Organization.-Wiring supplies and insulators are made by a considerable number of firms, ranging from small to moderately large size, and the great electrical manufacturers are also producers, through acquisition of one or more of the specialty manufactures. Some of these concerns make their own porcelain, while others purchase from porcelain makers, some of whom make a specialty of this branch of the business. In general the market is wide and manufacture is conducted on a rather large scale, although there are a number of smaller firms making patented specialties. Statistics of invested capital for this branch of the industry are not segregated. The equipment is not in itself particularly expensive, but as the articles are made in large numbers, a rather large investment is required to obtain the advantages of quantity production. Geographical distribution. Porcelain electrical supplies and other wiring devices are produced largely in New York, Ohio, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are producers of insulators. History of the industry. The expansion of the industry dates from about 1880, when the development of the incandescent lamp and the electric motor created a demand for electric wiring. Previously about the only articles of this class were glass insulators for telegraph lines. The United States led in the development of all lines of electrical equipment, and has never been dependent upon foreign countries for its supply. Domestic production and consumption. In 1919 domestic production of circuit fittings, fuses, switchboards, cabinets, sockets, receptacles, and wiring supplies amounted to $52,550,056, an increase of several times over the production in 1914. Practically all of the domestic demand is supplied by American makers, and the production exceeds the consumption. Exports. Statistics of exports of interior wiring supplies include fixtures: The total of these two classes amounted in 1920 to $3,386,068 and in 1921 to $1,848,793. Exports are widely distributed, but go in large part to Canada and Latin America. In addition to interior wiring supplies, there were exports of switches and accessories to the amount of $4,438,773 in 1920 and $4,033,299 in 1921, but this probably includes a large amount of power apparatus of much heavier character. American goods are superior in quality to those of foreign manufacture with which they compete in the export markets, but as the standards of such countries are far below those of the United States, this superiority does not give domestic manufacturers a corresponding advantage. Some American producers have recently been copying for the export trade some of the lower grade material exported by foreign makers. On the other hand, there appears to be a trend toward the use of improved designs in importing countries, and this has led in some cases to the copying by foreign manufacturers of American designs, the copies usually being of lighter construction and selling at lower prices, though the copy is sometimes a very close imitation of the original. A further advantage is secured by the lighter foreign material, since foreign tariffs. are largely based on weight. The Canadian market demands material much more like that used in the United States. The cutting off of German competition during the war gave American producers a great advantage in the export markets, particularly those of Latin America, and between 1914 and 1920 exports increased nearly five times. The gain in Latin America is illustrated by the figures for Argentina and Brazil, which combined amounted to $3,846 in 1914 and to $415,227 in 1920. In 1921 exports to these two countries dropped to $226,358. Manufacturers state that German products are sold in South America at prices approximately one-half of those at which American producers can sell their goods, although the quality of such German goods is far below that of American standards. The material is, however, acceptable to much of the Latin American trade. FOREIGN PRODUCTION. Germany and Great Britain are the largest foreign producers. Italy, Spain, and other European countries also produce considerable amounts, and some material is made for home use in such countries as Argentina. As has been mentioned in connection with exports, much of the foreign material is made to lower standards than American, but there is no reason why the highly developed manufacturing countries could not turn out a high-grade product for export if there appeared to be sufficient demand. The removal of European competition during the war also gave Japan an opportunity to enter the markets of the world, and stimulated her industry. One well-equipped Japanese factory makes hightension insulators, but the quality does not appear to be equal to that of the American product. The smaller shops confine themselves largely to low-tension insulators and wiring devices. Switches and sockets are made in many small shops, by handwork, often on a contract from a larger maker, and the quality is frequently poor and not uniform. Switches of the American type are made by one large American-controlled telephone-apparatus firm as a side line. High-tension insulator manufacture has not been developed extensively in Great Britain, but there is now one factory which turns out a good product. IMPORTS. Im No figures of imports are available for this class of material. portation, however, has been inconsiderable, and it is difficult to find instances of sales of any appreciable quantities of foreign goods in this country. Customs appraisers report very little of such material arriving in American ports. PRICES. Owing to the differences in construction between domestic and foreign material, it is difficult to make comparisons in prices, and since many of the foreign designs would not be acceptable to the inspecting agencies in this country, such comparisons would not always be conclusive. Domestic prices quoted in trade periodicals show great irregularities, on account of the wide variety of designs. TARIFF HISTORY. Articles in chief value of porcelain, plain and undecorated, were dutiable under the acts of 1897 and 1909 at 55 per cent ad valorem. In 1913 porcelain and other vitreous ware is specifically provided for at 50 per cent if undecorated. Articles in chief value of metal, not specially provided for, were dutiable at 45 per cent ad valorem in 1897 and 1909, and under the act of 1913 at 20 per cent. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS. Wiring supplies and insulators are made in the United States by standardized quantity production methods, and the quality of the product is equal to that of any foreign goods and superior to most. Much of the foreign product is below the standards required by American inspection agencies, and could not be widely used in this country, although if there were sufficient inducements in the way of prices, attempts might be made to introduce it. Foreign producers have some advantage in obtaining clay. As yet there has been no foreign competition worthy of mention, probably owing to the differences in design and to the strong position of the domestic manufacturers. Labor costs for these products vary with the different articles. An investigation conducted in 1920 by the Electrical Manufacturers Council was reported to indicate that the average labor cost for the group is approximately 40 per cent of the total cost of production. TARIFF CONSIDERATIONS. Most wiring devices are composed of porcelain and metallic parts, and the determination of the material of chief value may be difficult. If imports should develop, a separate classification of these articles (including porcelain base switches, cut-outs, fuse plugs, lamp sockets, receptacles, attachment plugs, rosettes, and other wiring devices and insulators) would be of advantage. As a producer of revenue this class of material is, under present conditions, negligible. DOMESTIC EXPORTS-continued. Interior wiring supplies, etc., including fixtures—Continued. Exported to- United Kingdom. Canada.. ELECTRIC AND GAS LIGHTING FIXTURES. SUMMARY. Lighting fixtures include portable lamps, ceiling and wall fixtures, and street and other outside fixtures. A shade is commonly included as a part of the complete fixture, but fixtures and shades are often sold separately. In 1914 production of electric-lighting fixtures amounted to $19,873,883, this amount not including the shades. Estimates for 1920 made by manufacturers at the close of the year approximated $18,000,000. In 1919 the combined product of electric and combination gas and electric fixtures, and of fixtures made by the electrical industry proper, amounted to $32,902,266. A great variety of materials are used for fixtures. The metallic parts are usually of white composition metal, painted to resemble brass, or they are of iron, brass, or bronze. Bases of portable lamps are of wood, brass, or other metal, porcelain, marble, or other material. Shades are of glass, porcelain, silk, paper, or metal. The product is not standardized to any great extent. The metallic parts are stamped or cast, according to the design and material. Glass shades are either cast or blown in molds. Crystal shades, made up of beads and other small glass pieces are formed by hand. Fixtures are made with few exceptions by moderate sized concerns, the industry not requiring a great amount of capital. Glassware is made by separate firms and sold either to the fixture makers or direct to consumers. Exports have not been large in relation to the domestic production. Separate figures are not available, as lighting fixtures are included with wiring devices. The combined export under this dual classification amounted to $3,386,068 in 1920. Latin American countries were among the principal customers. In 1921 exports fell to $1,848,793. No separate import figures are available. Imports have not been. large, with the exception of glass shades. There has been some importation of bronze fixtures in antique designs from France and Italy and also some of certain classes of French porcelain bases for portable lamps, both being high-grade artistic products. Glass shades are imported from Czechoslovakia and Austria; the quality is said to be equal, and in some cases superior, to the domestic article. Fixtures are made in Germany, Great Britain, and France, and to a lesser extent in countries less developed in manufacturiug. Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Austria produce much glassware for shades. Some of the highest class goods, both in porcelain and bronze, are produced in France. Manufacturers of high-class bronze and other fixtures state that foreign competition has been negligible, with the exception of a small number of antique reproductions from England and France. Makers of the lower priced grades believe that competition is possible from Germany on account of the lower wage rates, although they have not as yet encountered any. Fixtures are not so susceptible to quantity production methods as many other metal products, as they are made in a great variety of designs, although there is a tendency to standardize in some lines. Possibilities for the sale of foreign goods are greatest in glassware. In this connection reference is made to a survey of this series treating pressed and blown glassware. GENERAL INFORMATION. ACT OF 1913. Paragraph 98. Marble, breccia, onyx, alabaster, and jet, wholly or partly manufactured into monuments, benches, vases, and other articles, or of which these substances or either of them is the component material of chief value, per centum ad valorem. * * * 45 Paragraph 84. Glass bottles, decanters, and all articles of every description composed wholly or in chief value of glass, ornamented or decorated in any manner, or cut, engraved, painted, decorated, ornamented, colored, stained, silvered, gilded, etched, sand blasted, frosted, or printed in any manner, or ground (except such grinding as is necessary for purposes other than ornamentation), and all articles of composed wholly or in chief value of glass blown either in a mold or otherwise; all of the foregoing, not specially provided for in this section, * 45 per centum ad valorem. * * every description, * * * * * * * Paragraph 167. Articles or wares not specially provided for in this section; if composed wholly or in part of platinum, gold, or silver, and articles or wares plated with gold or silver, and whether partly or wholly manufactured, 50 per centum ad valorem; if composed wholly or in chief value of iron, steel, lead, copper, brass, nickel, pewter, zinc, aluminum, or other metal, but not plated with gold or silver, and whether partly or wholly manufactured, 20 per centum ad valorem. * Paragraph 134. Table, kitchen, and hospital utensils or other similar hollow ware composed of iron or steel, enameled or glazed with vitreous glasses; * all the foregoing not especially provided for in this section, 25 per centum ad valorem. Paragraph 318. Woven fabrics, in the piece or otherwise, of which silk is the component material of chief value, and all manufactures of silk, or of which silk are the component materials of chief value, not specially provided for in this section, 45 per centum ad valorem. * * * Paragraph 176. House or cabinet furniture wholly or in chief value of wood, wholly or partly finished, and manufactures of wood or bark or of which wood or bark is the component material of chief value, not specially provided for in this section, 15 per centum ad valorem. Paragraph 80. China and porcelain wares composed of a vitrified nonabsorbent body, which, when broken, shows a vitrified or vitreous, or semivitrified or semivitreous fracture, and all bisque and parian wares, including clock cases with or without movements, plaques, ornaments, toys, charms, vases, statues, mugs, cups, steins, lamps, and all other articles composed wholly or in chief value of such ware, if plain white, or plain brown, not painted, colored, tinted, stained, enameled, gilded, printed, or ornamented |