The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-09-15
THE TARIFF COMMISSION,
MASSACHUSETTS, IN FA-
VOR OF THE BILL.
He FnVOrs RtVIiOn and Reform OF the TariR
Great IncOnslstt ncles and lncon-
grultles Exist in the Tariff


In the Senate, on May 10th, 1880, the bill to prOv
vide for a tariff commission was considered, n
measure looking toward tariff reform from a
protective standpoint, brought In by Senator
Eaton, Of Connecticut
Mr.. Dawes, Of Massachusetts, said: II present
the petition Of a large number of business frms
and individuals transactpg almost every variety
OF business in Massachusetts, In Maine, In New
Hampshire, and in Vermont, representing a very
large capital In this great variety of business and
also representing, in what they ask, 24,7eO labor.
eis. They pray favorable action upon what 10
called the Eaton bill.
VI desire for moment to call the attention OF
the Senate to that bill. The Senate can not have
failed to observe that very many petitions of this
character are now upon the table. They have
come here since the Committee on Finance has
reported that the bill ought to pass. The BILLS
upon the calendar. Itcanno be brought befoTe
the Senate In the short time remaining Of this
session In the order in which 1t stands upon the
calendar. desire the attention of the distin.
guished chairman Of the Committee on Finance
lMr. BayaTdl 10 the importance OF asking the
Senate to act upon the bill out Of ih order. The
petitioners whom l represent, II Is true, and
mostly persons engaged in the manufacturing in.
dustries and those whom they furnish with EN-.
pl oyment Probably fifty thousand men are fur.
nished with employment are petitioners, whose
petitions are upon the table Of the Senate at this
moment, praying for favorable action upon thiu
BILL They do not ask for any special legislation.
They recognize every industry Of this country 40
constituting part Of one WHOLE In which there
should be no Rntagonsms, and no one OF which
should ask at the hands Of Congress legislation
at the expense Of any other that all must stand
or fall together that what shall contribute TO the
permanent prosperity Of any other industry must
contribute in like amer, II not in equal degree,
to the permanent prosperity Of every industry In
the land.
"They ask, In view Of the evident desire and
manifest Justice Of q revision Of the tariff that
affects all industries in this land that 1t shall be
cone In manner which shall most contribute to
do justice 10 all industries, and therefore to per-
mRnenoy.
ut is In that hope and that desire that the man.
ufacluTing interests Of the country (noW spreads
Ing all over 1t and not confined, 90 In former
times, more largely to one section than anotherS
are solicitous that thst revision, which changes
constantly going on In the industries OF the land
make necessary in the tariff, shall be by such
legislation Rs would be more likely 10 come from
commission, wisely appointed, to review the
whole matter In all Its bearings to the interests Of
the United States and to the interest Of each and
every industry in the land"
Il
"Mr. President, am In favor Of the bill re-.
ported by the Committee OIL Finance because
am in favor Of revision and reform Of the tariff.
Great Inconsistencies and incongruites exist in
the tariff great many excessive duties remain
upon the statute.book, Many dutlable articles
should be on ,he free list, and many Of the Do
visions Of the tariff have become obsolete and
imperative, The present lie a favorable time for
such revision. The increased prosperity Of the
country and Of all business in 1t has 80 increased
the receipts Of the Government, both from sources
OF internal revenue and from customs duties, as
TO lender such a revision desirable and possible,
keeping in view first the primary object Of the
imposition Of cutes, q revenue for the mainten-
Rnce Of the Government, and keeping that reVe.
nue. as near as possible to It's current and neceB.
sary expenses, There iB an opportunity to revise
ard reform not only the duties but the methods
Of enforcing the law and collecting them. s)me
Of the circumstances justifying this course have
sprung up without any reference to legislation,
Changes In business, changes In relati ns Of In.
dustries to each other, as wei as changtB in the
E0uTces Of revenue to the Government, require
the Government to look now to one quarter and
now to another from which little was expected
or receive d In former times We should conform
our legislation to the changes going on all the
time In the methods Of buliness as well as in the
sources Of revenue. AL these invoke at our
hands attention to the question whether we shall
permit the revenue system Of the Government to
remain as II is or address ourselves to the best
method OF producing out Of 1t q state OF things
that shall answer as well the demands Of the
Government as the expectations and necessitIeg
and claims of those under the Government whose
business pursuits it is i'm ossible to reform the
revenue laws without affecting
X X x X
"slr, the condition Of things which l have de.
sCrbed renders revision of the tariff not onl
p ssible but necessary We have arrived at that
condition In production that puts 1t in our power
to take off these large and excessive duties, for
hold that, keeping to the idea that revenue is the
object aud purpose in laying the duty upon the
manufactured article as against the raw ma.
to ial that should never rise one penny above
p rfeGt equality with this. Put the American
Ioducer, in levying your duties, simply upon
an equality with the foreign producer; make up
the dfie renee between the interest on his money,
the cost Of his living, and the wages which he
pays; Just even them up and no more; lift up and
not pail down; for II you desire an interchange
Of produce, he who can manufacture the cheap
est will in the end triumph over his neRhbor.
Oa any other basis, II you maintain these In.
dusries in this land, you must cut down the pay
Of the laborer to level with the pay of him
whom you compete, or you cannot compete with
him.
"The question is all summed up IN this single
aphorlsm: To the American laborer belongs the
labor which is to be performed for Americans
whatever i to be performed for us should be
done among us. desire for one to see an effort
made to frame q revenue tariff upon this princi.
Pile. See to 1t that the Government Is supplied;
take that which 1t is necessary to levy upon pro
duCtOn and levy 1t upon manufactured articles,
so distributed upon each and every article as
well as you may until you bring up our own pro-
ducers 10 level in cost with the foreign competi-
ton, and let the raw material come free. Sir, 10
that work. involving the growth al d prosperity
and development OF this country, all men Of al
parties, the Wisest and the most discreet and eX.
pert, ought to be invited No one party can &C.
Complish 1t, The doctrine thus developed does
not exist In this or that party exclusively. II has
come TO be every day more and more the com.
mon sentiment and conviction OF economists
throughout the country"