Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-08
Declares That Protestants against
Duty on Gloves Are Inter.
ested Abroad.
DINGLEY RATES WERE LOW
Did Not Cover the Difference In Cost
of Labor Abroad and at Home
Ridlcu1es idea That IL VIII Al.
low Formation of a Hos.
iery Trust.

Washington. D. c., April e-Accusing
the large department stores Of having
instigated the opposition OF many wo-
men and "hysterical men" against the
increased duties provided by the Payne
tariff bill on women's gloves and hois-
cry. Representative Serene f. Payne,
chairman OF the House ways and means
committee. to-day in statenent which
Will be printed in the Congressional Re-
cord. asserted that the importers. who
oppose the duties were interested In firms
abroad. which make gloves and hosiery.
lie presented various arguments In an
effort to justify the increased rates from
the republican standpoint Of protection
contending that the difference in cost
OF labor in the United States and abroad
was not covered by the duties levied
by the DinEley law.
Claiming that the new tariff increases
the duty from % cents per pair to ~
cents per pair. Mr.. Payne declared that
there was no truth IN the assertion that
the price OF hosiery to the consumer
would be increased ?5 cents per pair. He
ridiculed the suggestion that increas ed
duties will result IN tho formation OF
hosiery trust" a claim, which he said
had been advanced by the importers.
Mr.. Payne quoted from a statement. the
name Of the author Of which he did not
give. In which. II was asserted that Mar
shall Field & Company Of chicago; Lord
& Taylor. Arnold. Constable & Company
and r. Victor Achelis Of New York and
other American concerns maintain rye
establishments In Chemnitz. Germany.
with full force Of help organized to buy
and obtain foreign hosiery at the least
possible cost
"By the employment ~ large or
ganizaton and maintaining much capital
and credit in Germany they are thus
able 10 obtain foreign hosiery a. prices
considerably lower than It Is possible for
concern Of less magnitude and capital
TO obtain them" continues this state
ment. The possibility .of borrowing
money more cheapl;' abroad and the en-
couragement given by the German gov
eminent TO expectation Of merchandise
are also cited az an advantage under
which these concerns work
Mr.. Payne asserted that scores Of petit
tions have been received by the COM
mittee asking that tho increased duties
might Re retained in order that the work.
ing people If the country may make
the stockings used In the United States.
AMERICAN MADE GLOVES CHEAP
EST
Mr.. Payne argued that the ncrea sed
duties on womens gloves were made Jus
tfable for the purposes OF protection
and revenue. He cited the conditions
resulting from the protection afforded
the manufacturers OF mems gloves by
tne Dingley bill. Prior to 1894. they
were making Ave or ten per cent of the
mems gloves" he said. "hut they said
that the duty was so low that they were
being driven out OF business and statis-
tics seemed 10 mack up their assertions
To-day they demonstrate to us that they
are making over 90 per cent. OF the
mems gloves worn In this country. hav-
!nc amply redeemed their promise, and
that the cost to the consumer is much
less than It was prior to 1897. They came
hefcre the committee early In the hear
ing and proved to liz that 1t cost no
more and required no more skill to make
woman's glove than mans and claim
ed that II the same rate Of duty was
gwen them. in time, they would make
the same percentage Of women's gloves.
and that this industry would employ at
least 5000 people"