Purpose: To increase the rate of duty upon men’s straw hats
Date: February 12, 1926
(Original document available here)
Whereas in and by section 315 (a) of Title III of the act of Congress approved September 21, 1922, entitled “An act to provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, and for other purposes,” it is among other things, provided that whenever the President, upon investigation of the differences in costs of production of articles wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of like or similar articles wholly or in part the growth or product of competing foreign countries, shall find it thereby shown that the duties fixed in this act do not equalize the said differences in costs of production in the United States and the principal competing country he shall, by such investigation, ascertain said differences and determine and proclaim the changes in classifications or increases or decreases in rates of duty provided in said act shown by said ascertained differences in such costs of production necessary to equalize the same;
Whereas in and by section 315 (c) of said act it is further provided that in ascertaining the differences in costs of production, under the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) of said section, the President, in so far as he finds it practicable, shall take into consideration (1) the differences in conditions in production, including wages, costs of material, and other items in costs of production of such or similar articles in the United States and in competing foreign countries; (2) the differences in the wholesale selling prices of domestic and foreign articles in the principal markets of the United States; (3) advantages granted to a foreign producer by a foreign government, or by a person, partnership, corporation, or association in a foreign country; and (4) any other advantages or disadvantages in competition;
Whereas, under and by virtue of said section of said act, the United States Tariff Commission has made an investigation to assist the President in ascertaining the differences in costs of production of and of all other facts and conditions enumerated in said section with respect to the articles included within the class or kind of articles provided for in paragraph 1406 of Title I of said tariff act of 1922, namely, men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, being wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States, and of and with respect to like or similar articles wholly or in part the growth or product of competing foreign countries;
Whereas in the course of said investigation hearings were held, of which reasonable public notice was given and at which parties interested were given reasonable opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard;
Whereas the President upon said investigation of said differences in costs of production of men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of like or similar articles wholly or in part the growth or product of competing foreign countries, has thereby found —
That no change in the existing rate of duty is required to equalize differences in costs of production in the United States and in the principal competing country, with respect to men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, valued at more than $9.50 per dozen;
That the principal competing country for men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, valued at $9.50 or less per dozen, is Italy;
And that the duty fixed in said title and act does not equalize the differences in costs of production in the United States and in said principal competing country, namely, Italy, in respect of such men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, valued at $9.50 or less per dozen, and has ascertained and determined the increased rate of duty necessary to equalize the same.
Now, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, do hereby determine and proclaim that the increase in the rate of duty provided in said act upon men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, valued at $9.50 or less per dozen, shown by said ascertained differences in said costs of production necessary to equalize the same is as follows:
An increase in said duty on men’s straw hats, whether wholly or partly manufactured, not blocked or blocked, not trimmed or trimmed, if sewed, valued at $9.50 or less per dozen from 60 per cent ad valorem to 88 per cent ad valorem.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this twelfth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty six and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and fiftieth.
Citation: The Statutes at Large of the United States of America from December, 1925 to March, 1927
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Greg Harkenrider who prepared this document for digital publication.