PARAGRAPH 427-BUTTONS. button manufacturies of this city, and previous to four years ago carried on in connection with our manufacturing business a jobbing and, in a small way, an import business. We therefore consider ourselves fairly well informed in regard to buttons in general, with the exception of such that are known as agate buttons, metal trouser buttons, and bone buttons. We consider that buttons can be divided into two general classes-staple and ivory. Staple buttons consisting mostly of ivory buttons such as are usually worn on men's garments and women's tailored garments, and pearl shirt buttons such as are used on men's soft shirts and all kinds of underwear. Fancy buttons consisting mostly of metal, glass, and also of galalith and pearl, and quite generally a combination of several different materials, making buttons that are used mostly on higher-priced garments, and used by the custom trade. This class may therefore be considered more or less in the nature of luxuries. About five years ago there was introduced a new article for the manufacture of buttons known as "Galalith." This is a casein product (patented), made by a German concern, generally in the form of sheets of various colors, and which have to be formed and turned in much the same fashion as buttons made of pearl and horn. We, together with two or more other button houses, took up this material, but on account of the high cost of the labor involved, we found the field very limited, because the cheaper kinds of buttons made of this material were too high in price for large consumption, and the fancy buttons were almost entirely brought to this country from France and Germany, in spite of the fact that they bore an import duty of 50 per cent under the clause of "Buttons not specially provided for." The galalith material at present is assessed at 20 per cent under the clause referring to "Partly manufactured articles not otherwise provided for." As a result of these conditions, the two other houses that began using this material when we did have since dropped it, and this past year is the first year that we have been able to make any item of it worth mentioning, and then only through the fact that we developed some superior designs, and were able to save time on deliveries over the time required to import goods. Our designs of course will probably be copied or imitated by the foreign manufacturers. Galalith buttons bear a higher proportionate labor cost than any other button made in this country. Practically all fancy buttons used in this country are imported, the styles and kinds being too various to admit of the cost of designing special machinery for their manufacture, and we believe that this state of affairs would continue even if the tariff on these goods were raised to 100 per cent. We would therefore suggest to your honorable committee that you incorporate into the tariff measure: (1) That galalith material in the form of sheets and rods be put on the free list; (2) that buttons other than pearl and ivory and consisting entirely of one piece only of any material be assessed at 35 per cent; (3) that buttons consisting of a combination of two or more materials of any kind or of two pieces of the same material cemented or otherwise joined together be assessed at 60 per cent. The reason that we make the suggestion involved in No. 2 and No. 3 is that No. 3 would include practically all of the fancy buttons which might be considered as luxuries. No. 2 would cover the staple buttons as mentioned above, and as on these classes of goods, it is possible to accomplish more by means of machinery, we believe that the 35 per cent would equalize the matter of labor, giving the domestic manufacturer the advantage of a home market. In so far as this would affect galalith buttons, it would still not bring the galalith into close competition with the horn and ivory button (which it in some respects resembles), excepting that of these latter materials it is not possible to produce any quantity of buttons larger than 50 ligne (14 inches). Galalith buttons are not limited as to size, and therefore would supply the demand for buttons of these larger sizes. In reference to our proposition of 60 per cent on the fancy buttons, this would still not equalize the matter of labor, but we believe would give us a fair chance in our home market. Thanking you in advance for your kind consideration of the above, we beg to remain, Yours, very truly, INTERNATIONAL BUTTON Co., Per EDGAR SHANTZ, Secretary. PARAGRAPH 427-SNAP FASTENERS. SNAP FASTENERS. STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY THE TRAUT & HINE MANUFACTURING CO., NEW BRITAIN, CONN. NEW BRITAIN, CONN., January 27, 1913. To the honorable members of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives: As manufacturers of snap fasteners, clasps, and parts thereof, we respectfully submit that: Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts of are now provided for in schedule N, sundries, paragraph 427, act of 1909, which reads as follows: "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts of, 50 per cent," and we respectfully ask this committee that this item be not changed, and that the rate of duty be allowed to stand as it now is on this class of manufacture. Snap fasteners are to-day manufactured in Germany and are being shipped to this country in larger and larger quantities, and after paying the present duty of 50 per cent ad valorem, these goods are being sold at a price less than we can compete with and pay the present rate of wages. The manufacturing of fasteners is quite a large industry in this country, but if it does not have the proper protection, the majority of the fasteners will be made in Germany and brought over here at such low prices that to compete with them would be impossible. This naturally would mean the death of the industry in question which now employs thousands of operatives and in which a large amount of capital is invested. Under these conditions we respectfully ask your honorable committee to leave the tariff as it is at present on snap fasteners. Very respectfully, THE TRAUT & HINE MANUFACTURING CO. BRIEF SUBMITTED BY UNITED STATES FASTENER CO., BOSTON, MASS. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, House of Representatives. As manufacturers of snap fasteners, clasps, and parts thereof, we respectfully submit that "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts of," are now provided for in Schedule N, sundries, paragraph 427, act of 1909, which reads as follows: "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts of, 50 per cent.' And we respectfully ask this committee that this item be not changed, and that the rate of duty be allowed to stand as it now is on this class of manufacture. The use of snap fasteners, clasps, and parts thereof is constantly increasing in this country, and their manufacture in the United States is fast becoming an industry of no mean proportion; the present rate of duty affords the manufacturers of these articles scarcely any protection, and the competition with articles of a like nature made abroad and imported into this country is most keen. "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts of" are to-day manufactured in Germany and are being shipped to this country in larger and larger quantities, and after payment of the present duty, which is 50 per cent ad valorem, together with all charges for ocean carriage or otherwise, are sold at a price less than that at which we can possibly compete if we are to continue to pay the same rate of wage as now paid by us. This, of course, means death to the above industry, which now employs thousands of operatives, and in which a large amount of capital is invested. For the information of the committee we append hereto a schedule of the wages paid in Germany and those paid by ourselves in like branches of manufacture for comparison. Respectfully submitted. UNITED STATES FASTENER Co., PARAGRAPH 427-SNAP FASTENERS. [Inclosure.] SNAP FASTENERS, OR CLASPS, OR PARTS OF, Paragraph 427, Act of 1909, Comparison of prices paid for labor in Germany and the United States. BRIEF OF S. BASCH, OF NEW YORK, ON SNAP FASTENERS. S. Basch, of New York, representing Waldes & Co., of Germany, basing his statements upon an experience of eight years, during which time he has come into contact with both the manufacturing and jobbing as well as the retail trade in this country, most earnestly suggests the following changes in the above paragraph 427, covering snap fasteners, to wit: These goods under the present tariff act are assessed for duty at a rate of 50 per cent ad valorem, which is not only so excessive as to almost prohibit their importation, but brings much hardship to the importers thereof. There are no snap fasteners of this type, to wit, with a wire spring, manufactured in this country at the present time, so far as can be ascertained, and therefore these articles come into no competition with any American article of like construction. The present high rate on these goods is such as to render the sale of them possible only at a very high price, and, in addition, makes the quantity imported so small as to be almost absolutely negligible as a producer of revenue to the Government. It is therefore suggested to your honorable body that the duty upon these articles be reduced to a rate of 25 per centum ad valorem, which will not only benefit the consumer by rendering possible a lower price on these goods in this country, but will redound to the benefit of the Government owing to greatly multiplied revenues resultant from increased importations, and can work no hardship on the American manufacturer, as there are no articles of this kind manufactured in this country, and therefore no competition with an American product. As a further illustration of the fact that the present duty rate is excessive it is called to your attention that the total importations of these articles during the year 1911 were approximately $20,000, whereas it is an undisputed fact that many hundreds of houses in Europe individually use such an amount of these goods annually and more. For all of the above reasons it is most earnestly urged that the rate of duty to be assessed upon these articles, to wit, snap fasteners, should be reduced to 25 per cent ad valorem. S. BASCH & Co., SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEF OF S. BASCH, OF WALDES & Co., SCHEDULE N, PARAGRAPH 427. The WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: I desire to supplement brief already filed by us under the above paragraph with the following concise statement: The present paragraph 427 contains the following: "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts thereof, by whatever name known, fifty per cent ad valorem." I inclose herewith samples of garment wire-spring fasteners. These fasteners are not made in this country and never have been, and, therefore, do not enter into competition whatsoever with any American article of like construc PARAGRAPH 427-SNAP FASTENERS. The present exhorbitant duty of 50 per centum ad valorem largely limits the importation of these goods. They are upon the Canadian free list, and the importation into Canada is at present nearly twice the amount of the importation into the United States with a population of not more than 5 per cent as great as the United States. A reduction of this duty rate to 25 per cent ad valorem, and a specification of this particular article as "Garment wire-spring fasteners" would not only protect all American purchasers, and supply the enormous demand for this particular fastener at a reasonable price to the entire population of the United States, but would also yield a revenue fully 10 times as great as at present. This fastener does not compete with the glove fastener made in this country, and can not be used for that purpose. It is largely made by automatic machines and the labor percentage of final cost is not to exceed 20 per cent thereof. For all of the above reasons we earnestly urge the consideration of this paragraph and such a correction of the same as to include "garment wire-spring fasterers, 25 per cent ad valorem." All of which is respectfully submitted. By Francis E. Hamilton, counsel, New York City. S. BASCH. BRIEF OF IMPORTERS OF SNAP FASTENERS, ETC. The WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. A brief was filed under Schedule C, requesting that trouser buckles and smap fasteners or dress fasteners should be covered by the paragraph covering manufactures of metal at a duty of 25 per cent ad valorem (H. R. 18642, par. 59). These articles are now covered under Schedule N at 50 per cent ad valorem (par. 425 and par. 427). These articles should appear under a paragraph covering manufactures of metal, for the following reason: Trouser buckles are among the plainest manufactures of metal. They are used by every male person wearing trousers. Fancy buckles for belts and shoes come under paragraph 448 as jewelry, and are therefore provided for at a higher rate of duty. No special paragraph is required, but they should appear in the metal schedule. The statistical records on steel buckles for the quarter beginning September 30, 1911, up to June 30, 1912, show a total importation of $5,399.50 in value and a duty collected thereon of $2,621.29, being at the rate of 5 cents a hundred and 15 per cent ad valorem. Snap or dress fasteners.-These are plain metal articles used for women's wearing apparel and are now assessed under paragraph 427 at 50 per cent. These are also manufactures of metal, and if transferred to the suggested paragraph in the metal schedule at a duty not to exceed 25 per cent ad valorem it would greatly encourage the importation of these useful articles, which are not manufactured in this country, and are used where the ordinary button can not be used with comfort. The statistical records from July 1, 1911, to June 30, 1912, report a total value of importation of fasteners of $38,564, upon which a duty of $19,282 was paid. The importations are comparatively small due to the fact that the duty of 50 per cent makes these fasteners too expensive for the average consumer, and inferior articles are used in lieu thereof, such as hooks and eyes, and sometimes buttons. If the duty was lowered on these articles, there would no doubt be increased importations, since a reduction would place fasteners within reach of everyone, and the demand is very great. These snap fasteners are not made in this country, and therefore a reduction in the duty will not in any way interfere with any domestic manufacturer. Trouser buckles and snap fasteners are sold to clothing manufacturers, to dressmakers, and to individual consumers, and they are both plain manufactures of metal and for this reason should be included in a paragraph under the metal schedule. The exhibits which I have submitted with my brief in tariff hearings No. 8, page 1691, will convince you that all these articles are manufactures of metal, and that they do not require the present excessive protective tariff of 50 per cent. Buckles and fasteners are articles of necessity. Respectfully submitted. PAUL BOWMANN, New York City, By FRANCIS E. HAMILTON, Counsel. PARAGRAPH 427-SNAP FASTENERS. [Inclosure.] SNAP FASTENERS, OR CLASPS, OR PARTS OF, PARAGRAPH 427, ACT OF 1909, Comparison of prices paid for labor in Germany and the United States. BRIEF OF S. BASCH, OF NEW YORK, ON SNAP FASTENERS. S. Basch, of New York, representing Waldes & Co., of Germany, basing his statements upon an experience of eight years, during which time he has come into contact with both the manufacturing and jobbing as well as the retail trade in this country, most earnestly suggests the following changes in the above paragraph 427, covering snap fasteners, to wit: These goods under the present tariff act are assessed for duty at a rate of 50 per cent ad valorem, which is not only so excessive as to almost prohibit their importation, but brings much hardship to the importers thereof. There are no snap fasteners of this type, to wit, with a wire spring, manufactured in this country at the present time, so far as can be ascertained, and therefore these articles come into no competition with any American article of like construction. The present high rate on these goods is such as to render the sale of them possible only at a very high price, and, in addition, makes the quantity imported so small as to be almost absolutely negligible as a producer of revenue to the Government. It is therefore suggested to your honorable body that the duty upon these articles be reduced to a rate of 25 per centum ad valorem, which will not only benefit the consumer by rendering possible a lower price on these goods in this country, but will redound to the benefit of the Government owing to greatly multiplied revenues resultant from increased importations, and can work no hardship on the American manufacturer, as there are no articles of this kind manufactured in this country, and therefore no competition with an American product. As a further illustration of the fact that the present duty rate is excessive it is called to your attention that the total importations of these articles during the year 1911 were approximately $20,000, whereas it is an undisputed fact that many hundreds of houses in Europe individually use such an amount of these goods annually and more. For all of the above reasons it is most earnestly urged that the rate of duty to be assessed upon these articles, to wit, snap fasteners, should be reduced to 25 per cent ad valorem. S. BASCH & Co., SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEF OF S. BASCH, OF WALDES & Co., SCHEDULE N, Paragraph 427. The WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: I desire to supplement brief already filed by us under the above paragraph with the following concise statement: The present paragraph 427 contains the following: "Snap fasteners, or clasps, or parts thereof, by whatever name known, fifty per cent ad valorem." I inclose herewith samples of garment wire-spring fasteners. These fasteners are not made in this country and never have been, and, therefore, do not enter into competition whatsoever with any American article of like construc |