Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-18
Review Of Proceedings Of House
Ways and Means Committee.
GREAT VOLUME Of TESTIMONY
In Addition to Evidence Of Hundreds
Of Prominent Men, Thousands OF
Briefs Were alton Sc
cured by Government Department.

Fully three hundred importers ana
exporters, manufacturers and aSrf
culturists and tariff experts appear
ed before the House committee on
Ways and Means At the various near
legs which began on November ~
Ind continued daily until December
20. and also at several supplemental
bearings. Some CT rhe most promi'
men, MEN in the manufacturing ana
financial world presented testimony
OF a varied and Interesting character.
In addition TO this testimony there
were. thousands OF briefs filed with
tn. committee which added to the
statistics furnished ny the various
government departments and agents
sent abroad. together with speclai
data complied by Thomas J. Doherty'
.ssistan, counsel OF the treasury de-
partmnn:, and Major Herbert VI. Loru,
who was clerk Of the Ways and Means
Committee when the Iingley tarin
was famed. has given the committee
information more complete than has
ever been a, the disposal Of tor!h
framing mmittee.
Andrew Carnegie, Charles VI.
Schwab,, Judge f. II. Gary. and o;her
steel maglates furnished the most
Interesting testimony. Mr.. Carnegie.
who caused considerable discussion
by prociaiming in magazine article,
that the steel manufacturers of this
country do not need any Tariff PRO
lection was before the committee
nearly eight hours. His testimony.
while witty and entertaining. did not
offer the tariff makers much specific
information regarding the cost o:
manufacturing steel rails and other
articles of steel He dealt largely In
theories AID deductions and avoided
figures. claiming that he was not ia
miliar with the details Of the steel
business at the present time. but
spoke from his general knowledge
gained in the business before he re-
tired to private life.
Judge Gary who was one Of the best
equipped and one of the most salts
factory witnesses who appeared be-
fore tae committee preceded MIR, Car
negie by several days He declared
that the independent steel manufac-
tu7e,s require tariff protection and
said that II the duty on steel should
BIZ removed. the United States Steel
Corporation. OF whose board of direc-
tors he Is chairman. would secure a
monopoly Of the market. The cost of
labor would be reduced. he said, if
the tariff on steel was taken of en-
,frely lu the course Of his te3ti-
mony Judge Gary declared in favor
Of government control Of manufac-
1u.ers to prevent them from charg-
ing price which would give them
more than a fair return on their in
vestnents
Mr. Schwab who was formerly
president OF the steel corporation,
was one of the most earnest advocates
OF protection for the s,eel industry
70 appear before the committee. His
replies to questions from the members
OF the committee. were replete with
figures and arguments. He declared
tina. the Bessemer process Of steel
manufacture will. within five years.
be superseded by the Open Hearth
process. which. he predicted. will In
turn. be abandoned fer the electric
System or manufacture being devel
Oped in Germany.
The agitation TOR free lumber BY
those in sympathy with he movement
for the Conservation Of the forests OF
the country resulted in a strong ap.
peal frcm the lumber interests OF
the South and the Northwest. Repre-.
sentative Champ Clark. of Missouri.
submitted the lumber maSnates to
severe examinations and these hear
ings were smOng the most interest
leg 7. u. Walker and Edward Hine::
two Of the largest lur,ber dealer
in the Northwest argued for the re-
tsntion Of the present duty on lum-
Der. claiming tha, the United States
cannot compel. with Canada In IA
ciliies for cheap ;ransporta;icn Or
cacap labor. A number Of SOuthe-a
!um5e rmen also asked for protection.
eontenGing that the cost OF rroduct:o n
has increased
A severe arraignment Of IRE so
rsIIst PAGER trust by John Norris.
representing the American newspaper
publishers association. and a defense
Of the International Paper Co. offer.
I'd one Of The sensations Of the hear
inss. The Ways and Means Commit
tee. Wilde taking the kecnest inter.
est In the testimony. was pr~disposed
:, depend upon the report Of the spe.
cisi committee which conducted hear