Bisbee daily review., 1909-04-14
bACKF|RE ON HOSIERY DUTY
 BY EMPL0YES
Knitting Mills Start Counter Petitions Urging Congress to Impose Duty on Stockings and Gloves

CHICAGO. April ls.-Counter peti- tions on the change in the hosiery tariff proposed fin the Payne bill now are under way in Chicago, petitions Of employees of employees of western knitting mills which declare that for eign manufacturers and importers only will pay the advance in duty. The monster petition secured .by the big importing houses of Chicago is declared directly hostile to the best interests of American industry and employees, the dlfferential being needed as it 1t has been found that the foreign manufacturer has a great CT advantage in low costs and wages than the present tariff affords pro lection.
 According to figures furnished to- day for the National Association of Hosiery and nderwear Manufacturers by D. F. Harrington of New York, Cat the Grand Pacific) the comparative costs of production of stockings in Germany and the United States show that wages is the greatest item of difference, the costs being.
 Comparative cost cf .9 gdage Iis.e half-hose, made of 69-2 Hsic yarn, weight pound.
 Yarn, dying, etc, Chemnitz, 4Sc. United States, Csc; wages, Chemnitz, 25c, United States soc; Mill expenses. Chemnitz. 13c, United States, 200; total. Chemnitd. See; United States, $1.65; difference in cost 79c; duty collected at present. 63c.
 These counter petitions of employees of western knitting mills at Chicago. Chester, Waupun and Racine and St. Joseph, Mich. are now in hand for sig nature and will be sent to the finance committee of the senate. Following is the text of the petitions: The working people of this mill do hereby appeal to your honorable committee to retain the duties on hosiery as re- ported in your bill, which are. in our. opinion, not excessive as some per sons would lead you to believe, but only the proper protection the work ing people in this industry in AmeFi- ca deserves and should have If the tariff rates as reported in your bill are not adopted. the situation in the hosiery industry will not improve, as we will be forced to accept a much lower wage scale and less hours Of employment"
 HI Aut tdoA SlAAliial HtAEilOuS nave already been signed and forwarded to the ways and means committee of the house: "The slight increase in the duty will not affect the consumer at all, is the statement of S36 male em- ployees of the Norde & Horst com pany of Reading. Pa, who believe that it is simply a question of more or less profit to the importers and dealers"
 A committee representing more than five hundred employees of Filling & Madeiey, Inc. Of Philadelphia, say that If importations continue to in- crease as they have done in the last few years and the present low wages continue it will be only a matter of time when We shall suffer from un- fair competition"
 To petition by employees Of Ram bo & Regars of MoTristown, Pa, 4S5 names are attached holding that the tariff proposed by the Payne bill is necessary to maintain steady work and good wages.
 Employees of the Sulloway Mills at Franklin. N. H.. who number ASA: 250 workers from the Simons & Struve Hosiery Company of Frank ford. Philadelphia. join in the urgent request to the committee. A com mittee from the William B. ThreaPle- tons Sons establishment say: