Bisbee daily review., 1909-04-07
WATCH TRUST HAS JOKER IN
 PAYNE BILL
Independent Makers Affirm That Tariff Bill As Proposed Does Not Make Any Reduc- ton on Time Pieces
fRr TaHl

WASHINGTON. D. c. April C. Now come the independent watch manufacturers with a statement to the effect that iD addition to all the other "iokers" in the Payne tariff bill there Is also one n the watch sched- ules.
 When the tariff bill was reported the ways and means committee gave everyone 10 understand there had been real reduction in the tarif on watches. However, the column where the net reduction should have ap- peared, was left blank The phrase ology in the bil relative to duties on watches was. like that concerning cot- fee and a number of other articles so complicated as to be meaningless 10 the average person. Watch dealers have now had time 10 investigate the watch schedules and report reduction on watches is as much of a myth as reduction on other articles claimed by the framers of the Payne bill.
 The duties on watches appear to have been revised solely in the in- terests of the watch trust, the revi- sion in the Payne bill offering no i'm provemeDt over the present condition wh oh permits American watch manu- lecturers to exact larger prices for their goods in the United States than they receive after paving transporta- ton to foreign countries.
 Walk into any jewelry store In the United States and ask to be shown the best watch mate by the American Waltham Watch company of Wal than, Mass. and the dealer will dis play a Waltham watch known as the Riverside Maximus." The pr 'ce will be $75, or you may possibly be able to buy the article for S60. But under no circumstances can you purchase the watch mentioned from a retail dealer for less than s60, because he is under an 'ironclad'' agreement with the trust to maintain that as the minimum price.
 Seventy-five dollars for Rivers de Maximus" is s32.70 more than the same watch sells for in England, Egypt or Australia. This is because the duty on watches is so high the watch combine Is in position to ex act practically any price it -iesiTes.
 Several New York dealers, howev- CT. have found a way to beat tn s game. They are buying American made Wa'tham and Elgin watches in England. defray all shipping ex- penses. bring them back to th's corn try duty free tAmerican made goods being duty freel. and are underseIling other dealers by one-third. The s75 "Riverside Mavimus." for instance. s being retailed by these particular dealers for S4220
 American dealers buying their watches direct from the factories of the watch trust in the United States are under contract not to retail the Crescent Street nlneteen-iewel Wal tram movement for less than S24. The New York dealers who are pur- chasing American made watches abroad are selling the same watch for s1692-$S less than any retail deal CT can buy 1t for In the United States.
 Under the Elgin National watcf company contract dealer cannot sell a "24O Raymond Fig n" for less than s24. The New York dealers buy them abroad and sell them in New Yorl for sI3.39.
 1 These facts were in the possession | of the ways and means committee being contained in the congressiona record in the speech of Representa- tive Henry D. Rainey of Illinois Rainey's revelation of hog the watct trust. composed of the Elgin. Wal tham. Crescent and Keystone com Tanies, ,extorted exorbitaDt rates foi ther product under the protection o high tariff. was unique inasmuch as [ is probably the only tariff speecl made on the floor in recent years il which no republican attempted t answer.
 The reduction" in watch duties
 as contained in the Payne bill. ar explained b Charles A. Keene. a Ney York wholesaler of watches and dia
 moDds. in letter to Representativ
 Rainey-
 The master hand of the watch trus
 can be plainly discerned iD the nel tariff bill" says Keene. However
 none but an expert can figure ou
 whether the tariff is to be lower o higher