The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-01-15
URGE PRESENT
| STEEL TARIFF
ASK For Specific Duties, ln-
!, stead Of Ad VaIoremL
CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE
Big Manufacturer Says Industry 10
LimitIess and He Urged Protection
4 Against Foreign Invasion.

| Big Manufacturer Says Industry 10
Limitless and He Urged Protection
/ Against Foreign Invasion.
Washington, Jan. Is. - The metal
schedule Of the tariff law was again
discussed before the house committee
bn ways and means. several steel man
lIufacturing interests contending for re-
Itention of the present duties in the
i'schedule.
8. P. Ker. of Sharon, Pa, president
i of the Sharon Steel Hoop company, ad-
vocated changes in the phraseology of
the law to avoid importers taking ad-
vantage Of its terms.
Mr.. Ker told of plans under way by
the United States Steel corporation to
advance the wages of its common Ia
borers and artisans and mechanics on
Feb. / by approximately 10 per cent.
Representative Fordney, of Michigan,
estimated that this would mean an ad.
vance of $17,500,0O0 annually.
Mr.. Ker expressed optimism of the
future of the steel industry regardless
of what action the Democratic admin
istration might take. He said the steel
manufacturing industry was practi-
cally limiteless in this possibility, and
he urged protection against invasion
from abroad. He added that If the In
dustry was disturbed the capital would
remain and the companies would re-
duce labor to the point of meeting with
the competition.
r. e. Jennings, representing the Car
penter Steel company, of Reading, Pa,
urging the present tariff law, testified
that the labor cost of production in the
crucible steel industry was about 40
to so per cent of the total cost, which,
he said, in response to Chairman I'm
derwood, was much greater than In
the Bessemer or open hearth steel bus
mess.
During the discussion Mr.. Ker advo-
Gated dumping clause to prevent the
tsending of goods into this country at
prices lower than in the country of
production.
"If we had a dumping clause in this
metal schedule" asked Chairman I'm
Norwood, don't you think that the
rates fixed in our metal bill last ses-
Esion would be sufficient"
b II don't think that Is so. We don't
KNOW as to that yet"
Mr.. Underwood asked as to the rea-
IONS for the United States Steel Cor
Eporation's proposed increase in wages.
"a. Ker said he thought that the cor
Dration was taking time by the fore
ck to hold its labor"
- I,1E IT nGaaasn nsEisesident of the Cam
b1z.I Steai ssls;-zs tses-ss, tnas
his company owned properties worth
$75, 200, 900 an demployed 10000 men,
manufacturing last year more than
million tons of rails, structural bars,
rods and wire nails, urged specific and
not ad valorem duties on iron and
steel products. He contended that the
duty on ferromanganese, used largely
In steel manufacture, should be no
higher than pig iron, and that to in
creaes the duty on it would be unfair
to all the smaller companies that COM
pete with the United States Steel cor
poration.
He said that in periods of depres-
sion that are bound to come, foreign
manufacturers will dump large ton
nages on our Atlantic, Gulf and sea-
board cities at cost to help pay fixed
charges, an invasion meaning a loss to
American capital, idleness for thou
sands Of workmen and curtailment Of
further expansion of the American
steel industry"
w. L. Kann. of Pittsburgh, president
| Of the Pittsburgh Crushed Steel com
pany, and Edwin X. Bacon, of Mans
field, O.. for the Globe Steel company
appealed for revision of the tariff of
one cent pound on grit, shot and sand
made of iron or steel.