H. TARIFF HEARINGS 45 BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS SIXTIETH CONGRESS. FIRST PRINT, No. 49. (APPENDIX.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1909 WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1909. APPENDIX. SCHEDULE K.-WOOL AND MANUFACTURES OF WOOL. WOOL. JOHN H. MCILROY SON & CO., NORTH MONMOUTH, ME., ADVOCATE DUTIES BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SCOURED WOOL. NORTH MONMOUTH, ME., January 8, 1909. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: While collecting a given number of cents per pound duty upon wool, under general classification, may be very simple, this method is not only unscientific, but operates to the disadvantage of a number of American manufacturers less fortunate than their fellow-importers of sugar, lead ore, etc., in having to pay duty at the same rate, whether a wool shrinks 16 or 70 per cent. This inequality has been urged by various experts, who have appeared before your honorable committee, as a ground for the application to wool of an ad valorem rate or some other equitable basis of adjustment. That this irregularity of shrinkage exists is an admitted fact. The result is that mills using certain classes of wool with light shrinkage are paying duty equal to 14.3 cents per clean pound, while other manufacturers importing wools with heavy shrinkage have to pay equal to 31.5 cents per clean pound. Various objections, however, can be raised against the imposition of an ad valorem duty. In these days of frequent changes in prices, constant differences of opinion as to values would be inevitable. The obvious remedy would be the adoption of the scoured weight as the basis of duty, under such regulations as would fully protect the interests of the revenue and have been found to be practicable with regard to other articles. The details would of course have to be arranged with due consideration arious points brought forward during the present heas. The estimated scoured yield being the basis on which wool is valued by prospective buyers and sellers, the clean pound would therefore be the logical standard of duty. The detailed methods now being elaborated by the National Bureau of Standards, Washington, and already in use at conditioning houses, here and in Europe, for moisture, scouring, and other tests of wool, tops, and yarns, would be equally applicable to such an adjustment of duties under Schedule K. Hoping that this subject may be taken up in conjunction with the tests of shrinkage now being made for the guidance of the committee. Most respectfully, yours, JOHN H. MCILROY SON & Co. Per JOHN H. MCILROY, Treasurer. |