AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 59 



Q. How much duty are you asking to be put on 

 imported flax? 



A. The duty is $20 a ton now. We only ask 

 to increase it to $30 a ton. On what is called 

 hackled flax, it is now $40 a ton, and we want that 

 increased to $50 a ton. This is a kind of compromise 

 between the manufacturers and the growers of flax. 

 We have already agreed to this arrangement, so that 

 it will give them a little protection and us a little. 



Q. This increase of duty, $10 a ton, which you 

 ask, you assume would bring this flax that is now 

 burned to the manufacturer? 



A. It would be a help in that direction, although 

 it would not be very much help. All the flax that 

 comes in here from foreign countries would, under 

 such an increase of duty, cost the manufacturers a 

 half a cent a pound more than it does now. 



Q. That is to say, $10 a ton additional duty 

 would enable the manufacturers to buy American 

 flax to advantage ? 



A. It would help. We would like to have the 

 duty more, but I don't know that we can get that 

 done. 1 



It is unnecessary to point out what non- 

 sense this all is ; but the instructive thing 

 about it is that the Flax and Hemp Spin- 



1 Rep. Tar. Com., pp. 283, 284. 



