The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-03-16
Democrats Hedging.

Although American dependence
upon Germany for dyestuffs has been
demonstrated, and the urgent need
for permanent establishment OF n
dye industry in this country Is uni
versally recognized. the Democrats
in Congress show little evidence of
willingness to legislate for America
first"
American manufacturers wishing
to make dyestuffs will not undertake
that industry without assurance Of
protection from the synilcutrd COIN
petition OF Germany after tho war.
Representative z. ]. Hill. Republic
can member of the ways and means
committee, has introduced bill car
rying rates of duty on dyestu.fs which
meet the approval of tho American
Chemican Society of the United
States. made up of Democrats and
Republicans alike. Indications are
that the Democrats In Congress will
not stand behind the bill.
Congressman Hill declares: IF ev-
cry penny of the specific duty which
1t is now proposed to add to the reve-
nue. rates of the present law should
be added to the price TO the conEum-
or. 1t would take hundred years OF
that burden to equal the lOssra which
the existing famine has brought upon
the country In the last twelve
months"
The chief of the bureau Of foreign
and domestic commerce, in public
address to the Chemical Club in New
York, four months ago, declared that
the total loss; direct and indirect
now being borne by American users
OF dyestutfs and dyed wares amounts
to not less than S1,0O0,O0O n day"
The scarcity Of dyes affects the
whole country. Seventy per cent OF
the cotton consumed in this country
In making cloths. passes through the
dyers' hands before 1t reaches the
consumer. II steps are not lrnme-
diately taken to encourage the max
ing of dyes in this country. by means
of protective tariff, the price OF
cotton will fall as n consequence. II
costs to color wool five times the cost
Of coloring cotton. Nearly all the
wool used by us Is colnred. silk,
leather. paper and fur require dyes
in their manufacture and the repre-
eentatives OF these great industries
utilizing the labor of hundreds OF
thousands OF men and women. all de,
clare that the supplies OF German
dyestuffs are nearly used up. Without
the dyes the industries must suffer
and so must the laborors.
Another interesting phase OF tht
| ~ ,fkUuktay. TVr1U hTaTJuht IN
| the recent hearings before the ways
and means committee OF Congress;
DR.. Bernard Hesse. chairman of the
chemical and dyestuffs committee oi
New York, stated: eff we did have
a complete se1f-contained coal tar dive
Industry In this country. we would
have an equipment which could, witt
comparatively little delay, be con
verified into n device to manufacture
explosives and We would have thu
nucleus OF trained body OF men
workmen. If you please-foromen ant
superintendent. who could. with yer!
little added time. learn how to make
these explosives properly and the!
then begin to act as a nucleus for al
accretion or growth OF men necessar!
to do the work"
ANY reasonable man would thinl
} that the Democrats would seize OF
this as an excnEe for establishing rrn
tective rates OF duty on dyestutf
made in America. 1t is a matter O
|! preparedness. also. But they con
.tinue to back and fill and sidestel
the issue. and, meanwhile. the los
i to users Of dyes continues to be 81.