PARAGRAPH 438-BED FEATHERS. The CHAIRMAN. How does it come in? Mr. ROBINSON. It comes in under the raw and because of the difficulty of the inspectors, or whoever has charge of that, telling the difference between a raw feather and a manufactured one. The CHAIRMAN. That does not seem to be so very large. Mr. ROBINSON. It is not large. The whole business is not a large business. It is a small business. I do not suppose the whole industry in the United States amounts to $3,000,000, if that much. The CHAIRMAN. The total importations only seem to be $37,000. Mr. ROBINSON. I am very sorry for the accuracy or the inaccuracy of that information, because we ourselves paid a duty to the Government of about $15,000 last year. That is about 20 per cent on $70,000, about twice what they say the total importation was. The CHAIRMAN. I mean the crude feathers. Here is the Government report. ers. Mr. ROBINSON. We do not bring in anything else but crude feathWe are manufacturers. The CHAIRMAN. Feathers, natural and artificial and downs, including bird skins, the total importation was $37,000. Mr. ROBINSON. Pardon me, but I think there is something wrong there. The CHAIRMAN. Wait a minute. The plain, crude, not dressed, colored or manufactured, and ostrich feathers, $758,000. Mr. ROBINSON. In 1912, for 11 months, there was $1,445,805 imported. The CHAIRMAN. But that is the whole thing. Mr. ROBINSON. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. That includes feathers for ladies' ornaments? The CHAIRMAN. And you stated that ladies' ornaments made up the largest proportion? Mr. ROBINSON. Yes. Was the item you gave me bed feathers? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. ROBINSON. It is absolutely wrong, because we paid, as I say, duty of $14,983.75 ourselves. The CHAIRMAN. I am reading from the Treasury report. Mr. HILL. Were they withdrawn from consumption? Mr. ROBINSON. Yes. We paid the duty and so they must be withdrawn. Mr. KITCHIN. Since June 30, 1912, did you pay that amount? Mr. ROBINSON. No; during 1912, from January. Mr. KITCHIN. Our figures are for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912. Mr. ROBINSON. That might be. Mr. KITCHIN. July 1, 1911, to June 30, 1912. That is the period covered by our figures. Mr. ROBINSON. Then it would be about the same. It could not be a very material difference, because they are coming in scattered along. Then, again, we are not the only importers. There are pretty nearly 300 men in the United States engaged in our business. Mr. KITCHIN. Do you use all the feathers you receive as bed feathers, or different feathers which you have imported and upon PARAGRAPH 438-BED FEATHERS. which you paid $14,000 duty? Were they used by your firm as bed feathers? Mr. ROBINSON. Yes, sir. They are manufactured and separated. We extract the downs, and they are used for down quilts and various other purposes. The feathers are used for pillows and other purposes, but principally bed feathers. Mr. KITCHIN. Were they invoiced to you as bed feathers? Mr. ROBINSON. No, I think not. Mr. KITCHIN. That is it. You see you brought them in under some other clause "all others not specified." Mr. ROBINSON Yes; they came in specified as to what they are, either duck feathers or goose feathers. Mr. KITCHIN. I mean bed feathers; feathers for beds? Mr. ROBINSON. I do not think they are invoiced in that way. The CHAIRMAN. Then, if your importations are not invoiced in that way, they do not appear in this computation. Mr. KITCHIN. I think you invoiced them that way, because the other feathers paid a duty of 60 per cent, and bed feathers pay a duty of only 20 per cent. Mr. ROBINSON. No; it does not make any distinction. It just simply says "raw feathers," whether they are for millinery purposes or any other purposes. I suggest that they change this and separate them. Mr. KITCHIN. What per cent of duty did you pay on these feathers you imported? Mr. ROBINSON. Twenty per cent. Mr. KITCHIN. There must be a big mistake somewhere, because the figures here that the department gives make it only $37,852, of feathers for beds. Mr. PETERS. Might it not have been under that next item entitled "Crude and not dressed?" Mr. ROBINSON. They all come in under that. Mr. PETERS. No; the importations under that were $3,794,000. Mr. KITCHIN. That is ostrich feathers. Mr. ROBINSON. They are ostrich feathers and quills and various kinds of feathers that come in raw, and they are used by the millinery trade for ornamentation of ladies' hats. Mr. PAYNE. Ostrich feathers are handled separately by themselves in the importations there, not in the law itself, but in the Government reports. Mr. ROBINSON. Yes. Well, they may have their reasons for doing that. Mr. PAYNE. There were five or six million dollars' worth imported some years, of other feathers, crude and not dressed, colored, or manufactured. The importations, I say, have increased notwithstanding the duty was increased from 15 to 20 per cent. The importations increased from $234,621 in 1905 to $1,277,000 in 1910. They were $804,109 in 1911 and were $1,148,000 in 1912. Twenty per cent seems to be a more competitive duty than 15 per cent. Mr. ROBINSON. I do not think it makes much difference what the duty would be. If the women want the feathers, they will pay any price for them if they can get them. PARAGRAPH 438-BED FEATHERS. Mr. KITCHIN. Whatever a woman wants is a necessity, not a luxury, is it not? Mr. PAYNE. You seem to be all agreed; I guess that is something. The brief of the Robinson-Roders Co. follows: We understand that it is the intention of Congress to lower the tariff duties so far as possible and have sufficient revenue left. Our recommendations as to changes in Schedule N, paragraph 438, are made with a view to assisting your honorable body along those lines. Second. We believe your revenue under suggested reductions would not be decreased. Third. For the reason that importations would undoubtedly increase with reduced duty. Fourth. Our definition of the words "manufactured" and "dressed" is made with a view to prevent errors in classification. Down is used exclusively by our wealthier citizens and is a luxury. The quality of feathers imported for bedding purposes is mostly used by the middle class and people of very moderate means. These feathers are a necessity. The largest percentage of feathers imported into the United States are gray duck feathers. No similar quality is produced here. The imported duck new feather competing with the domestic second-hand feather. Amend paragraph 438, Schedule N, to read: "Downs for bedding purposes, crude, dressed, or manufactured, 35 per cent; feathers for bedding purposes, manufactured or dressed, 25 per cent; feathers for bedding purposes, raw or crude, 10 per cent; feathers for bedding purposes that have been used by humans, 100 per cent. Bird skins, or parts thereof, with the feathers on, crude or not dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, not specially provided for in this section, 20 per cent ad valorem; when dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, including quilts of down and other manufactures of down, and also dressed and finished birds suitable for millinery ornaments, and artificial or ornamental feathers, fruits, grains, leaves, flowers, and stems or parts thereof, of whatever material composed, not specially provided for in this section, 60 per cent ad valorem; boas, boutonnieres, wreaths, and all articles not specially provided for in this section, composed wholly or in chief value of any of the feathers, flowers, leaves, or other materials or articles herein mentioned, 60 per cent ad valorem. Manufactured or dressed within the meaning of the act shall mean any feathers which have been steam dressed, or dusted, or have been put through any machinery for the purpose of extracting the dirt or feathers or down. THE ROBINSON-RODERS CO., BRIEF OF PETER WOLL & SONS' FEATHER CO., PHILADELPHIA, PA., IN RE BED FEATHERS, ETC. Hon. O. W. UNDERWOOD, Chairman Ways and Means Committee, PHILADELPHIA, PA., February 10, 1913. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: As one of the largest manufacturers of bed feathers and downs here in the East, and in anticipation of the new tariff which the coming special session of Congress is expected to take up, we take the liberty of submitting to you our ideas on the proper rate of duty to be fixed on importations of crude and manufactured bed feathers and downs. The domestic production of raw feathers is altogether inadequate for manufacturing requirements, making it imperative for manufacturers to obtain the deficiency from foreign sources. Aside from the small revenue which the Government derives therefrom, the present duty of 20 per cent on crude feathers and downs serves no practical purpose and, on the contrary, is a positive hindrance to the development of the manufacturing interests and likewise an unnecessary burden on the consuming public. We have for years advocated the elimination of the duty on the raw goods and would be quite willing to acquiesce in a corresponding reduction of 20 per cent on the present PARAGRAPH 439-FURS. duty of 60 per cent on the manufactured article, namely, bed feathers and downs, making the same under the proposed revised tariff 40 per cent. We attach hereto abstract of the present tariff covering feathers and downs, together with our proposed revision of same, to which we invite your support. We shall be glad to furnish any desired information on the subject, and awaiting a reply at your early convenience, remain, Yours, truly, PETER WOLL & SONS' FEATHER CO., [Inclosure.] PRESENT TARIFF. 438. Feathers and downs of all kinds, including bird skins or parts thereof, with the feathers on, crude or not dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, not specially provided for in this section, 20 per cent ad valorem; when dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, including quilts of down and other manufactures of down, and also dressed and finished birds suitable for millinery ornaments, and artificial or ornamental feathers, fruits, grains, leaves, flowers and stems or parts thereof, of whatever material composed, not specially provided for in this section, 60 per cent ad valorem; boas, boutonnieres, wreaths, and all articles not specially provided for in this section, composed wholly or in chief value of any of the feathers, flowers, leaves, or other materials or articles herein mentioned, 60 per cent ad valorem. PROPOSED REVISION. 438. Feathers and downs of all kinds, when dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, 40 per cent ad valorem; bird skins or parts thereof with the feathers on, crude or not dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner, not specially provided for in the above section feathers and downs, also quilts of down and other manufactures of down, and also dressed and finished birds suitable for millinery ornaments, and artificial or ornamental feathers, fruits, grains, leaves, flowers, and stems or parts thereof, of whatever material composed, not specially provided for in this section, -; boas, boutonnieres, wreaths, and all articles not specially provided for in this section, composed wholly or in chief value of any of the feathers, flowers, leaves, or other materials or articles herein mentioned, FREE LIST. Feathers and downs of all kinds, crude or not dressed, colored, or otherwise advanced or manufactured in any manner. PARAGRAPH 439. Furs dressed on the skin, not advanced further than dyeing, but not repaired, twenty per centum ad valorem; manufactures of furs, further advanced than dressing and dyeing, when prepared for use as material, including plates, linings, and crosses, thirty-five per centum ad valorem; articles of wearing apparel of every description, partly or wholly manufactured, composed of or of which fur is the component material of chief value, fifty per centum ad valorem. Furs not on the skin, prepared for hatters' use, including fur skins carroted, twenty per centum ad valorem. FURS. TESTIMONY OF ALEXANDER HEILBRONER, REPRESENTING ASSOCIATED FUR MANUFACTURERS, NEW YORK CITY. The witness was duly sworn by the chairman. Mr. HEILBRONER. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I appear in reference to paragraph 439, the fur schedule. I represent the Associated Fur Manufacturers of New York City, an incorporated organization of 100 manufacturers, which has been in existence for a number of years. PARAGRAPH 439-FURS. I wish to say that the present rate of duty as existing under the Payne Act of 1909 is entirely satisfactory to our manufacturers, with the exception that we would like to have eliminated, as has been previously stated before this committee, the three words in the second line, "but not repaired," to make plain the intent of the law. The CHAIRMAN. I think we understand about that, about what you want, but we will have to look into it before we can reach a decision. Mr. HEILBRONER. I would like to present for your consideration three exhibits showing the exact relations. This Exhibit A [indicating] represents what we call an absolutely perfect skin, perfect in so far as there are no defects and have been no defects in that skin. This Exhibit B [indicating] represents a similar skin that had a defect which has been repaired, as you will see. Those [indicating] are muskrat skins that have been dyed in imitation of seal. The CHAIRMAN. Under the law as first interpreted by the customs authorities, this skin [indicating] went into the 35 per cent class? Mr. HEILBRONER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And that skin [indicating] was 20 per cent? The CHAIRMAN. Under the present interpretation of the Board of General Appraisers they put this back [indicating] in the same class with the others? Mr. HEILBRONER. Yes. sir. Those defects are caused either by a knife cut at the time the trapper removes the skin, or possibly in the process of dressing. A careless slip of the dresser may cause the cut, and in order to undo some of that damage that he causes he repairs or sews up that cut before it gets to the final process of dyeing. It adds but little if anything to the value of the skin; it simply makes it a more merchantable piece. Mr. FORDNEY. If these three words are eliminated will it not again bring back the possibility of getting goods that should go into this 35 per cent class back into the 20 per cent class, as it did under the Dingley law? Mr. HEILBRONER. Absolutely not. You have provided for that by stating, "When not further advanced than dressing or dyeing." When any further work is done to the skin than dressing and dyeing it puts it into the 35 per cent class. Mr. FORDNEY. That phraseology has also been added which was not in the Dingley law? Mr. HEILBRONER. Yes, sir; the 35 per cent clause applies to articles composed of more than one skin that has been either temporarily or permanently sewn together in the shape of strips or plates or mats. For instance, this Exhibit C is what we call a strip. It is composed of 10 skins that have been sewn together. That is what is considered as dutiable at 35 per cent. Mr. FORDNEY. Under the old law this came in at 20 per cent? Mr. FORDNEY. To avoid that very thing those three words were added to the Payne tariff law. |