The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-10

WASHINGTON, d. c., March 2G.-
President Taft today transmitted TO
congress the tarin boards report on
the cotton schedule with the recon-
mendation that this section of the la
riff law be taken up with a view to
revision and reductions of duty. The
president advises congress that the
boards investigations have shown
that the duties on some cotton yarns
is two and three times the differ
ence between the cost of production
in the United States and abroad. The
duties imposed because OF finishing
processes are in excess of he differ
ence in the extra cost due to finish
ing and often are in excess Of the
total domestic cost of finishing.
Prices paid by consumers i'm the
United States are higher than those
abroad, even when prices received by
manufacturers in both places are the
same. This is said to be due to the
higher cost of distribution here. Plain
cloths are as cheap here as anywhere
but on fancy fabrics the duties are
in excess of the differences in cost
and in many instances the duties are
greater than the conversion costs in
the mills of the United States.
Asks That Board Continue
President Taft asks for a deficiency
appropriation of 100000 for the board
to do its work during April, May and
June and urges congress to continue
the life of the board that it may
make investigations of the metal, lea.
Their, chemical and sugar schedules,
which the president has directed
President Taft's message is a com.
prehensive summary of the board S
findings As in it's report on the
wooden schedule and the pulp and pa.
per schedule, the board makes no rec.
concentrations and suggests no duties
in its review of a complex subject
The president says he bases his rec
concentrations on the declaration OF
the platform on which he was cleo
ted-"that a reasonable protective ia
riff should be adjusted to the differ
ence in cost of production at home
and abroad
Cost of Production Varies.
"The report of the board shows the
difficulty of stating in general terms
differences in costs of production fol
a great variety of cotton manufactur
ers," the president writes. The diff
ferences vary widely, according t
the character of the particular fab
TiC. The report shows that the cos
OF spinning cotton yarn in this coun
try is greater than in the leadins
competing country. In the case OF or
binary warp and filling yarns, form
ing the bulk of the production of tn,
domestic industry, the foreign cost o
turning cotton into yarn is shown t.
be about 20 per cent of the domesti,
cost
The duty on these yarns is two o
three times in excess of the differ
ence in cost of production. On som,
highly specialized yarns and on yarns
of the highest count-that is, o
greatest fineness--the duty in somt
cases about equalizes the differenc,
in conversion costs.
In many cases, however, on tn,
higher grades of yarn, which are pro
duced in this country the duty is il
excess of the difference in the cos
of production, though by a much les
amount than in the case of ordinar,
warp and filling yarns.
Depends on Quality of Fabric.
THE difference in the cost of weay
ing yarns into cloth as between thi
country and its chief competitor vaI
les according to the character of tn
fabric In the case of many cloth
of plain weave the American cost O
weaving seems to be lower than tn
foreign cost, due to the greater nun
her of looms tended per weaver i
this country. This reduces the labo
cost a yard despite the higher earnin
Of the American weaver. This cor
clusion is further substantiated b
the fact that cloths of this descriI
ton are sold by the domestic mani
facturer in this country at prices a
low as those charged by the foreig
manufacturer in his own country.
in proportion, however, az the fal