The Detroit times., 1913-08-07
MERCHANTS
Use CAMERA TO
OPPOSE TARIFF
Take Pictures of BillbOards on
Border in Effort to Show How
Duty Aids Smugglers
SAY OPEN BID Is
MADE TO EVADE LAW
American Dealers In Gems Pro-
test Against Competition
49, From Other Side

NEW YORK, Aug 7,-Supplement'
Ing briefs and oral arguments, the
diamond industry OF the United states
has called in the camera 10 demon
strate 70 congress the inadvisablllly
OF doubling the present import duty OF
10 per cent on precious stones.
The diamond merchants have sent
up TO the Canadian border and photo
graphed billboards which have been
erected since the house with the IN
crease in that advertising such as has
appeared along the frontier is an open
bid for the business o diamond snug
glers. The billboards from Niagara 10
Toronto and Rouse's Point TO Mon
treal emphasize 70 the American trav-
eler that Diamonds Enter Canada
Duty Free.
The diamond merchants are press
Ing upon congress the argument that
duty higher than 10 per cent puts
such a premium upon smuggling that
honest importers will not be able to
compete end that the government at
the same time will be the loser
through its inability TO collect the
higher duty.
The subcommittee OF the senate
finance committee accepted the dia-
mond merchants argument upon find
ing that Secretary McAdoo and the
chiefs OF all the revenue departments
OF the government concurred in il, but
when the bill reached the full men,
bership of the senate finance commit
tee the higher rate was restored
Some senators said they never would
be able to make their constituents
understand why diamonds should be
taxed only 10 per cent
Tiffany's, who are among the mer-
chants Joining in the protest to con-
gress, pointed out in a brief that the
government collected under the Will
son tariff in 1896. at 25 per cent, less
than half the revenue received in 1898
under the 10 per cent duty Of the Nc.
Kinley law.
Against the argument that the gov
eminent Is more successful now than
In 1895 in preventing smuggling, the
merchants submit that their Protec-
tive association has met with very
little success sin detecting and prose
eating smugglers who are known to
flourish even with the duty at 10 per
cent.
President Moore, of the Tiffany
company, said yesterday:
IT is our conscientious opinion.
based upon long experience and init
mate knowledge OF the market, that
d tariff of more than 10 per cent is
largely uncollectible because OF the
increased premium placed upon snug
gllng From an Immediately selfish
point or view the merchants might
wen favor the invrease, since il would
add TO the value OF their present
stocks II everybody hereafter paid the
hlgher duty But everybody would
not pay Honest merchants would be
compelled 10 meet competition OF
smugglers whose advantage would be
so tremendous that legitimate bust.
ness would be most unfairly handicap.
ped"
Monazite sand-the source OF sup.
ply or thorium, from which incandes-
cent gas nantes are manufactured
is another spot in the tariff bill which
the senate is being urged 70 modify
Opponents of the proposed duty NJ Ok
per cent allege that the rate IL a dis.
elimination which will benefit nobody
but the German thorium syndicate
ana the constituents OF one Demo.
lima. N"''
The German syndicate controls the
worlds supply Of monazite sand
through concession from the Brazil
IAN government. The only other work.
aDie deposit Is in North Carolina.
"hlch produced an inferior grade and
supply Inadequate for the American
Weisoach company, which had to con.
tract Tor q suDDly from brazil