New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-12


ested in the tariff. Schedule C Of the bill has
now been finished. Nothing can be found of
the missing $500 at the Treasury. General
Mcmillan is still candidate for Collector at
New-Orleans. Henry Bergh is in Washington,
arguing before a committee in reference to
the transportation of cattle. The committees
are all very busy.
PROGRESS WITH THE TARIFF BILL.
SCHEDULE REvIsED-FEw CHANGES MADE-THE
COMMITTEES METHOD OF woRK-wHAT PRO
TESTS ARE SENT IN.
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIDUNE.]
WASHINGTON Feb. 1.-THE Committee on Ways
and Means, at its meeting to-day, completed the
consideration of Schedule of the Tariff Bill, re-
latng to hemp, jute and flax goods. The method
which the committee has adopted is to take up each
section of the bill and give it the most careful con-
sideraton. All the data which the subcommittee
had when preparing the BILL and all letters and COM
municatons which have been received since the bill
was published, bearing on the point under consider
alton ere gwen their full weight, and then vote is
taken.
The alterations thus far made have been uDim-
portant and the conclusion that they do not in any
respect change the general character of the bill may
be gathered from the fact that each one has been
The BILL as published contained several errors not
in regard to rates, but relating to other matters
equally Important Some of the 80 were due to mis-
takes in copying, and Others were typographical
errors. As the committee proceeds, the chairman
calls attention to these and they are corrected.
Since the bill was passed. also. an expert from Ire
Customs Division of the Treasury Department has
been sent to New-York to consult with the Appras-
ers Department of the Custom House there III regard
to still further changes III the line of simpifcation
and the avoidance of ambiguity. In constructing
the bill Mr.. Wood followed the general plan of the
present law far the arrangement OF subjects ard
the classification Of articles were concerned. In this
way Of the imperfections OF the present tarii
which have given rise to much trouble and htlga-
ton have been perpetuated in the bill The report
Of the expert referred to has pointed out many of
these and contains other suggestions of which the
committee will avail itself it proceeds. For in
stance, Schedule c as it appears in the Revised
Statutes fills about page and enumerates great
number of articles some of which unknown to
commerce or to the Custom House officials. Gunny
CLOTH is one. The amount of duty collected
upon that article last year was only
81 10. The bill us prepared by Mr. Wood
greatly reduces the number of articles named under
the schedule and the bill, reported to the House,
will be still further smplltied by the introduction OF
general terms which, while they cover great many
articles now enumerated, will remove Ambiguity
and prevent the raising OF many que tlons OF con-
struct,on which, in turn. lead TO expensive ntlga-
tion. So much for the work OF the Committee on
the Tariff Bill thus far. .
II is understood that very few if any, changes in
rates Of duty have been made in the bill by the com
mttee and these ii has been voted not to publish at
present for the reason that no vote is considered
necessarily final, and changes OF rates already
agreed upon may yet be made before the bill IL re-
ported to the House. The Committee has agreed
that where a majority desire to go hack and reopen
any question already passed upon, 1T may be done.
TAXATION OF RAW MATERIALS.
One criticism that has been made upon the bill
is that it takes some raw materials from the free
list and proposes to subject them to duty. Mr..
Wood SAYS that this was intentional. In the first
place. he docs not by any means accept the doctrine
that raw materials should not be taxed. In pro-
vidIng for the revenues of the Government and
distribution of the taxes of the country equally
as possible it is necessary he thinks. to tax articles
that are used by manufacturers. He does not find
fault with anufaot urers who desire TO import their
"raw materials Tree, but he thinks that they
should bear a just proportion OF the burdens OF
taxation.
In the second place, Mr.. Wood says he has never
been able to find two persons to agree as to just
what raw material is. In the iron trade, for in
stance to the manufacturer of pig metal iron ore
would be the raw materials to the manufacturer of
bar iron and steel pig iron would be the raw mate
rial: to the manufacturer of cutlery bar steel
would be the raw material Now if this principle
be adopted that the raw material should not be
taxed each Of these classes of manufacturers would
have a right to demand that his raw material
lie placed on the free list, and no duty
would be levied either on iron ore, pig iron,
CT bar iron or STEEL Mr.. Wood admits that some ar
tcles used in manufacture, and known as raw ma
terlals and which are now on the free list, will be
taxed should his bill become a law in Its present
FORM and asserts that this was necessary IN order to
raise the required revenue. Two of the most impor-
taut instances of this kind are the proposed duty
silk and on gutta porcha. The first Of these. MIR.
| Wood saws can be made to produce a revenue OF
81 900 OOO and the second of half a million. stu
it is by no means certain that the former OF these
NAV not vet be replaced III the free list
| In some respects the committee has not gone as
far in supplying articles tine free list as Secretary
| Sherman recommended in his annual report. He
suggested that all articles from which the income is
not now $4,000 be stricken from the list OF
those on which duties are collected The commit
tee found that by reducing the rate OF duty on SOME
of these articles the revenue from them c0uid be
largely increased. while an incidental protection.
moi as great that enjoyed to be sure but bet
ter than none, would BE- secured.
OBJECTS AIMED AT.
The general intention of the trainers of the Tariff
Bill. as has been said on former occasions, is to
SIMPLIFY the system of collecting duties thus re-
ducng the cost Of collection, and to reduce the
taxes on articles of popular consumption In addi-
ton to this it hoped by the friends Of the bill that
il will enable the country to take one step toward
opening foreign markets for our surplus products,
and this it is hoped to accomplish by leyyipg dis
terminating duties on articles imported from
countries that impose discriminating duties on prod
ucts of the United States. In the matter OF SIM
plicty the advocates of the dill think that it is
success although they by no means assert that II Is
perfect They believe that it will reduce the cost
of collecting the customs about one-haf. Still
further changes in this direction will probably be