difference between printed, lithographed, stamped, embossed, or engraved calendars or pictures. The present duty of 5 cents per pound on lithographed work and 25 per cent ad valorem on printed matter of the same character is confusing, as none but an expert could judge the difference, and even the expert must employ powerful magnifying glasses. The result of this is shown in the fact that in some ports of entry 5 cents per pound is charged on post cards and at other ports 25 per cent ad valorem for the same goods. SCHEDULE. Engraved, printed, stamped, embossed, or lithographed post cards in sheets or single, or pictures that could be used as post cards by the printing of the address on post card side, weighing 8 pounds per 1,000 or more, 35 cents per pound, or an ad valorem duty of 50 to 75 per cent. (See Exhibits A1, A2, A3, B1, and B2.) Engraved, printed, stamped, embossed, or lithographed post cards, in sheets or single pictures that could be used as post cards by the printing of post card side, weighing less than 8 pounds per thousand cards, 50 cents per pound, or 50 to 75 per cent ad valorem. Post cards made of cardboard only, air brushed or hand painted, in sheets or single, whether printed with the post card or address side or not, 50 cents per pound, or 50 to 75 per cent ad valorem. Exhibit C.) (See Post cards, hand made, with component parts of silk, satin, plush, celluloid, or similar materials, metal, feathers, or any foreign substance other than cardboard, 75 per cent ad valorem. (See Exhibit D.) Holiday or season cards, gift cards, greeting cards, and booklets should come under the same duties as post cards and under the same relative classifications, for the reason that the only difference is shape, size, and the printing of the post card or address side. The materials, methods, labor employed, etc., are identical and the protection should also be the same. (See Exhibits E, F, G, H.) Calendars and calendar backs, printed or engraved, embossed or stamped, or lithographed calendars or calendar backs or pictures suitable for the same purpose, 35 cents per pound if on cardboard, 60 cents per pound if on paper. Fourteen-point stock and heavier, according to Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Company's paper gauge micrometer caliper, same to be the standard for cardboard; anything lighter to be classed as paper. (See Exhibits I, J, K, L.) Air-brushed or hand-colored calendars or calendar backs, 50 cents per pound. (See Exhibit N.) Hand-painted or hand-colored calendars or calendars of which the component parts or decorations are of materials other than paper or cardboard, 75 cents per pound. (See Exhibit O.) I beg to submit herewith exhibits as follows: EXHIBIT A. Printed and lithographed post cards of the ordinary so-called view post-card styles, showing the difficulty in deciding whether the cards are lithographed or printed. Post cards imported into Philadelphia within the past four months which the custom-house here declared not lithographed and therefore subject to 25 per cent ad valorem, and the manufacturer, as per letter attached, declares are lithographed. EXHIBIT B. Showing regular so-called stock post cards; that is, not made specially to order; B 1, showing lithographed cards; B 2, showing printed cards. Air-brushed post cards. EXHIBIT C. EXHIBIT D. Hand-made post card, the component parts of which are not exclusively cardboard. EXHIBIT E. Season card, not a post card. EXHIBIT F. Season booklet, printed or lithographed. EXHIBIT G. Season booklet, air-brushed. EXHIBIT H. Season booklets, hand made, with component parts not exclusively of cardboard and paper. EXHIBIT I. Printed calendar back. EXHIBIT J. Lithographed calendar back. EXHIBIT K. Picture on cardboard suitable for calendar back. a To show why the duty on printed and lithographed cards should be alike. EXHIBIT L. Picture on paper suitable for calendar back or for mounting on same. EXHIBIT M. Circular of foreign manufacture. EXHIBIT N. Air-brushed calendar. EXHIBIT O. Hand-painted calendar with the component parts not of cardboard exclusively. The reasons why these duties should be imposed are as follows: Pressmen and printers receive in this country from three to four times as much for labor as is paid in foreign countries. Artists and photo-engravers receive as much in dollars in this country as is paid in marks in Germany per week. For instance, artists receive in Germany from 18 to 35 marks per week. Our artists are paid from $18 to $35 per week. In addition to this, the hours of labor in Germany are from 20 to 25 per cent longer than they are in this country. The United States Government in its own printing shop has established hours of labor and a scale of wages that all high-class printers and publishers in this country wish to follow, but it will be impossible for them to do so unless reasonable protection is accorded. The question naturally arises, What is reasonable protection, and who would be the gainers and who the losers if it were applied? Calendars, pictures, holiday and season cards and post cards should come under the same category. For the sake of brevity I will confine my statement to post cards, taking for example the ordinary post card of which the largest quantities are sold, namely, the cards that are retailed two for 5 cents in the shops. The cost of production is about as follows: For first cost in the way of designs, drawings, plates, $300 to $500 for a set of eight designs, which is the popular number. The cost of cardboard is 75 cents per thousand; ink, 25 cents per thousand; labor, $1.50 per thousand." In the year 1907 the United States imported from Germany alone nearly 800,000,000 post cards. This would mean, for labor alone, $1,200,000, or employment for a year for 2,000 persons at the rate of $12 per week. This does not include between $400,000 and $500,000 for plates, designs, and drawings, and $800,000 for cardboards and ink, if these same cards had been printed in the United States. Of the amounts credited to drawings, designs, and plates fully 95 per cent is for labor and 5 per cent only for material. The hand-made novelties are produced in foreign countries at prices that are inconceivably low. This class of work is certainly deserving of protection, as the labor employed is all high class and is mostly performed by women of education, taste, and refinement, who are vastly benefited by the employment, many of them supporting their families by this means. I ask your special consideration of this item. I beg to call your attention to the view post cards on sale at the principal hotels and news stands of Washington. You will find there the United States Capitol, the White House, and all the public buildings reproduced on post cards, every one of which is stamped on the back "Made in Germany." The cost of a set of plates for any one of these designs, if made in America, is $12.50. In addition to this is the cost of cardboard, ink, and labor. German manufacturers supply these cards in lots of one thousand at $9 per thousand, freight and duty paid. Even with protection we could not supply this particular card in thousand lots at that price, but with the foreign work of this kind under a fair duty the quantities of domestic cards purchased would be so large that American manufacturers would gladly print many thousands of a subject at a time, thereby being enabled to sell the cards at the same price as the foreign goods, and prices being equal, American dealers would prefer American goods. The gainers would primarily be printers, pressmen, artists, and engravers, who would not only be benefited in a pecuniary sense, but in the matter of drawings and designs the art would be advanced, and many people with a talent in this direction would find an outlet and by practice obtain the experience. The increase and improvement in these arts during the past two or three years have been simply wonderful, and this is due almost entirely to the increased demand for this class of work. Through the protection of post cards, calendars, and other art work, as already enumerated, the United States Government would not be a loser, for the reason that there would be more or less of this product imported, irrespective of price or cost, on account of novelty in design or unique method of reproduction and appearance. If only one-fifth of the number of cards were imported, the amount of duty collected would remain the same. The dealer and the consumer would not be the losers for the reason that there are popular prices at which almost all of these products are sold. The consumer pays 1 cent, two for 5 cents, 5 cents, and occasionally, for a novelty, more. These prices can not be deviated from successfully. Prices have also been established for these different cards to the retail dealer and the jobber, and the publishers will have no difficulty in supplying them at these prices and possibly for very much less, owing to the increased output reducing the cost of publication. The only losers would be the foreign manufacturers and laborers, and possibly 25 or 50 importers of this class of goods. These men are not producers, they do not employ labor, they occupy small offices, employ two or three clerks and a few salesmen, as they have nothing to do except to sell the goods and deliver them, and very often they do not do that; they have the goods shipped direct. It is the boast of these people that American publishers are unable to compete with their prices, and this is, unfortunately, only too true. It is a well-known fact that many foreign goods are sold in this country for very much less than the price at which they are sold where they are produced, and arrangements are now being made to very largely increase the output in America. We are also informed that the Japanese printers are contemplating large series of cards for the American market. As they pay their laborers as much in pennies as we do in dollars, the result would undoubtedly be to put us out of business or else to reduce the prices of labor in this country in order to meet competition. It may interest you to know that there is one place in America where domestic manufacturers have protection, and this is in Canada, where these goods, if made in the United States, receive a preferential of 333 per cent over German goods. In conclusion, I beg to state that I have carefully investigated this matter and can not find any instance in which anyone in this country-consumer, dealer, laborer, or the Government itself is benefited in the slightest by the existing low duty, nor do I find any direction in which it will work hardship to anyone but a few importers referred to above. The above statement is respectfully submitted. If there is anything about it concerning which you desire further information, I will be pleased to supply same by mail or stand ready at any moment to go to Washington and enter into the matter in detail at your convenience. Should you wish me to appear before you again at any time, kindly give me one or two days' notice, and oblige, Respectfully, yours, THE ROSE COMPANY, GEORGE SCHLEGEL, NEW YORK CITY, PROTESTS AGAINST ANY REDUCTION OF DUTY ON CIGAR LABELS. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, 138 AND 140 CENTRE STREET, New York, December 30, 1908. Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: Being one of the largest manufacturers of cigar labels, flaps, and bands in the city, and coming constantly in competition with the German productions in this line, must firmly protest against any reduction whatsoever in duty on these goods. The prices the Germans give now in New York City are so remarkably low that any further reduction will put all the business in their hands. and throw out of employment a great many skilled workmen, who would not have any other work that would pay them. Yes, put them out of business completely; have been in this business thirty years, and the prices are as close as can be made. Yours, very truly, GEORGE SCHLEGEL. SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT OF V. C. WARD, NEW YORK CITY, RELATIVE TO LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTS. ROOM 140, No. 280 BROADWAY, New York City, January 2, 1909. COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: Prices and excellence of lithographic productions do not depend so much upon the amount of protective tariff that may be imposed upon such goods as are imported from Germany as upon climatic conditions and methods employed in the respective countries. 61318-SCHED M-09-23 |