The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-22

The undersigned, members Of the Committee Of
Ways and Means, dissenting from the views Of the
majority Of the committee as contained ia the bill
reported to the House, entitled " A bill in altera-
ton of act reducing the duty imports, and for
other purposes, approved 30th July, 1896" beg
leave to present BILL which the undersigned believe
more conducive to the general interests Of the
country, in it's several departments Of industry aud
enterprise.
Tho general objections Of the undersigned to tho
bill reported by the majority may be briefly stated
as follows:-
The act Of 1916 contains eight schedules Or differ
ent rates Of duty Spirits are placed in the schedule
nearly prohibtory, Of 100 per cent duty and other
articles in schedules Of 40, 3d. 25 20, Is, 10, and
per cent duty. Leaving spirits where they were
placed by the tariff Of 1916, the bill reported by the
majority makes the next highest rate Of duty 20 per
cent? and as this schedule embraces the principal
duty paying Articles, the undersigned apprehend SO
great reduction of duty will give an undue stimx-
lus to the importation of such articles, which whilst
it will tend to the injury of American industry EN-.
ployed in the production of like articles will have
the effect to c0untervai the main object of the bill,
which is to reduce the revenue and not to increase
it. The like effect must be expected from reducing
the duty OH the articles in the lower schedules in
stead OF making many Of those articles free.
The tariff Of 1916 contained, as has been Observed,
eight schedules or different rates of duty The bill
reported by the majority proposes to retain Ave;
thus keeping up, against the lights Of experience,
the complications Of the present law, and the evils
which are known to flow from it-nameIy, uncer-
tanty of classii sation contrivances to evade the
proper duty, injury to the fair importer, appeals
from apprasemeat and litigation with the expense,
loss of time and dissatisfaction which these contro
versies produce. All this evil is obviated by the
simple expedient OF single rate Of duty falling
upon articles of general consumption, and leaving
free from duty raw materials, articles of little
dutiable value, &C., &C., upon which the duty is not
required by the wants Of the treasury and therefore
ought not TO be taxed.
by abridging the free list and subjecting the ar
tcles which the department had placed on it to the
low rates Of five, ten, and fifteen per cent. duty two
objects, proper to be kept in view, are wholly disre
garded in the bill reported by tho majority LIST.
The encouragement Of American industry, by ad-
| duty Is not wanted; which is deemed by the under
signed matter Of Just and sound policy. The effect
will be 70 enable the American manufacturer to COM
pete with his foreign rival as well in other countries
as his own, and by such successful competition
abroad, to add employment TO our shipping interest
both IN the export OF American manufactures and
the importation OF dutiable and other articles in re-
turn; and, I'd. so far az the duty is not needed on
the articles in the said list the undersigned consider
il to he incumbent upon free government to relieve
the people from all custom-h0use impedments and
restrictions and the government from an increasing
line of officers, thereby rendered necessary.
The bill which the undersigned present as free
from the objections, and az combining the advan-
tages severaly stated herein, is substantially the
recommended, with the reasons therefor, in his an
nual report on the finances, at the commencemc
/ Of the session.
There are some notifications in the details OF the
bill OF the department, but which do not interfere
| materially with its scope and policy.
| JOHN RoBgINs, Ja.,
! June II, lSji WILLIAM APPLETON.
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