Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-04-08
THE TARIFF.
Iowa, i'm the House OF Represen.
tativcs, March Gath and 25th, 1870.

Iowa. i'm the House OF HepfeSen
tativcs, March Gath and 25th, $40
The House being in the Committee of tn,
Whole. and having under consideration thu
bill III. K. No. 1861 to am"nd existing law
relating to the duty on imports, and for other
purposes
Mr.. ALLISON said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In any remarks l may
make upon the subject now under consd
Grafton by the committee, it is not my pur
pose to enter into discussion of the theo
ries distinguished by what is known as free
trade and protection. SO far as | can
shall address myself to the discussion O.
the question Immediately pending before
the Committee of Ways and Means, for the
revision or the partial revision of existing
duties on imports.
In the beginning will say that l regret
that am compelled to differ from the ma
iori,y of the Committee of Ways and
Means with reference to the expediency Of
the proposed measure, except in so far as il
results in a reduction of the burdens oil
taxation imposed upon the great body Of
the people.
With the present requirements of the
Government it cannot be pretended that the
United States, can now approach anything
like system of free trade. The Secretary
of the Treasury in his last annual report
indicates to us that it is absolutely neces
sary for the general purposes of the Govern
ment to raise a revenue OF 1921 100000.
In this amount he includes nothing what
ever for the discharge of any portion of the
principal Of the public debt which the law
of 1862 requires to be provided for in the
numbers, to about $25,00O,0 900 annually.
So that if sinking fund is provided as re-
quired by the law of 1862, the total wants
of the Government for the next year under
economical administration will be, in round
numbers, $3l5, 900.
The Secretary of the Treasury states in
his report that under existing internal reve-
nue. laws and tariff laws there will be rails
ed during the present fiscal year, revenue to
the amount of 1898, 10000 showing sur
plus in the Treasuary at the end of the
present fiscal year of Sl02,000,OO0 unless
there should be reduction of taxation.
The Committee of Ways and Means
have already, in their present report upon
the tariff and the report which they will,
| believe, soon make with reference to in
ternal revenue, decided upon a reduction Of
the revenues to the extent of $50 000,0 900,
reducing the internal tax $30000,000, and
the duties upon imports $50, 5000 This
reduction of taxation is, | believe, so uni
yersally acquiesced in by gentlemen on
both sides Of the House, that its eSredien-
cy or its necessity cannot be subject Of
discussion here. The only question upon
which difference of opinion can arise is
whether this reduction shall be limited to
$50, 900, 600, or whether there shall be
greater reduction.
OF course it is not proper for me here to
speak of the method which the Committee
of Ways and Means propose for the reduc
ton OF internal taxation, as the report upon
that subject has not yet been made. But
| can say that if we decide to allow the in
come tax to remain, then in order to reach
reduction of $3O,000,000, it will be
necessary to dispense virtually with all 9TH
er taxes excepting those upon distiilad spir
its, termented liquors, and tobacco, togcth-
er with the taxes derived from stamps, and
few miscellaneous taxes, such as bank
taxes, lotteries, &c.
The question Immediately before the
House for consideration is, what reduction
of duties shall be made under our tariff
laws, and how that reduction shall be made.
1t is the judgment of, perhaps majority of
this House that the present protective du-
ties upon imports should be continued and
it therefore becomes proper to inquire what
classes of articles are protected under the
existing tariff, ana the extent of such pro-
lection.
An examination of this tariff will dis
close the fact that only few of the vast
number of industries in this country are
protected specifically by existing laws. The
manufacturers of iron in its ruder forms are
protected, The manufacturers Of W, Glen
goods are fully and amply protected, as ]
shall endeavor to show in my remarks here
after. The manufacturers of cotton goods
are also projected, not, however, to the
same extent as those of many other arti-
cles. The manufacturers of steel are also
largely protected. Those who are engaged
in the solar evaporation of salt, or in its
manufacture in the finer forms, are also
largely protected.
The Special Commissioner of the Reve-
nue., in his report made at the beginning of
the present session, Classics the product
i've interests OF the country. by which it APP
pears that at least 100000 skilled arli-
Fans, machinists, ship-builders, carpenters,
shoemakers, blacksmlhs, masons, &C., are
engaged in the manufacture OF articles for
consumption, and are not classified among
those who are protected under the existing
revenue laws. He estimates the total pro-
duets of agriculture at 81, 1892, $50 900, and
the product of the skilled operatives not in
cluded in the protected classes ut 81 900,
OOO,O 900 per annum. These operatives are
engaged in producing articles Of which
iron, steel, leather, wooden and cotton man.
ufactures are the raw material; AID any tax
or impost duty which increases the price OF
these raw materials is burden upon these
skilled artizans and mechanics, or else a
burden upon the consumers of their pro-
ducts. A summary statement of the values
created by the leading industries Of the
country would be substantially as follows
Agriculture, $3,2S2, $50, 900
Cotton manufactured, 7l,5oO 600
Wooden manufactures, 66.O0O,O0O
Iron production, pig and bal, $4,000, O00
Leather manufactures, 222,60O, O0O
Railway service 36o,0OO,OO0
Fisheries, l0O,000,OOO
Total, $l,223, 600, 900
The Commissioner estimates the gross
product of the country at $6,S25, 200, 900.
This leaves more than one-third Of the to.
tai product from the industrial classes une.
numerated, of which artizans, machinists,
carpenters, ship builders, shoemakers,
blacksmiths, masons, &C., with the other
small industries scattered over the entire
country, is estimated at 81, 900, 900, 900.
The agricultural interest, it will be seen, is
much the largest interest in its aggregate
product, as well as in the number of per
sons employed. l believe no one will
claim that this large interest is directly
protected. 1t is true that under existing
laws there is small duty upon wheat, bar
ley, oats, and other agricultural products.
But this does not afford any protection to
the great wheat and grain producing regions
Of the country.
The gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Wilson,
in discussing this question yesterday, stated
truly that the COST Of wheat in New Eng