairs. Mr.. Payne's proposition is |
10 make the duty IS cents and Is per
cent. Such a duty would result in re-
tail price ranging from A cents TO IS
cents q pair. On stockings which now
retail at 80 cents pair, there is a duty |
Of 20 cents and Is per cent Mr.. Payne |
proposes a duty of 800 and 10 per cent /
per dozen pairs That would mean a
retail price Of between g. cents and s. |
cents
The manufacturers do not need this |
increased duty and the wholesalers and |
retailers who nave TO handle the goods !
DO not want Z. 1 have just returned
from a trip through the West and I was /
astOnished 10 find such a widespread
interest in the tariff. / found that the
peoples knowledge of the tariff bill
IS not confined 10 the particular schedule |
which protects the industry IN which !
they happen TO be employed.
"On the other hand they are interested /
in every schedule which Is going to |
affect their pocKetbOOlzs. 1 have re-
Ceived thousands Of letters asking for /
information on me tarln or clothing
and a number OF women CLUBS have
asked me to deliver addresses on the /
tariff. They want to know how they |
are going to be affected l havent /
time to deliver addresses, but the re- |
quests are an indication that the cOun-
Try is thoroughly alive 10 the situation |
in Washington 9nj viii be curious TO 1
know what brought about increases IN
the duties.
Where Burden Falls.
In my line Of business It Is easy to /
see where the burden of taxation is /
going TO fall heaviest. venture to 4
predict that the adoption Of the Payne /
hosiery amendment alone would cost a |
man with a family SIS a year more than /
he is paying now. The duties Oh under
wear are not changed, but they should /
be. The Dingley rate is SO nigh that
importations from abroad are impos-
sible and the result is that the con
sumer has to Pay an enormous price
Tor American manufactures wooden un-
derwear- There is no competition 10
egulate the price
Henry SchIfI. president Of Henry
Schim & Co. one of the biggest hosiery (
obbing houses in the United States,
predicts the formation Of Il crust and
increased prices II the Payne rates are
put into the bill III conference
If the Payne rates are adopted IN
conference, said Mr.. SchiG today, the /
people %iu set a poorer grade OF stock
hgs "a an Increased cost Instead of
doing good the schedule VIII work
harm. The only ones &c be benefited /
VIII be the manufacturers and the sell
ing agents who control the output OF
the mills There Will be little foreign /
competition to fear and therefore moth
Ing 70 regulate the prices.
Within The past TWO weeks the prices
have been increased. in some Instances /
a. High as - per cent What is the I
reason for these Increases Have the
people asked for them. To is the manu-