Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-04-07
Big Firms Are Interested in Stocking
and Glove Factories Abroad.
WORKING OF DINGLEY LAW
It's Tax on Mems Gloves Increases
Production at Home.
NEARLY ALL NOW MADE HERE
Before Its Passage over Ninety Per
Cent of Mems Gloves Were I'M
ported, Against Ten Per
Cent mt Present.

WASHINGTON. April 6.-Accusing the
large department stores of having insti-
tuted the opposition of many women and
"hysterical men" against the increased
duties provided by the Payne tariff bill
on women's gloves and hosiery, Represen-
tative Serene E. Payne, chairman Of the
house ways and means committee, today,
in statement which will be printed in
the congressional record, asserted that the
importers who oppose the duty were in
terested in firms abroad which make
gloves and hosiery. He presented various
figures in an effort to justify the in
creased rates from the republican stand
point 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 Diugley law.
Claiming that the new tariff increases
the duty from 1ss cents per pair to 21s
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 25 cents per pair to the con-
sumer He ridiculed the suggestion that
the increased duties will result in the
formation of a hosiery trust, a claim which
had been advanced by the importers.
Methods of Big Firms.
Mr.. Payne quoted from a statement, the
name of the author which he did not give,
in which It was asserted that Marshall
Field & Co., Chicago; Brown, Dumell &
Co. Boston: Lord & Taylor, New York;
Henry Schiff & Co, New York; Wessen-
donck. Lorenz g. Co., New York; Arnold,
Constable & Co.. New York; Rubens g.
Meyer. New York; Carson, Pirie. Scott &
Co., Chicago; II. Victor Achelis, New
York, and other American concerns, main
, tain large establishments in Chemnts,
Germany. with full force OF help to buy
and obtain foreign hosiery at the least
possible cost.
by the employment of a larger organi-
| zation and maintaining much capital and
credit In Gernspy they are tAGs able 10
obtain foreign hosiery at prices consider
| ably lower than IL is possible for a concern
Of less magnitude and capital to obtain
them" continue the statement. The pos
sibfity of borrowing money more chcaply
abroad and the encouragement given by
the German govern ment TO exploration of
| merchandise are also cited as an advantage
under which these concerns work.
Means Real Protection.
Mr. Payne asserted that scores Of petit
! tions have been received by the commit
| tee asking that the increased duties might
| be retained in order that the working
people of the country may make the stock
| irgs used in the United States. Mr.. Payne
argued that the increased duties on
I, Women's gloves were made justifiable for
the purposes of protection and revenues.
He cited the conditions resulting from the
protection afforded the manufacturers OF
| mems gloves by he Dingley bill.
prior to 1894 they were making or 4
per cent of the mems gloves" he said
| "but he said that the duty was so low that
| they were being driven out of business, and
statistics seemed TO back up their as
| sertions Today they demonstrate to us
| that they are making over 90 per cent OF
the mems gloves worn in this country. hav-
| ing amply redeemed their promise and that
| the cost to the consumer is much less than
| it was prior to 1897. They came before the
| committee early in the hearing and proved
| to us that It cost no more. and required
| no more skill to make a woman's glove
| than mans and claimed that If the same
1 rate of duty was given them, in time they
| would make the same percentage OF
| women's gloves and that this industry
would employ at least 5000 people,