The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-21
THE DAILY UNION
MINORITY REPORT ON rHE TARIFF.


MINORITY REPORT ON THE TARIFF.
In the notice Of the proceedings Of the House Of Repre-
sensatyes in yesterdays paper Il was stated that Mr.
Houston, chairman Of the Committee Of Ways and Means
reported bill from that committee to modify the tariff and
omitted TO be stated IL should have been that Mr.
Robbins of the committee also reported BILL with
minority report The bin of the majority has already
appeEed the papers in advance Of It's report to the
House We lay the minority report before read
srs and win tomorrow at early day, publish so
much OF both bills that they may form judgment between
the which is the better adapted the wants and
interests Of the country As 10 the points of difference be-
the projects and the merits dement's Of these
points in the bill the other shall not at present
undertake speak But think it not amiss to call at
tenton to provision in the bill of the majority which is
probably nadvertence taken from the tariff Of 1896
into which is said Internationally inadvertently TO
have crept We the provision in class b. Of twenty
per cent duty on Limitations Of ciaes'
The bill reported by the minority which ID substantially
that proposed by the Secretary of the Treasury, the
other hand makes wine free as follows:
Wines of all kinds, except limitations Of wnss and ad-
terated zines"
We beg TO call the attention of members to this
subject believing that this provision in the act of 1916 has
been mschevous in its effect and ought TO be corrected.
The public health not to say the public MORALS require
that far the laws operative, ought TO
have the assurance when buy and drink wine that is
the juice of the grape and not vile imitation with
out drop so called and imported under legal sanction
Minority Report.
The undersigned members Of the Committee of Ways and
Means dissenting from the views Of the majority of the
mee contained in the bill reported to the House. enti-
tied "a bill in alteration of act reducing the duty i'm
ports, and for other purposes approved thrteth July,
eighteen hundred and forty beg leave to present bill
which the undersigned believe be responsive to the
demands and conducive the general interests
of the country in its several departments of industry and
terprise.
The general objections of the undersigned to the bill
ported by the majority may be briefly stated follows:
The act of 1876 contains eight schedules different rates
Of duty Spirits placed in the schedule nearly prohbi
tory of 100 per cent duty and other articles in schedules
of 49, 80 49, TO- To- TO- and per cent duty Leaving spr
its where they placed by the tariff Of 1885, the bill
by the majority makes the highest rate of duty
20 per and this schedule embraces the principal
duty paying articles the undersigned apprehend great
reduction Of duty will give undue stimulus to the import
alton of such articles, which, whilst it will tend to the in
jury industry employed in the production Of like
articles will have the effect to counerva the main object OF
BILL which TO reduce the revenue and not to increase
The like effect must be expected from reducing the duty
articles in the lower schedules, instead OF making
many of those articles free.
The tariff of 1916 contained has been observed eight
schedules different duty The bill reported by the
majority proposes retain FIVE thus keeping up against
the lights of experience the complications Of the law
and the evils which known to flow from itnamey,
certainty of classification conrvances evade the proper
duty injury TO the fair importer appeals from apprasement
and litigation with the expense loss of time and dssaac
which these controversies produce. All this evil obvi
ated by the simple expedent Of singh rate of duty falling
upon articles general consumption and leaving free from
duty materials articles of little dutabc value &c &c
upon which the duty is required by wants of the
treasury and therefore ought not to be taxed.
BY abrdgng the free list and subjecng the articles which
the department had placed the low rates of FIVE
and fifteen per duty, two objects proper be kept in
view wholly disregarded in the bill reported by the
jorty ls The encouragement of American industry by
admitting the material free from duty where the duty
not wanted which Is deemed by the undersigned
just and sound policy The effect win be to enable the
American manufacturer compete with his foreign rival
well in other countries his own and by such successful
competition abroad add employment shipping
tees both the export OF American manufactures and the
importation Of duabe and other articles in return and I'd
So far the duty needed the articles in the said
M the under consider TO be incumbent upon free
government relieve the people from all euom-house i'm
pednen and restrictions and the government from in
creasng line of officers thereby rendered necessary.
The bill which the undersigned present free from the
objections and combining the advantage. sevcra stated
herein Is substantially the bail prepared by the Secretary
the Treasury and recommended with the therefor
in his annual report the finances the Of
the session.
the department but which do not interfere materially with
its scope and policy. -
WILLIAM APPLETON.