REARING SILKWORMS. 127 



imported as raw material, and hence free of duty; 

 while they imposed a duty of sixty per cent 

 ad valorem on fully manufactured silks. Not 

 only was reeled silk admitted as raw silk, but 

 manufacturers sent over to foreign countries their 

 own employees and had them re-reel the silk 

 which they called raw silk. The operation of re- 

 reeling silk brought it a step nearer complete 

 manufacture, so that it should be charged thirty- 

 five instead of twenty-five per cent duty. Instead 

 of this, however, the silk manufacturers gave this 

 another name, viz., filature silk, and then 

 imported it free of all duty. 



At this time California was becoming quite 

 interested in silk-culture. The manufacturers 

 did not want success in this branch of industry, 

 and fought against it by arguing that it was best 

 to let the millers pierce all the cocoons raised, so 

 that they could only be made into spun silk. To 

 work out this scheme, they offered six dollars an 

 ounce for silk-eggs, and then destroyed the eggs, 

 so as to crush out this great industry, if possible. 



These few facts are cited from the records of 

 the doings of Congress during its fiftieth session, 

 merely to show to those who are interested in this 

 business WHERE the trouble lies, and why silk- 

 producing has never gained a foothold in the 

 United States, 



