REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN. Tuesday, November 10, 1908, the chairman of the committee, Hon.. S. E. Payne, opened the public hearings with the following remarks: Gentlemen, the bearings will commence at half past 9 in the morning and continue until 1 o'clock, when a recess will be taken until 2 o'clock. The hear ings will then be resumed in the afternoon at 2 o'clock, and if it becomes necessary to take a recess at 6 o'clock the committee can do so and continue the hearings at 8 o'clock. The opening hearing this morning, as you are aware, is upon the chemical schedule of the tariff, and it is the desire of the committee to hear the parties interested and others who may desire to speak on the subject embraced in the schedule, and also concerning the chemica.s on the free list, and so with each paragraph of the bill as we proceed, so that the discussion may continue intelligently, involving every item connected wit the subject. The committee has no apologies to mal for the bad acoustics of the hall, as we have nothing to do with that feature. We hope the people in attendance will be able to hear, and I would caution those in attendance that they speak in a sufficiently loud tone of voice that 'he committee can hear. December 22, 1908, at the close of the formal hearings, the chairman said: Gentlemen, in accordance with the resolution of the committce passed two weeks ago this closes the hearings and there will be no further hearings by the committee unless they desire information on some subject and invite gentlemen to be present to give them that information-that is, there will be no hearings for volunteers as distinguished from those who may be sent for by the committee. Of course, any persons desiring to present briefs and file them can do so, and they will be printed with the hearings. The only difficulty in regard to that is that if they are not brought in promptly they will be printed in a subsequent volume. I think we have material now for five or six volumes, and belated briefs and papers will be printed in a subsequent volume with the index. Before we adjourn I want to thank the members of the committee for their uniform courtesy, and especially their indefatigable inquiries tending to bring out the facts in reference to the tariff and in order to aid in perfecting the bill. I think the minority members of the committee especially are entitled to thanks for their perseverance and patience in getting at the facts. Mr. COCKRAN. As the senior member of the minority, Mr. Chairman, I want to say that nothing could be fairer than the manner in which this investigation has been conducted, and no inquiry could be fuller in its scope or more fruitful in its results. The CHAIRMAN. The chairman is very much gratified at the gentleman's statement. The committee will now stand adjourned. V ARTICLES OF HOME ORIGIN. [Paragraph 483.] HENRY J. WEBSTER, NEW YORK CITY, QUESTIONS THE APPLICATION OF THE PROVISION FOR ARTICLES, THE GROWTH, PRODUCE, AND MANUFACTURE OF THE UNITED STATES. COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, 17 BATTERY PLACE, New York, January 23, 1909. Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: In my experience in tariff matters representing both the Government and importers a matter has frequently come to my attention which I believe deserves the attention of the Congress, particularly as it does not seriously affect any special interest, but is probably of greatest importance to travelers and individuals importing articles for their own use. I refer to the second i portation of an article which has once paid duty. It is submitted that if a man imports an article and pays duty upon it and takes it out of the country he should be permitted to bring it back without additional payment. Every person who has been compelled to pay duty a second time on the same article has certainly felt aggrieved, and Congress itself seems to have taken the same view as to a few articles. For example, paragraph 483 of the present tariff act (which relates chiefly to American products reFurned) provides for the free admission of quicksilver flasks of foreign make previously exported from the United States. Again, in paragraph 697, personal effects taken abroad by residents of the United States may be brought back by them without payment of duty, without reference to whether they are of American or foreign manufacture. The Secretary of the Treasury also permits the free entry of automobiles of foreign manufacture when imported for a second time. His instructions to collectors are broad enough in their terms to include any article imported for a second time, but they have not been generally applied to other articles than automobiles. (T. D. 23923.) The Secretary also permits teams and automobiles to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders temporarily without payment. (Art. 659, Treas. Reg. of 1908.) Sealskin garments of foreign manufacture may also be taken abroad and brought back without duty, if registered. (Art. 633, id.) If the foregoing articles are properly admitted free upon second importation, would it not be proper to extend the rule to all classes of articles? Some cases where a second duty was assessed are as follows: T. D. 15321 (G. A. 2755). A pump of English manufacture was sent from San Francisco to the coast of British Columbia to be used 7343 |