The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-11
Invoices of New York Job
bers Disclose a Startling
Condition.
INCREASES TALLY
WITH NEW TARIFF
Striking Argument for Revision
Supporters, Who Claim Costs
Will Not Be Affected.
BY WALTER J. FAHY.

cotton goods have already 0eeh Idls1u
by the agents Of the mills In whose IN
terests the cotton schedule was revised
upward by the Senate Finan2e COM
mittee. The benefciaries of Senator
Aldrich did not even have the decency
to wait until the bill came out OF con
ference. Such a delay would have de-
prIved them Of three or four weeks
profits.
These startling facts we're disclosed
today in a thorough canvass among the
cotton goods jobbers in New York. The
invoices for goods purchased within the
past week or two will prove interesting
reading TO the members Of Congress
who have declared time and again dur
ing the debate on the tariff bill that the
amount Of duty is not added to the
cost of goods produced in America. The
fact of the matter is that the increases
made in the cotton schedule by the Sen
ate Finance Committee constitute The
exact increase in the price OF goods sold
Ia the New York middle men. That
increase was made upon the assumption
that the amendments of the Finance
Committee having been adopted by the
Senate in Committee OF the Whole there
was nothing further to be feared, either
in the Senate, the House or In confer
enCe.
If members of Congress still entertain
the idea that these cotton manuIac-
turers do not add the amount Of the
tariff to their products the following IN
cident may prove interesting reading
and a little investigation on their part
will disclose hundreds Of similar cases.
Significant Incident.
lust before the cotton schedule was
voted upon In the Senate IN Committee
of the Whole the purchasing agents OF
p. X. Wilson, a Fifth avenue Joboer IN
cotton goods. and of James H. Dun
ham. a Worth street dealer in the same
line. went 10 the salesroOms Of the VIII
liam Whitman Mills 10 look over the
fan line of goods, and to purchase their
customary amounts The goods were
shown to the purchasing agents, but
they were not permitted To buy. Why?
Simply because the Senate had not voted
on the cotton schedule It would do so
in few DAYS A vote against the Sen
ate amendments would mean q COntinu-
ance Of the old prices. There would be
10 Justification for an increase. a vote
adopting the Finance Committee
amendment would and did mean that
the mill prices would be increased-that
f.. the amount Of the increased duty
would be added. There is ample evil
dence here in New York that such in
creases have been made during the past
fortnight. The most significant thing
about these increases is that IN
CREASES WE'RE MADE ON LINES
OF GOODS OF A DISTINCTLY DO
MESTIC CHARACTER, WHICH DO
NOT ENTER INTO COMPETITION
WITH THE FOREIGN PRODUC-
TONS
JObbers assert that the increases have
only begun. But they also assert that
they have only begun TO fight These
middle men are preparing to launch the
greatest educational campaign that has
ever been undertaken by a group Of
merchants in the history Of the trade
Senator Aldrich and Chairman Payne
have repeatedly declared that the Inn
porters are the ones who are making all
the noise about Increased duties. As
matter Of fact the importers are dis
tinctly in the minority. The most active
men in the agitation against increased
cotton rates are the ones who deal eX-
clusively with American goods. Their
opposition 20 the Increases in the tariff
bill Is based on two reasons. Increased
duty means Increased prices. The one
goes with the Other, h works auf0ma tic
ally They do not want increased prices
They can get profits enough al the
prices which prevail under the Dingley
law. The second reason why they OPP
pose the new cotton schedule is that, in
their opinion, it viii have a -uinOUs ef-
feet on the market, just as the increases
written into the Dingley law PLAYED
havoc with he trade.
Presented Information.
These Jobbers have sought TO place
before the Senate facts and figures
which would demonstrate the folly Of
increasing the rates on cotton goods.
Every member of the Senate. they as
sert, could have been as fully informed
on the subject as were Senators Dol
liver and La Toilette. The Senate chose
20 follow the lead Of the Finance Com
mittee. Now the hundreds Of middiemen
who sell to the thousands Of small re-
tsiiers will appeal 10 the House.
Every member Of Congress VIII have
IN his possession within a day or two
all the evidence he will need 10 Justify
him In voting 20 overthrow the work of
the Senate Finance Committee. Every
member Of the House VIII have before
him practical demonstration Of the
manner In which Is per cent of the
items in the cotton schedule have been
increased. lie VIII have samples o.
eloth. "a printed statement showing the
use 90 which such cloth Is usually put.
he duty on the cloth under the exist
ing law and the proposed duty IN the
@ew tariff bill The member of Con-
cress who examines the samples will
find that . Der cent OF the items ia
the cotton schedule remain unchanged
Tie also will find that e per cent of
them are increased. He viii search in
vain for reduction That IS the con-
tention Of the dealers in cotton goods.
VIII "Show" People
These dealers are not content 10 end
their demonstration with members of
Congress. They arc going 20 show tho
people OF the country-the people iu
cverv small L. wn that haTbors a dry
goods store-the people iu the cities
they viii skew all Of them-just as
trey showed Congress why the tariff
on cotton goods should not be Increased.
When the salesman go out or the road
willis their fail line of goods they Will
carry their customary trunk OF samples
for the merchants They VIII carry
another trunk of samples for the people.
These samples VIII De attached 10 "a
sheet Of paper on which tie cloth. will
be described. the DingiCV rate given and
& comparison with the Aldrich rate.