and, we presume, pay their share of the taxes, and their government protects them with a duty of 10 per cent. We have other competition from a Canadian house packing tea under the brand, "Salada; " this brand, however, does not have an extensive sale in this city, but we understand it has a large sale in other localities, and the same condition of affairs allows them to come into our market and push their goods without a farthing of duty and in competition with our merchants, while the latter are practically barred from the Canadian market. We understand you are to appear before the Ways and Means Committee at Washington at an early date, and we want, with others, to enter our protest against this state of affairs. Very truly, yours, MILLIKEN, TOMLINSON Co.. COLUMBUS, OHIO, November 16, 1908. Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: This company, representing 10 wholesale grocery houses in the State of Ohio, wishes to protest to your committee, through a representative appointed for that purpose, against the injustice of permitting the Canadian government to sell their teas in our border States, and which are ultimately distributed all over the United States, without paying to the Government the duty, as the citizens of the United States are obliged to pay to the Canadian government in shipping teas into Canada. These Canadian shippers pay nothing to our Government and in return derive all the benefits of our Government without paying taxes for the support of our Government in the conducting of their tea business. We think the injustice to be so apparent as to appeal to you without the furnishing of further reasons, many of which could be cited, such as that of the employment of labor, etc. Yours, very truly, THE ELDRIDGE & HIGGINS Co., Mr. CHAS. BANKS, NEW YORK, N. Y., November 17, 1908. Care of B. Fischer & Co., New York City. DEAR SIR: We understand you are appointed to take up a matter with the Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, D. C. In regard to this matter we desire to enter our protest regarding the unfairness in ways of competition whereby teas shipped to Canada have to pay a duty of 10 per cent, whereas teas imported from Canada come in free, which is injurious to the interest of American merchants, especially along the border line. We furthermore protest at the unfair conditions existing whereby teas are imported from foreign countries packed in lead-foil pack ages, decorated tins, and fancy packages without payment of any duty, and furthermore, packed by labor at wages such as it is impossible to obtain in the United States. Decorated tins when imported empty for purposes of filling with tea here entail a duty of 45 per cent, whereas if imported containing tea from foreign countries are admitted duty free. With kind regards, yours, faithfully, Mr. C. R. BANKS, WEDDLE TEA COMPANY, NEWARK, N. J.. November 16, 1908. Care of B. Fischer & Co., New York City. DEAR SIR: Your circular letter at hand, and in answer we thoroughly indorse your endeavors for a fair competition with the Canadian government. It hardly looks fair that they shall put their package tea in our territory free while we have to pay a duty to sell in their territory. We therefore indorse your actions in this matter and hope you will be able to bring about a better condition. Yours, respectfully, C. R. BANKS, WILKINSON, GADDIS & Co., ELMIRA, N. Y., November 16, 1908. Care of B. Fischer & Co., New York, N. Y. DEAR SIR: We are in receipt of your letter of November 13 and are in full accord with your views. While we have not looked into this matter very thoroughly, if as you say the Canadians are emjoying the privilege of not paying any duty whereas we are obliged to pay the Canadian government for shipments we make we certainly consider it unfair competition. We trust that you will meet with success in your endeavors to meet the conditions. Yours, very truly, Mr. C. R. BANKS, Care of B. Fischer & Co., C. M. & R. TOMPKINS. BUFFALO, N. Y., November 16, 1908. 371 Greenwich street, New York City. DEAR SIR: In regard to Canadian tea dealers selling package and other teas in our market, would state that they are doing so to quite a large extent, and we do not consider that the Government is justified in allowing them to do so while the Canadian authorities exact a duty where we attempt to sell goods in their market. We think that some action should be taken to see that this is done away with and trust that you will be successful in so impressing the members of the Ways and Means Committee at Washington. Yours, respectfully, 61318-TARIFF-No. 8-08-10 RACE & KINSLEY. Committee on Ways and Means, NEW YORK, November 17, 1908. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: We desire to enter our protest against the admission of teas from Canada free of duty, as the Canadians impose a 10 per cent duty against teas coming from the United States. We also want to enter our protest against the admission of teas from any country in packages of 1 pound and under, packed in lead, tin, lacquer, glass, cardboard, or paper, as the cost of foreign material and labor is so much below ours that it is impossible to meet this competition with teas packed in the United States in American material and by American labor. Respectfully, AUSTIN, NICHOLS & Co. Mr. C. R. BANKS, BUFFALO, N. Y., November 16, 1908. Care of B. Fischer & Co., 375 Greenwich street, New York City. DEAR SIR: It has come to our notice that you will appear before the Ways and Means Committee at Washington on Wednesday, November 18, to enter protest against the Canadians who have been selling package teas to our border state customers. We wish to assure you that we are with you in protesting against this practice, for the reason that this sort of competition is unfair to the jobbing trade of the United States, inasmuch as we are prevented from selling teas on the Canadian border by a Canadian duty of 10 per cent on the selling price. We trust that your protest will be favorably considered and that steps will be taken to eliminate this unjust competition as soon as possible. Yours, respectfully, Messrs. B. FISCHER & Co.. New York City. J. I. PRENTISS & Co. NEW YORK, November 16, 1908. GENTLEMEN: In reply to the letter of your Mr. Banks, asking our experience in regard to the sale of teas by Canadians in the United States against our houses, we have to report that it has been a serious detriment for a number of years. Our salesmen report that Canadians all along the line, from Maine to Detroit, are selling our people, owing to the fact that the duty which formerly existed against Canadian and English teas was repealed some years ago, whilst the Canadians have carefully retained their duty against us, rendering it impossible for us to enter their territory and sell goods which have been imported into the United States. This has been a great injustice to the tea trade of our country. We have constantly recommended the reimposition of the duty against Canada and England, although we are opposed very decidedly to any duty on teas from China and the East. Very truly, yours, GEO. W. LANE & Co. Mr. CHAS. R. BANKS, PHILADELPHIA, November 16, 1908. Care of Messrs. B. Fischer & Co., New York City. DEAR BANKS: We are in receipt of your favor in reference to discrimination duties on teas between the United States and Canada. We realize the importance of having this matter adjusted, as it is unfair for the Canadians to have the selling advantage which is theirs at the present time. This not alone applies to teas in original package, but it gives them a still further advantage on teas in packages, and we know that Canadian firms are offering and selling large quantities of package goods in the United States at the present time. When packed in tins or lead foil they have a still further advantage over American packers, owing to the fact that duty is not collected on these styles of packages. In other words, lead foil and tin both pay a tariff when entering this country, whereas the packing cost is lessened in Canada by reason of a lower cost for manufactured tins and leaf foil. We shall be much pleased to give you further assistance in this matter if it is in our power to do so. Yours, sincerely, Mr. WILLIAM K. PAYNE, THE A. COLBURN Co., CHICAGO, ILL., November 13, 1908. Clerk Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Our firm, having sold teas along the Canadian border for several years, finds, with other firms in the United States doing business in the tea trade, that we are severely and unjustly handicapped by Canadian competitors shipping teas to the trade in this country with the benefit of entering them free of any duty, while firms in the United States wishing to do business in Canada are confronted with a prohibitive duty of 10 per cent. The utter unfairness of the situation is very apparent, and we trust that your committee will equalize matters by putting us in a position to meet this competition by affixing a duty on any and all teas entering the United States from Canada of 10 per cent in retaliation. We are merely voicing the sentiments of the wholesale grocery trade, because it affects their business, and this protest is made on behalf of the wholesale grocery trade throughout the United States. with whom we do business. Respectfully submitted. Mr. CHARLES R. BANKS, JOHN C. SIEGFRIED & Co. NEW YORK, November 16, 1908. Delegate, Ways and Means Committee. MY DEAR SIR: I take this pleasure of indorsing you in your protest re Canadian trade in our State before the above said committee. I trust you will also not omit to protest most strongly against the great injustice that is being done the tea merchants of this country by allowing to enter free the large quantity of fancy decorated tins containing tea in all shapes and sizes. It goes without saying that we are absolutely unable to produce a similar tin on the same basis, and combined with the underpaid English labor we are in a like position. The cost of female labor in this country for tea packing costs from $5 to $10 per week, as against the underpaid price of 5 to 7 shillings sterling per week in England, or equivalent $1.25 to $1.75. The writer, who has just recently returned from one of his many visits to that country, had once again the opportunity to see the said goods packed for this coveted American trade, and reports conditions exactly the same. The packers' faces and looks, combined with the dirty, unhealthy condition of their persons, is, to say the least, enough to make the humblest of our east-side aliens discontinue drinking tea forever, were they only allowed to see the conditions under which said goods are packed. Wishing you every success in your protest, believe me, ARCHIBALD DAVIDSON. Mr. C. R. BANKS, NEW YORK, November 16, 1998. Care of B. Fischer & Co., New York. DEAR SIR: In reference to your conversation, I take pleasure in handing you what may be regarded as safe calculations based on actual costs and figures for teas packed in London in fancy decorated tins for this country. The cost of similar tins from the American Can Company are as follows: One pound, 8 cents, against London cost £8 per 1,000 in 25,000 lots; one-half pound, 10 cents, against London cost 105s.; one-fourth pound, cents, against London cost 75s.; and the cost of material and labor in this country you know practically as much about as I do. Trusting this is the information you require, I am, dear sir, yours, very faithfully, |