I therefore respectfully request that before H. R. 20182 is submitted in its revised form that arseniate of soda (par. 71) be put on the free list, instead of at one-half cent per pound as proposed, and that blue vitriol (par. 81) be put on the free list as proposed. Respectfully submitted.

W. H. BowKER, President Bowker Insecticide Co.

43 CHATHAM STREET, BOSTON, MASS., January 29, 1913.

BRIEF OF ALBERT DAVIS, OF D. DAVIS & SONS, ADVOCATING SPONGES BEING PLACED ON THE FREE LIST.

Present rate. The present duty on sponges is found in paragraph 79 of the Payne law, and is 20 per cent ad valorem, which is the same rate as under the act of 1897. To the honorable MEMBERS OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN: Having been unavoidably prevented from appearing before you, I desire to submit the following sworn affidavit relative to paragraph 79, which I think should be included in the free list.

First. Because the American waters are totally unable to produce sufficient sponges to supply even domestic demands.

Second. The American product being superior to the imported grades for automobile, carriage, and all other washing purposes, is not affected by foreign products, which are mainly used (the better grades) for bath and toilet purposes, and the inferior ones by painters, glassworkers, and general lines of manufacturers, who can not afford to pay the high prices of the domestic sheep's wool.

Third. The Florida fishermen regulate their prices by supply and demand, without respect to the imported article. And they have adopted the method of withdrawing their goods from the market whenever the prices bid are not satisfactory. The present prices average about $4 per pound, and this means about $5 per pound for the most desirable sizes, packed and landed in New York.

Fourth. Many dealers resort to the pernicious practice of adulterating sponges by means of washing them in a solution of glucose, salt, salts, sand, and other substances, thus increasing the weight and consequently reducing the cost. This enables sponges

to be apparently sold to the general trade at from 50 to 75 per cent below the regular market quotations. As for instance: An unadulterated sponge that is worth from $5.50 to $6.50 per pound in New York is sold adulterated all over the country at from $3 to $4.50 per pound, the price depending upon the quantity of loaded substance injected into the sponge.

Fifth. The American sponge-fishing industry needs no protection, neither does the manufacturing or bleaching industry, provided the raw sponges are admitted free. But with a duty on the raw material, we can not compete with the foreign houses in export trade.

Sixth. It is manifestly against Democratic and Republican principles to allow a manufactured article to be admitted into the United States at one and the same rate as the raw material, when an American industry employs laborers at a good wage to turn the raw material into a manufactured article.

Seventh. Thirty per cent duty on chemically bleached sponges will protect our American industry and at the same time produce a revenue almost equal to that proposed by a duty of 15 per cent on all grades of sponges as provided in the Underwood bill.

In conclusion, we trust that you will favorably consider our plea, either by admitting all sponges free of duty or by placing a 30 per cent duty on chemically bleached sponges and admitting unbleached spones free, as outlined herein. Either provision will afford us an opportunity to successfully compete for the export trade, expand the home industry, and enable us to reap a benefit from the opening of the Panama Canal. Respectfully submitted.

ALBERT DAVIS. (Of D. Davis & Sons, 45 Warren Street, New York City, N. Y.)

Chairman UNDERWOOD,

E. A. BROMUND CO.,

BLEACHERS AND REFINERS IN
WHITE AND YELLOW BEESWAX, ETC.,

253-255 CHURCH STREET,

New York, December 4, 1912.

The Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We wrote you several letters within the past year in reference to the importation of white beeswax, manufactured and mainly imported from Germany. We acknowledged receipt of your esteemed letters in which you very courteously informed us that the subject would be duly considered and presented to the tariff committee. We take the liberty of broaching this important matter again, both in justice to ourselves, as well as affecting the welfare of the labor thus employed.

We have previously explained the salient details and facts relating to the manufacture of white beeswax and the many reasons why the American manufacturer can not compete with the foreign producer.

The comparative conditions as to the cost of manufacturing are no doubt entirely familiar to the honorable chairman; therefore, we would repeat and emphasize more especially the main issue that white beeswax is strictly and undeniably a product of the bleachery, requiring the employment of skilled and experienced labor.

We would state further that white beeswax is consumed extensively in the manufacturing of many toilet cream preparations commonly called "cold cream;" therefore, this product can not be described or classified in a strict sense as a commodity which is indispensably and potentially necessary to the general welfare of the American public; consequently we would presume from these facts that the importation of white beeswax would appeal very pertinently and favorably as foreign merchandise, fully justifying a revenue tax and duty to some extent at least.

We have been obliged to relinquish almost entirely the manufacturing of white beeswax of late, and we are fully advised that the present tariff conditions have proved as disastrous to each similar industry in this country.

It is a matter of frequent record that our home supply of raw beeswax is shipped to Europe and returned to us in the bleached and manufactured state.

We hope we have made clear the difference between the raw and natural beeswax and the white manufactured article. The precarious position of the American manufacturer under such conditions is plainly very evident, and we are making this urgent appeal to your esteemed consideration. We would suggest most respectfully that a tariff taxation of at least 20 per cent per pound on the foreign importation of white beeswax would not be an excessive duty but would afford the American manufacturer a small reasonable profit and enable him to compete under somewhat more equal conditions with the German bleacher. We trust we may be favored with your further courteous attitude and that some definite legislative action will follow in the near future.

We would value very highly any communication from you inquiring for any details or information you may wish to know in regard to this matter.

Yours, very truly,

E. A. BROMUND CO.,
J.

BRIEF BY THE MERRIMAC CHEMICAL CO., 33 BROAD STREET, BOSTON, MASS.

Hon. OSCAR W. UNDERWOOD,

Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: On behalf of the Merrimac Chemical Co., I beg to submit the following brief covering certain articles now on the free list under the act of 1909.

SULPHUR ORE AS PYRITES.

Under paragraph 686 of the act of 1909 sulphur ore as pyrites is entered free. Pyrites is an iron ore containing about 50 per cent sulphur and is the basic raw material used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. Its importance can not be exaggerated. It is the foundation of nearly the entire chemical industry in this country and abroad.

The report of your committee on Schedule A, submitted on February 16, 1912, gives, under Appendix C, considerable information regarding pyrites. At page 173 the report says

"Pyrites in workable deposits are found very widely, but with the exception of Spain and Portugal no country has sufficient of it for its own needs, and the countries named are called upon to supply the deficiency, which they can easily do. Pyrites mined there are richer and more uniform in sulphur content, burn more freely, and offer other advantages which make them preferable to the manufacturers.

"Of the total consumption of pyrites in the United States in 1909, amounting to nearly 1,000,000 short tons, less than one-fourth was of home production, a small quantity came from Canada, and the rest from the Iberian Peninsula, especially Spain."

On page 172 of the report will be found a table showing that more than 50 per cent' of the total consumption of sulphuric acid in the United States is used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Considering the great and necessary uses made of sulphuric acid in connection with the many industries of this country, particularly in connection with agricultural enterprises, it is submitted that sulphur ore as pyrites should remain on the free list.

PLATINUM.

Paragraph 653 of the act of 1909 provides

"Platinum, unmanufactured or in ingots, bars, plates, sheets, wire, sponge, or scrap, and vases, retorts and other apparatus, vessels, and parts thereof, composed of platinum, for chemical uses."

For the first 10 months of 1912 there were imported into this country $3,634,738 worth of platinum in the manufactured or unmanufactured condition. It is estimated that during the same period the total production in this country did not exceed $50,000 in value.

It is of utmost importance to the chemical industry that platinum remain on the free list. Although the price of platinum has greatly increased in the last few years, so that its use has been discontinued by chemical manufacturers wherever possible, there are certain chemical processes where no substitute can be found. The present price of platinum is about $46 an ounce, while within five years it has sold for about $25 an ounce, and 20 years ago it sold as low as $8 or $9 an ounce.

To place a duty on platinum would place a very severe burden on the production of many chemicals in which the use of this metal is indispensable.

ARSENIC.

Under paragraph 497 of the act of 1909 arsenic is entered free of duty. It is submitted that arsenic should remain on the free list.

Arsenic is the most important basic material entering into the production of agricultural insecticides.

The enormous growth of the use of insecticides in connection with the scientific improvement in our method of fruit growing, etc., make it of great importance that the materials required for their manufacture should be available at the lowest possible prices.

For these reasons it is submitted that arsenic as a basic raw material should remain on the free list.

Respectfully submitted.

S. W. WILDER, President.