The San Francisco call., 1909-04-07
Denies Hosiery Trust
Will Result From
Higher Duties

WASHINGTON April 6.-Accusing g
the large department stores of having
instigated the opposition of many
women and ''hysterical men" against
the increased duties provided by the
Payne tariff bill on womens gloves
and hosiery, Representative Payne to-
day asserted that the importers who
opposed the duties were interested in
firms abroad which make gloves and
hosiery.
He presented various arguments in
an effort TO Justify the increased rates.
contending that the difference in cost
of labor in the United States and
! abroad was not covered by the duties
provided by the Dingley law.
| Claiming that the new tariff in
creases the duty from 2-3 cents a pair
there was no truth in the assertion
that the price of hosiery to the con-
sumner would be increased 25 cents a
pair.
| He ridiculed the suggestion that the
| increased duties will result in the for
alton of a hosiery trust" a claim
which he said had been advanced by the
! importers.
MAINTAIN CONCERNS ABROAD
| Payne quoted from statement, the
name of the author of which he did
not give. in which 1t was asserted that
Marshall Field & Co, Chicago; Brown,
Durnell & Co.. Boston; Lord & Taylor,
New York; Henry SchifT & Co, New
York; Wessendereck, Lorenz & Co.,
New York; Arnold, Constable & Co.,
New York; Ruebens & Mayer, New
! York; Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., Chi
cn G. York q nd
other American concerns maintain
| large establishments in Chemnitz, Ger
many. with full force of help organ
lied to buy and obtain foreign hosiery
at the least possible cost.
BY employing a larger organization
and maintaining much capital and
credit in Germany they are thus able to
obtain foreign hosiery considerably
! lower than it is possible for concern
of less magnitude and capital to obtain
them,' continues the statement. The
possibility of borrowing money more
cheaply abroad and the encoura cement
given by the German government TO
! expectation of merchandise are also
cited as an advantage under which
these concerns work.
HIGH TARIFF ASKED
Payne asserted that scores of petit
tions have been received by. the COM
mittee asking that the increased duties
be retained in order that the working
people OF the country may make the
stockings used in the United States.
Payne argued that the increased duties
on women's gloves were justifiable for
the purposes Of protection and revenue.
He cited the conditions resulting from
the protection afforded the American
manufacturers of mems gloves by the
Dingley bill
Prior to 1894 they were making or
10 per cent of the mems gloves, he
said, but they said that the duty wan
so low that they were being driven out
of business, and the tax seemed to back
up their assertions. Today they demon
strate to us that they are making more
than 80 per cent of the mems gloves
worn in this country. They came be-
fore 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 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 $4,000 persons"
NIGHT SESSIONS
The fixing of rates for the new tariff
bill was begun today by the senate
will be held by the committee begin
ming today. Senator'S Elkins and Scott
of West Virginia brought several of
their constituents who desire to have
the reciprocity clause of the Payne
bill stricken out by the senate because
of its effect upon the market for their
coal, which goes to the seaboard and
to some extent into the New England
market.
delegation representing sugar pro-
ducers sought hearing to protest
of 81 -
Payne bill on the ground that it will
furnish an opportunity for importers
to ship sugar into the islands and re-
ship it to the United States. Mem
bers of the committee hold that there
is no danger that this will be done.