New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-13
TIE NEW TARIFF ELL.

The Committee on ways ana McaHS mas
decided to report Tariff bill which largely
reduces the duties on manufactured products
but does not restore the duties on tea and
coffee This measure will probably give Of
Tense alike to ardent protectiOnists and honest
free traders 1t ought to be opposed on other
grounds than those of protection, and doubt
less will be- by all who do not wish to see
the public credit destroyed. The public rev.
enue is even now barely enough to meet the
interest on tho public debt and provide the
sinking fund required by law. II, Oh account
OF hostility to any feature of the existing
tariff, the House desires to cut off duties
which now yield considerable part CT the
revenue, it should provide for increase of rev.
enue from other sources, unless II Ill
tends to violate pledges of the Govern
ment to public creditors. This it was proposed
10 do in the hill submitted to the COMMITTEES
which, it is said, the Hon. David A. Wells as
sisted in preparing. Now, Mr.. Wells is opposed
70 the protective system, but he Is decidedly
opposed to reputation. The Democratic
House seems to be of different mind. Its
Committee accepts, with few changes, the sug-
gestions of Mr.. Wells as to reduction of du-
ties and abandonment of revenue, but it re-
iects that part of his scheme which sought to
provide for the Government additional reve-
nue. in place of that abandoned. Mr.. Wells
does not want to cripple the Government.
The House, if it should pass the bill in form
as the Committee has determined to report it,
would deliberately deprive the Government OF
means to meet ITS obligations to public cred
itors.
Ii is not necessary to discuss the tariff ques-
ton in connection with such measure. In
| deed, there is abundant evidence that Ameri-
can manufacturers begin to feel that the time
has come when it is no longer enough for
| them 10 strive for control of tho home market,
| but they need to extend their business so as
| 10 secure for their products footing in foreign
markets also, and hence, by many who have
sustained the protective system, somc modlii-
cations of the tariff, if reasonably adjusted,
might now be favOrably considered. But this
| bill has veiy different purpose. 1t does not
seek to raise by different methods needed
| revenue As it comes from the Committee, 1T
is simply proposal to deprive the Govern
| ment of needed revenue. That this wonld bo
tho effect Of the bill, Mr.. Morrison, the Demo
cratic Chairman of the Committee, will doubt
less state in tho House. AS introduced by
him, the bill compensated for reduction OF
other duties by restoring the duties on tea
and coffee, so that on the whole, it would not
have made much change in the aggregate rev.
| enue. Mr.. Morrison insisted strongly upon re-
tention of the tea and coffee duties, and, when
outyoted in the Committee, announced that he
regarded tho error as so important that he
| should move an amendment in the House. In
support of that amendment, no doubt he will
tell the House that in the present shape this Is
not n Tariff bill, but bill to cripple the Gov
] eminent. Secretary BristOw, who has charge
fof the finances, need only repeat the state
ments and recommendations of his last report
to show how such bill as this appears to him.
AZ that time he pointed out the necessity of
an increase of revenue, urged that the Ameri-
can consumer had gained nothing by the repeal
| of the duties on tea and coffee, and recon-
| mended the restoration of those duties. Since
that time, the revenue has not exceeded, but
ON the whole has fallen below his expectations,
~ that the increase of duties, which he asked
| when no serious reduction of the tariff was
contemplated has become even more neces-
sary.
After these warnings from the Republican
Official charged with the care of the finances
and from the Democratic member selected to
lead his party in the House, no member can
claim that ignorance of the facts excuses his
error. If the House passes the bill in its
present form it will prove that majority OF
the members deliberately intend to cripple the
Government, and to make it impossible to meet
obligations to public creditors. The party now