New-York tribune., 1878-02-05
A CRUDE MEASURE.
lis PRINCIPAL ALTERATIONS OF THE PRESENT
TARIFF AND lis INEQUALITIES.
TELL IL n THE

analysis of the Wood Tariff Bill will enable those
| interested in ITS provisions to understand Just
what changes in present rates of duties are pro-
posed and what their effect will be.
Under the existing tariff law there is no provision
for special rates mixed goods composed in part OF
cotton. The Wood tariff bill makes mixed goods OF
which cotton shall be the component of chief
value dutiablo cotton goods. This makes
a change of the rates of duty goods composed of
silk and cotton of which the latter is the more val
uable which have hitherto been classified as assim-
Hated to silk goods at so per cent. There is also
conflict between this section and the clause relating
10 woollen goods, which provides that all manulac-
lures composed in part OF wool shall pay duty as
voollen goods. Manufactures composed of wool and
cotton with cotton the component of chief value.
would be dutable under the cotton section at 20
per cent, and would also be duiabe under tho wool
section as composed in part of wool. In low grades
of cottOns the proposed reduction will prove TO be
from 60 TO 20 per cent, while in the more expensive
grades the reduction is from 90 to 20 per cent.
There is a verbal defect in tbo bill. Where the ex-
preston occurs the general clause on all manu-
facures of cotton" the words mot otherwise pro-
vided for should be added.
Two sources of trouble to the customs officers
that have existed FOL years are not obvated by this
bill arises from the classification OF goods oi
uneveny woven texture where IL is difficult to as
certain the nnrnber of countablo threads to the
square inch and the other from the provision TAX
ing cotton Iods of more than certain value out
of the geleraI class and throwing them into an adj
ditiOnal class provided in the final section at lower
rate 4 frequently happens that it IS to the advan-
tage Of the manufacturer TO make the invoice
price of his goods Two cents yard greater than the
actual price, to bring The goods above the limitation
referred to- When this is done a lower aggregate
drrt, in case |
cents per square yard dutiabc at zig cents per
ward and IL per cent ad yalorcln, the duty
would be more than il cents per yard. BY
invoicing them at % cents per yard instead of
the actual ,alue, "a cents thev would he
thrown into the general class including cotton
goods not otherwise provided for. paying duty at
35 per cent al valorem, thus making the duty only
about cents per yard. As the importer runs no
risk by overvauing his goods IN the invoice he can.
by an arrangement with the shipper or consgnor IN
anv case goods approximate to the divldlns
line take his choice of the rates OF duty to
which he Will have them subjected.
rARrnEN wARE-rLAX-wiNEs.
On common class the bill effects a change from
rates per pound to rates per square foot from 2 to
3 cents ,or pound to 1 and cents pei square foot
In duties on polished cylinder and crown glass,
uted rolled, rough plate glass, and cast or pol
isbed plate glass. the bill makes reduction OF
from 10 to 20 per cent. Or polished plate glass sill
vered or lookng-gllss plates, the bill increases the
duty from % to 30 per cent Tho bill makes
| an important change by providing that bot
ties of glass or earthenware, containing any liquid
| OF substance which pays duty, shall he admitted
free. Such bottles pay duty, as n general rule,
Of from three cents each to 40 per cent al vaorem
Under this provision all expensive bottles of
glass would be brought in at low rate, by filling
them with some substance paying low rate OF
DUTY At present the bottle is either counted III the
value Of the & 'ticle imported, or pays separate
duty. The new provision would work to the INJURY
of botters of pickles, sauces, etc, in the United
States because the prce of the bottle wound not be
| counted in the dutahle value.
The provision in regard oearthen and stone ware,
china etc. applies to oil such articlcs-a rate of 40
! pcr cent ad vaorem Under the present law
/ dnary earth and stone ware pays only 25 per
cent and stone ware above the capacity Of ten gal
! Ions paws 90 per cent while china and porcelain
ware pay from 4J 10 30 per cent so that this bill
| increases the duty on tie ordinary cheap earthcn
| and stone ware OF commerce and reduces it on the
expensive varieties This seems 10 be violation of
the promised general principle of the biz that goods
! of low grades shoud pay n proportionately even
rate of dutv with goods of high grade, bu. III most
| instances the low graded goods pay proportion
| ately higher rate than the high grades.
The duty Oh lax not dressed Ii reduced from 500
| to SO per tom dressed, from $40 TO $50 per ton;
hemp, MANILA etc from $50 to 500 per ton; tow of
fax OF hemp, from so to So per ton jute, ETC., for
cordagc from SO to so per ton. The duty on
eunny cloth, not baggng, s reduced from TO cents
per round; that on bngs except bagging from cotton.
from 40 to 20 cents; that on cotton bagging, ( ON
and cents to lo and 2i2 cents per pound; that
on tarred cordagc, from TO 2i2 cents per pound |;
on juto yarn, from % to 20 per cent al vaiorein.
Manufacturers of these vegetable fabrics which are
! dutiaDle under the present law at from 80 10 40
per cent, reduced to single rate OF 80 per cent
l. Still wines III casks now pay duty OF ~ cents
| gallon without regard 10 co7t. 1hls bill makes
three grades Of snch wines and rates them Tor duty
from % cents TO 81 80 gallon according to value.
Still wines in bottles which pad duty OF ~ 90
per case OF dozen quart bottics are provided Tor at
| the general rate of 100 per cent ad valorcm. r.
! duty on champagne remains the same, except that
the duty of cents bottle now pald on each bottle
is taken of. The duties on brandy and distilled
spirits, cOrdials, ales, porter, beer, vermuth and
| fusil oil remain unchanged.
MEALS.
The duty on pig-irOn ia reduced from 81 to So per
ton; that on iron ore from 20 per cent ad yalorem
! to 81 q ton. Scrap iron, which now pays cast x6,
| and wrought IS a ton, is reduced to > ton. On
| sheet-iron an average reduction Of from 30 TO 40
per cent is made. The duty on polished sheet
iron is reduced from 9 cents pound to 1 cent.
| That ON steel rails is reduced from III to i
cent a pound. Then by general provision it is
stipulated that all manufacturers of iron and steel,
of whatso character not above specified or class
fled for duty, shall be assessed at uniform rate of
| 80 per cent ad va!Oren.
1t is difficult to tell what the effect of this sweep
ing change will be upon the very large number oar-
ticles which specially provided for at differ
cnt rates of duty 1t throws into the general class
some fifty articles specified in the tariff and
paying various rates of duty. Without mentioning
| the precise reduction it is safe to say that it will
| average 80 per cent.