The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1915-03-11
REDFIELD REPLIES TO
ATTACK on THE TARIFF.

Washington, March 0. -seretary OF
Commerce RedAeid gave the cte,ics Of |
the democratic tariff body HOW acre
today In a report based on a5etter Shit
President Wilson on December oath
last by the Manufacturer Association
Of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
which declared that the present GUS
toms made 1t necessary that women
should sit helplessly N cold, dismal
little rooms and their children face
starvation I"
The counter attack took the form Of
a report on the Industries Of the com
planning county By d. II. Barclay, a
special agent 81 the department OF
commerce. 9
Mr.. Barclay finds according TO Mr..
Redhel ~ Communication to the presl-
dent, That the business Of the county IA
In good condition, that the tarins III
effects are nil, and that restitution rs
scarcely greater this winter than last.
The Associated Charities Of Norris
town, Pa, In January, 1914, extended
aid to twenty persons, and in January .
1916, to - persons, in a total cOInmuni'
tE Of over $1,000.
Secretary Redfeld declares the trNu.
bIes Of the Montgomery manufacturers
are TO h. found In their unbusiness-
like methods, rather than in the tarif.
lie says:
Several manufacturers stated tnat
there are certain abuses and OWLS
which now exist and have existed in
the textile industry for years which
afrcct the business lS no tariff ever
could Tho greatest Of these evils arc
Cancellation and protection. The
first puts II to the option Of the buyer
whether he win take goods which Ia
has ordered and contracted for In goo,
faith. The second enables the buyer /,
get his goods ut market price at tim
OF delivery I'm case the market has fal
en- or, when the period between tn
time the contract was made and dat
of delivery may extend over severa
months
out Of thirty manufacturers investl
gated, twelve stated that foreign mad
goods could come into direct compel
ton with their products. Five Of thes
produce low price seamless hosier!
five medium and low price woole
cloth. one cuttonade and cotton wors
eds, and one WOODEN and worstcd cal
pct yarns.
In january. 1915, the number Of en-
ploycs Ia the thirty concerns had d'
creased us from year before. Tn
decreases were confined almost solcl
IN eight concerns. and 49, Of these wcr
reported by three manufacturers {
seamless hosiery.
The report then goes into great ID
! tail Of the seamless hosiery business
Hundreds Of small plants manufactul
ing this product have recently sprun
up all over the country. Many opel
ated by men who did not know whe
they were selling at loss. In l9l
lninctyfour large new mills went int
operation. This does not include Oh
small plants with ten to twenty'fy
machines.
The imports of hosiery in 1914 e'
ceeded those of 1915 by Sti0,S01, an
of S3,1I4G45 brought In the latte
year S1,9G4,O 05 was I'm expensiy
grades competing with Montgomer
county products. The imports Of IN
slery In 1914 were less than ~
cent. Of the domestic production. III
latter was S27,42O.O29 in 1890; S44
113, 2GO In 1901, and S0S.72l,s25
1909.
The production of new mills starte
in 1914 Is far In excess OF the total {
the importation OF hosiery. OF the
mills started in 1914. II were crccte
In Pennsylvania. There Is, turtle
more, Il growing demand for shiny
or silk Imitation silk hosiery, whic
has hurt the Montgomery county pr,
ducts. Moreover, nearly all hosieI
imports have come from German
and these are now cut OF. The govern
ment records show, too a great recel
gain In exports Of cotton knit good
including hosiery. In December, 19l
these were $4,000; and in Decemb'
Inst more than $2,OOO,O0o.
The report concludes by showing Il
prosperity of the banks and OF Il
building trade in Norristown.