Committee on the Tariff Classification of Wools

The National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on the Tariff Classification of Wools, 1885

In the various tariff laws enacted by Congress in the course of the last forty years, different rates of duties are imposed for wool in the natural condition of the fleece, and for wool that has been washed or scoured. Washing is defined as cleansing the fleece while still on the sheep’s back by washing it in cold water, while scouring is defined as a more effective cleansing of the wool by means of hot water, or alkalies and other chemicals. The rate for washed wool is twice, and that for scoured wool three times the rate for wool in the natural condition. For some time the appraisers appear to have overlooked the distinction and much wool was admitted at a less rate than it should have paid under the law. In the report of H. Wheeler Combs, general appraiser at the port of New York, dated October 30, 1885, we read:

“We had also made inquiry into the discrepancies between the large ports in the matter of the value and classification of foreign wools—particularly those known as ‘Donskoi wools’—and were in communication with the officials and reputable importers at the large ports on this subject. We have learned enough to convince us that gross undervaluations at all the ports have existed for years, through a misapprehension on the part of the customs officials of the true value of the currency on which the traffic is actually based.

“These wools are entered as ‘washed wools,’ valued at less than 12 cents per pound. A chemical analysis was made at the laboratory connected with the appraiser’s office, and the chemist reports that they are ‘scoured wools.’ This subject is now being carefully investigated by the appraiser of this port.” [Report of H. Wheeler Combs, General Appraiser, B. H. Hinds, C. H. Lapp, Special Agents, New York, October 30, 1885. Rep. Secr. Treas., 1885, p. 126.]

On December 3, 1885, the Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel Manning, addressed a letter to the President of the Academy, in which he stated that an appeal had been taken from the decision of the Collector of Customs at the port of New York in a case involving the classification of a certain consignment of wool for tariff purposes, and requested that the Academy would advise him as to its proper classification. The President appointed a committee to examine the sample of wool which accompanied the letter and determine its real character. This committee, which consisted of C.F. chandler, W.H. Brewer and Henry Morton, reported on January 16, 1886, giving its opinion as to the character of the wool and at the same time offering some detailed information of a very interesting character as to the qualities of different kinds of wool. This included a translation of Chindsinksy’s article on the composition of the fleece of merino and coarse-wooled breeds of sheep. To this were added analyses of various samples of wools procured by the committee, including the one received from the Treasury Department, and a summary of analyses made by other investigations. The committee then presented the following conclusions:

“From the preceding facts, we see that wool comes into the trade in a very great variety of purity, some with not over 10 or 15 per cent. of actual wool fiber, others with 80 or 85 per cent., and that some of the contaminations are soluble in cold water, others requiring hot water and soap, or other chemicals, and still others, mechanical, and requiring special machinery for their removal.

“From all this it will seem that any classification of wools for tariff, founded on any of the physical characters named, or on the alleged treatment, as ‘unwashed,’ ‘washed,’ or ‘scoured,’ must of necessity be entirely arbitrary, and in very many cases uncertain and unsatisfactory, since each character is variable in itself, and by its combinations allows of an infinite number of gradings and sorts, so that, however classified, according to these characters there will be many samples which will lie so near the assumed border lines that their actual place will be a matter of opinion rather than of demonstration.

“A classification may, however, be founded on chemical characters determined by the amount of actual wool fiber, which may be used as the fixed quantity for rating a specific tariff. The actual wool fiber may be readily and accurately determined by chemical methods, beyond any reasonable question.

“Inasmuch as the commercial values depend greatly on fineness of the wools, and any tariff classification founded on the weight of actual wool substances would bear most heavily on the coarser and cheaper sorts, the ad valorem element may be combined with the fixed element suggested, in order to meet any special ends other than that of mere revenue.” [Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1885, p. 99.]

Up to the present time, Congress has not adopted the suggestion of the committee in regard to the classification of wools, but has continued to impose special rates on “washed” wool and “scoured” wool.