The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-19
THREATS TO FORCE HIGH
DUTIES.

Having failed to impress the Senate
Finance Committee with the necessity
of Incorporating in its tariff bill the in
creased rates on hosiery which were
written into the House bill by the Ways
and Means Committee, the lobby repre-
senting the National Association of
Hosiery and Underwear Manufacturers
has now resorted to threats. They de-
clare that the failure of Congress TO
accede to their demands viii result in
reduced wages to its employees, and in
some instances will cause them to close
down their mills for an indefinite
period. They announce that seventy
mills will be involved and that thou
sands of employees viii suffer This
action. the Finance Committee is in
formed viii be inevitable because of
the languishiag condition of the bust
ness and because the manufacture OF
full or shaped" hosiery can
not compete proftably against the i'm
portations from Germany.
The Finance Committee would do we'll
TO investigate the facts involved. We
venture to suggest that there are not
seventy mills in the United States en-
gagged in the manufacture Of shaped
hosiery. It would be well also TO re-
member that the Wayne knitting Mills,
one of the largest hosiery corporations
jn the United States, is content with
the Dingley rates. If an independent
corporation can successfully meet the
German competition there seems to be
no reason why the more powerful cor
porations controlled by the Brown
Brothers cannot do likewise.
The representative Of the Brown
Brothers are the ones who are making
an the noise about the necessity for
an increased duty, which will increase
the cost of every pair of shaped" hos
iery sold in the United States The
operations of the Brown Brothers in
volve a period of about twelve years.
in other words, their business was the
creation of the Dingley tariff. As an
infant industry the trainers OF the
Dingley tariff bin thought it wise to
give the hosiery manufacturers plenty
of protection. Let US see what the
Dingley tariff has done for these mills,
8 majority Of which are controlled by
the Brown Brothers.
The Brown Knitting Company, Of
Philadelphia, on April 30. 1905, had a
net value of $4,000. On January I,
Of the present year, the net value was
$4,000.
The German-American Hosiery Com
pany, Of Philadelphia, had a net value
On 1901 of 100000; in August, 1904, it
had increased to 100000; in June, 1908.
1t was S24s.0OO.
The Glenn Knitting Company, OF
Philadelphia, had a net value in 1902 OF
$4,000. In September, 1907, that value
had increased to Sl2l 900.
The hosiery mills Of Thomas f.
Brown & Son, Of Philadelphia, were
valued at $4,000 in 1901. In Septem-
Der, 1907, the valuation was S404 900.
The Richmond Hosiery Mills, of Chat
tanooga, Tenn, were valued at $4,000
In 1897. They prospered under the
Dingley law, and in 1906 the valuation
had increased to 1926, $3.50; in January
1908, the valuation was still further
Increased to S363,354
The Holde & Horst Company. OF
Reading, Pa, was valued at S25O,OOO in
1897. Today the company has a sur
plus Of 100000. That is a fairly good
showing for the Dingley rates.
The Rambo & Regain Company, OF
Norristown Pa, had a net valuation in
1902 Of 100000; in September, 1907
its valuation was $499,93O; in August
1908, it was valued at S5l5,53l
Harry C. Aberle g. Co., of Phila
delphia, was valued in April, 1905, at
$4,000; in April, 1907, the valuation
had increased TO Sl37,l29; in April
1908, the valuation was Sl50,972.
The Brown-Aberle Company, of Phila
delphia, was valued at S699964 in Jan
uary, 1907; in May, 1908, the valua
lion was s720,252.
The Sulloway Mills, Of Franklin. n
L., had a net valuation of 100000 in
1897; in 1909 the valuation is S295, $50
Thy Durham Hosiery Mills, Of Dur