in raising a sunken vessel. When this pump was brought back into San Francisco duty was assessed and the Board of General Appraisers confirmed the assessment. T. D. 15474 (G. A. 2823). The same rule was applied to a quantity of prune juice imported from a foreign country, then exported to Honolulu, and reimported into San Francisco. This was before the annexation of Hawaii. T. D. 15675 (G. A. 2856). Iron tanks originally imported filled with glycerin, exported with acids and reimported with molasses, were required to pay duty on the second importation. T. D. 25768 (G. A. 5849) relates to an automobile of foreign manufacture imported and duty paid, exported to a foreign country, imported again and duty paid again. Specifically, my suggestion is that paragraph 483 of the present law be amended by striking out the words "the growth, produce, and manufacture of the United States " and the further words" of American manufacture." The provision for quicksilver flasks would then become surplusage and could as well be omitted, the words "bottles " and "flasks" being inserted in the general clause. The whole paragraph as proposed would then read: 483. Articles when returned after having been exported, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means; casks, barrels, bottles, flasks, carboys, bags, and other vessels exported filled with American products or exported empty and returned filled with foreign products, including shooks and staves when returned as barrels or boxes; but proof of the identity of such articles shall be made under general regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, but the exemption of bags from duty shall only apply to such bags as may be imported by the exporter thereof, and if any such articles are subject to internal tax at the time of exportation, such tax shall be proved to have been paid before exportation, and not refunded: Provided, That this paragraph shall not apply to any article upon which an allowance of drawback has been made, the reimportation of which is hereby prohibited except upon payment of duties equal to the drawbacks allowed; or to any article manufactured in bonded warehouse and exported under provision of law: And provided further, That when manufactured tobacco which has been exported without payment of internal-revenue tax shall be reimported it shall be retained in the custody of the collector of customs until internal-revenue stamps in payment of the legal duties shall be placed thereon. The amendment as proposed would preserve the safeguards of the present law as to proof of identity, drawback, internal revenue, etc. The persons affected by this question are, for the most part, not continuously interested, and it is natural that they should not appear before your committee. Those who may have to pay double duty in future probably do not anticipate it now, and those who have paid it in the past do not expect to do so again. It is for this reason that I have taken the liberty of addressing you, believing that, under these circumstances, your committee would consider the matter on its merits, although presented by one who has no financial interest in the result. HENRY J. WEBSTER. Respectfully, yours, THE GRASSELLI CHEMICAL COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO, WISHES A SPECIAL PROVISION FOR CHEMICAL CONTAINERS. Hon SERENO E. PAYNE, CLEVELAND, OHIO, January 25, 1909. Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: The Graselli Chemical Company begs to call the attention of your committee to the hardship imposed upon the American manufacturer by a strict interpretation of paragraph 483 of the present tariff act. Paragraph 483 places on the free list "articles the growth, produce, and manufacture of the United States, when returned after having been exported, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means; casks, barrels, carboys, bags, and other vessels of American manufacture exported filled with American products, or exported empty and returned filled with American products, including shooks and staves when returned as barrels or boxes; also quicksilver flasks or bottles of either domestic or foreign manufacture, which shall have been actually exported from the United States;" etc. Under this paragraph the division of customs rules that every time a container or covering which is of foreign manufacture is returned empty to the United States after having been exported filled with American merchandise it must pay duty. For example, the Grasselli Chemical Company is exporting acids to Mexico. The packages for the acid are iron drums which originally came to the United States as coverings or packages for glycerin, which commodity pays a specific duty. These glycerin containers are not manufactured in this country and are the only satisfactory containers or packages which we can use to export our acids to Mexico. We have been unable to find any drums in this country that will stand the severe test of this long haul when filled with heavy chemicals, such as sulphuric acid. When these drums are returned to us to be refilled the collector imposes a duty of 45 per cent ad valorem on them as manufactures of metal. Furthermore, he assesses this duty not only once but every time the same drum comes back. Thus you will see that after it has been returned three or four times the Government would have received in duties considerably more than the full value of the drum. These drums are not a source of revenue; they are simply packages for our merchandise, and we protest that it is not within the spirit, if it is within the letter, of our tariff laws that packages for American goods should be made to pay such exorbitant tribute. The Mexican market for acids is just opening to the American manufacturer, and it will be hopelessly closed unless this tariff on these iron drums is lifted. Therefore we respectfully ask for careful consideration of the following amendment to paragraph 483 and urge its insertion in the new tariff act which your committee is drafting. The only addition we have made to paragraph 483 is the addition of the words "iron glycerin drums" after the word "bottle,” in line 8. 483. Articles the growth, produce, and manufacture of the United States, when returned after having been exported, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means; casks, barrels, carboys, bags, and other vessels of American manufacture exported filled with American products, or exported empty and returned filled with foreign products, including shooks and staves when returned as barrels or boxes; also quicksilver flasks or bottles, iron glycerin drums, of either domestic or foreign manufacture, which shall have been actually exported from the United States," etc. THE GRASSELLI CHEMICAL CO. BEESWAX. [Paragraph 490.] THE W. H. BOWDLEAR CO., BOSTON, MASS., ASKS THAT A DUTY BE PLACED ON REFINED OR BLEACHED BEESWAX. COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, BOSTON, December 9, 1908. Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: As bleachers and refiners of raw beeswax, we wish to call your attention to the advisability of having a duty placed upon beeswax that has been bleached or refined. There are several bleachers and refiners in this country, and beeswax without distinction from crude, refined, and bleached is all free. We are meeting competition from foreigners on the refined and bleached article and much of it is coming in here to-day free. We desire protection as manufacturers to the extent of having a duty placed upon the refined or bleached beeswax. The crude or raw material we desire to come in free of duty. We would suggest 20 per cent ad valorem or 74 cents per pound. Respectfully, yours, THE W. H. BOWDLEAR Co., President and Treasurer. SEA GRASS. [Paragraph 617.] OSCAR SMITH & SONS CO., PHILADELPHIA, PA., WISH A DUTY PLACED UPON UPHOLSTERING GRASS. WILLIAM K. PAYNE, PHILADELPHIA, PA., November 19, 1908. Clerk Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: In reply to yours of the 11th, in connection with our letter of November 9 to Hon. Sereno E. Payne, to which your letter is a reply, we submit copies of our letter of September 2, 1908, to Hon. Boies Penrose, and copy of letter of V. W. Winchester, Baltimore, Md., to Hon. Isidor Rayner, both of which set forth our claim that a duty of at least $4 per ton of 2,000 pounds should be placed upon this article imported into the United States. There is also a possibility of this article being imported from Germany. Respectfully, OSCAR SMITH & SONS Co., EXHIBIT A. Hon. ISIDOR RAYNER, Baltimore, Md. BALTIMORE, September 9, 1908. DEAR SIR: For the past three years I have been endeavoring to foster an industry of a product which is of natural growth on our shores and what I believe to be a valuable article to the upholstering line of trade, also for other purposes that is, I am gathering a sea grass which grows naturally in the waters of the Chesapeake and the neighborhood of Tangier Sound. I have interested quite a number of oystermen to engage in this industry, they having particularly nothing to do between oyster seasons, May to September, and while they have made a partial success, yet I find they are hampered by having in competition a similar product gathered in Canada, principally along the St. Lawrence River. I find there is quite a large demand and ready market for this domestic product (commercially known as sea moss), but as mentioned before, the gatherers can not realize a profit with any degree commensurate to the amount of labor attached. Now, upon some little investigation, I find the Canadian product can be put on the market for less expense, owing to the cheaper labor and general low expenses they have to contend with all around. Therefore I will urge you to take an interest in this matter, with the view in end of having a tariff created to protect and help to foster this industry of your native State. I trust you will favor my efforts in this respect and take prompt steps to put the matter before a proper committee which would have the most weight in reaching the desired end. If you should want any further information on the subject, I shall be only too glad to cheerfully furnish the same as far as I am able. I beg to remain, Yours, very truly, V. W. WINCHESTER. EXHIBIT B. SEPTEMBER 2, 1908. Hon. BOIES PENROSE, Arcade Building, Philadelphia, Pa. DEAR SIR: We have within the past few years started a new industry in the United States, the gathering of sea grass, by some termed "sea moss," taken from the bays in the vicinity of Barnegat, N. J., also along the Maryland coast. This grass is sold principally for the filling of mattresses and upholstered furniture. We find, however, that we are discriminated against in the way of competition with a similar product gathered in the vicinity of Isle Verte, Quebec, Canada. First, because of freight rates the Canadian gatherers, having much lower rates for the same haul, are furnished larger cars for the same minimum weights and have labor at their command at one-half the price we are paying. Sea grass is treated or prepared for market exactly as hay is cured, and when baled for shipment, in the same manner. As we understand, there is a duty of $4 per ton on hay shipped from Canada to the United States. We feel we are justified in asking that you, at the proper time, take this subject up with the tariff commission at Washington and ask that a duty of $4 per ton be placed on shipments of this product to the United States, which should equalize cost of production with the Canadian shippers. Four dollars per ton would give us no advantage, and it simply represents difference in cost of labor. The matter relative to freight rates we can take up with the transportation companies. Very truly, OSCAR SMITH & SONS Co. PETROLEUM. [Paragraph 626.] PROTESTS THE BEAVER REFINING CO., WASHINGTON, PA., WASHINGTON, PA., January 4, 1909. WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: We notice by the papers that there is a possibility of taking the tariff off on Russian petroleum. We think it would be a great mistake to take it off the crude and refined oils from that country, as it would be pretty severe competition for the small refiners. We do believe that if the tariff is taken off Russian white paraffin oils from 865 to 885 specific gravity, it would be a great help, as, so far, these oils can not be made out of any oil products in this country. Yours, truly, BEAVER REFINING CO., Refiners of Petroleum and its Products, C. A. WALES, President. PARAFFIN WAX. [Paragraph 633.] THE WILL AND BAUMER CO., SYRACUSE, N. Y., CLAIMS THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPORT PARAFFIN FREE OF DUTY. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, SYRACUSE, N. Y., November 20, 1908. Chairman Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Referring to the article paraffin wax, we desire to call your attention to the fact that while this article is upon the free list, in actual practice it is practically impossible to import paraffin wax free of duty. The article in question is a by-product of petroleum, and is controlled in this country by the Standard Oil Company, their control being more particularly upon the refined and semirefined wax than upon the crude-but all three forms of this wax were intended to be upon the free list. |