STRAW AND CHIP BRAIDS. AMERICAN DYERS AND BLEACHERS OF STRAW AND CHIP BRAIDS ASK FOR AN INCREASE OF DUTY. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 18, 1908. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, House of Representatives. GENTLEMEN: We, the undersigned dyers and bleachers of America, desire to present for your consideration our views on the necessity for a higher duty on dyed and bleached straw and chip braids used in the manufacture of hats. The paragraph to which we would call your attention is 409, under Schedule N of the present law, which reads as follows: 409. Braids, plaits, laces, and willow sheets or squares, composed wholly of straw, chip, grass, palm leaf, willow, osier, or rattan, suitable for making or ornamenting hats, bonnets, or hoods, not bleached, dyed, colored, or stained, fifteen per centum ad valorem; if bleached, dyed, colored, or stained, twenty per centum ad valorem; hats, bonnets, and hoods, composed of straw, chip, grass, palm leaf, willow, osier, or rattan, whether wholly or partly manufactured, but not trimmed, thirty-five per centum ad valorem; if trimmed, fifty per centum ad valorem. But the terms "grass and "straw" shall be understood to mean these substances in their natural form and structure, and not the separated fiber thereof. We ask that the words "twenty per centum" be striken out and "thirty per centum" substituted. In other words, that the duty on dyed and bleached straw and chip braids shall be increased from 20 per cent ad valorem to 30 per cent ad valorem. We have no objection to the duty of 15 per cent ad valorem on the natural braids, as we presume this is levied for the purpose of revenue, and we have no interest in the actual value of the merchandise we handle in any event. We claim, however, that there should be a greater difference than 5 per cent additional on bleached, dyed, colored, or stained braids. The custom-house records show that last year $509,000 out of $1,800,000, or nearly one-third of the braids imported from Europe, were either dyed or bleached. Any possible loss in revenue caused by the additional duty asked for would be more than offset by the increased duty on chemicals and dyestuff's that would be used if we had this work to handle in this country. Dyers in Italy are paid on an average of 40 to 50 cents per day, while our labor cost averages $2 per day. The chemicals and dyestuff's which we use are dutiable at from 25 to 35 per cent. This, together with the increased cost of labor in this country, makes it impossible for us to compete with Europe when we have a protection of only 5 per cent. We ask for a protection to the extent of the difference in the cost of production at home and abroad. All we want is an opportunity to do work on equal terms with Europe. There are 30 manufacturers who maintain dyers and bleachers in their own plants, and in addition there are 11 job dyehouses and bleacheries in this country. While some of these manufacturers desire no distinction made between the duty on dyed and raw straw braids, we feel that our industry is certainly entitled to as much protection as dyers and bleachers of textile goods. We would call your attention also to the fact that the Japanese are sending over braids composed partly of natural straw and partly of dyed straw, woven together. These braids are used in this country in the same condition as that in which they arrive, and are to all intents and purposes dyed braids, and should therefore come under the dyed and bleached rate for government revenue rather than for protection. These braids are sold here at practically the same prices as raw braids, thus showing that in Japan the cost of dyeing is practically nothing as compared to ours. We fear greatly that within the next few years the Japanese will take up the dyeing and bleaching of braids and export them here, in which case our industry will be entirely ruined. The duty asked for, therefore, is not only a protection against European labor but, further, will act to discourage the Japanese and Chinese from embarking in this industry to the detriment of the American labor. Hoping you will give this petition your favorable consideration and recommend the advance in duty as we have requested, we remain, Very respectfully, Wm. Randall & Sons (Incorporated), F. H. Randall, STRAW BOTTLE COVERINGS. HON. J. H. DAVIDSON, M. C., WRITES RELATIVE TO STRAW COVERINGS FOR BOTTLES WHICH NEED PROTECTION. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 16, 1908. CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, House of Representatives. SIR: I had hoped by this time to be able to present to you a brief on the subject of the duty on manufactured hay and straw products. My constituents have not yet been able to submit their statements to me. Briefly stated, the situation is as follows: In Wisconsin we have an immense acreage of marsh grass, a wiry coarse grass which grows on the lowlands along the rivers and is not suitable and can not be used as hay for stock feeding. This grass is now being used very largely in making mattings and also for packing furniture and other such goods. There is also what is known as the straw bottle covering industry, in which some of my constituents are engaged. There is at present, I believe, a duty upon straw products. This ought to be continued. The present law permits to be entered free of duty straw coverings when used on bottles imported. There is, I think, no objection to this provision when the covering is used upon filled bottles and the bottles are resold to the consumer, the cover continuing thereon. There are, however, large quantities of empty glass bottles imported into this country for the drug and other trades which use bottles. These bottles have never been filled or used. While the straw covering may be an additional protection in the shipping of empty bottles, yet after the bottles are received in this country, I understand the practice is to remove these straw coverings, bale them, and put them upon the market in competition with straw coverings manufactured in this country. In foreign countries straw coverings are manufactured by hand, and largely in the family, where all members of the family take part in the work, thus reducing the cost of manufacture to the minimum. In this country they are largely manufactured by machinery, the machines being operated by girls who receive good wages. A suitable duty should therefore be imposed sufficient to protect this industry. At the same time provision should be made so as to prevent that improper and unfair competition which comes from placing upon the market in this country straw coverings which have been heretofore used on bottles imported, and which on this account have not paid duty. I expect to receive in a day or two a statement from my constituents who are interested in this matter, and upon its receipt I will immediately forward it to you. Yours, very respectfully, J. H. DAVIDSON, M. C. EXHIBIT A. Hon. J. H. DAVIDSON, OSHKOSH, WIS., December 17, 1908. Washington, D. C.. DEAR SIR: I have been running a straw-bottle-cover factory in this city for the past twenty years. The fact of the matter is that the only time I could get into the market with my wrappers was when there was a shortage of straw in the old country. I have a large amount of money invested in machinery, buildings, and equipment, that in the past twenty years has laid idle more than half the time. My factory could have been running the year round at a profit if I was given a proper protection; that is, if the tariff on imported bottle wrappers was so placed as to equalize the cost of manufacture. In the United States and Germany, with a low price of labor and straw in Germany and the high price of labor and straw in the United States, it is impossible for me to meet the prices made on imported straw wrappers. Hoping you will give us relief, remain, LOUIS SCHNEIDER. Very truly, yours, EXHIBIT B. Hon. J. H. DAVIDSON, Washington, D. C. OSHKOSH, WIs., December 17, 1908. DEAR SIR: As you will note, we, the Oshkosh Bottle Wrapper Company, have been making bottle wrappers for the last five years. We started in making hay wrappers, but found in the course of business that a large bulk of the trade insisted on having straw wrappers, for the reason that straw wrappers have been used in the packing of wines, etc., for over one hundred years and that it would be necessary for us to make straw wrappers, which we have attempted to do and have been obliged to discontinue manufacturing straw wrappers for the reason that the imported straw wrapper has been laid down in our market for less money than we can make a straw wrapper for. The girl operators that run our machines earn from $7.50 to $9 a week; the helpers, that is, the girls who take away from the machines, earning from $5 to $6 per week. All of this work is done by girls over 16 years old, while in Germany, where most of the imported bottle wrappers are made, the operator earns not exceeding 30 cents of our money per day and the helper is not paid, this being an industry done by the family where all the children help to get these goods out. We have to comply with the state labor law, and can not employ children under labor age. If we had protection to cover only the difference of the cost of production, we know that a large industry could be established in our country, and this would help not only the manufacturer and laborer, but would help the farmer by giving him an increased price for his rye straw, which they could thrash with a special constructed thrashing machine such as they are using in some parts of this country to-day to secure long rye straw for the manufacturing of harness collars. Under the present tariff conditions it is impossible for us to manufacture straw wrappers and compete in price with the German product. Another great factor in keeping the price of bottle wrappers down below our cost of production here is the fact that annually large quantities of bottles are imported into this country with straw wrappers. These wrappers covering these bottles come in duty free, are then baled up and put on the market as new wrappers. These wrappers should certainly pay a duty. We inclose you here a letter received a few days ago from the Schlitz Brewing Company, of Milwaukee, and this is only a sample of the many that we receive in trying to do business with large buyers in straw wrappers. Yours, very truly, OSHKOSH BOTTLE WRAPPER CO., Per WM. DICHMANN, President. EXHIBIT C. Mr. WILLIAM DICHMAN, MILWAUKEE, December 12, 1908. Oshkosh Bottle Wrapper Co., Oshkosh, Wis. DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 10th instant to hand; also sample wrapper. While this wrapper is a good and safe one, we fear that you will have but little sale unless you will be able to considerably reduce price. The ordinary straw wrapper gives full protection and, as you are aware, is much lower in price. Yours, truly, Jos. SCHLITZ BREWING CO., BOTTLING DEPARTMENT. Hon. J. H. DAVIDSON, M. C., MAYVILLE, Wis., December 17, 1908. Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: I have a factory here for the manufacture of straw bottle covers, and tried to compete with the imported straw covers, but could not do so. In 1905 I went to Europe and investigated the manufacture there, and found it was a house industry. Their raw material is cheaper and better than we can get, because we have to use a machine-thrashed straw, while they get a flail-thrashed straw, of which they can use all for covers, while our machine-thrashed straw is half waste. The wages of the operator is also against us. I found that the people over there were satisfied with an earning of 20 to 25 cents per day of our money, while we have to pay $1 to $1.50 per day for our operators. If we could have protection, a large industry could be developed in that branch, but as it is now there is nothing can be done. My factory has been closed for the last five years, and I can not use the factory for the manufacture of bottle covers unless we get a protective tariff that will nearly offset the difference in cost of manufacture in Europe and this country. The people over in Europe use a very similar machine for the manufacture as we use here. The only dif ference that I could see was that their machines were operated by foot power while ours are operated by steam power. An expert operator will turn out as many covers on their machines as an ordinary operator will turn out on ours. Very respectfully, WORKS OF ART. A. F. SCHOEN. "ART NOTES" THINKS THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF AMERICAN ARTISTS ARE OPPOSED TO FREE ART. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, NEW YORK CITY, December 22, 1908. Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Inclosed you will find a clipping from Macbeth's Art Notes for December, 1908, which is a very fair estimate. Very truly, yours, GEORGE A. TRAVER. |