The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-12-23
THE TARIFF BILL.

question, appointed what was known
as the tariff commission, which remain
ed In session during the recess, travel
ed from place to place taking evidence
and listening to long-windsd d speeches,
mostly in the interest of protection.
This commission endeayored, SO far as
it was possible, to create sentiment in
favor Of this nefarious system which
Pas robbed the people SO long. It will |
be remembered that just previous to
the November elections, the press dis
patches were filled with the arguments |
and expressions in favor Of even an
advance of the tariff on many imports,
especially on the various manufactured
articles which are used or consumed by
the populace. No sooner bad the re-.
suit of the elections become known and
the voice OF the people understood in
the unmistakable manner In which
they had declared upon this question,
thar the majority Of the commission,
together with other leaders of the Re
publican party, busted themselves
devising some means of saving the pre-
tectiye feature of this monstrous tariff
system which they had SO long fostered
from the vengeance of an outraged
people, who fer twenty years had stood
this shameless and open robbery. It
was immediately heralded from one
end of the country to the other tina
the commission were in favor Of heavy
reductions Of the duties on imports as
well as of the internal revenue and that
they would SO report to Congress
Congress has met and they have made
their report, III the form of an amend
mcnt to the tariff, which claims re-
duction of from 20 to 80 per cent on
the entire revenue, which is true, and
the reduction is made so as to prevent
the accumulation of money in the
treasury. The protective features of
the bill is retained in sven a worse
form than it exists at present, while
large reductions are made on very
many articles and others admitted free
ss daty. The bill is SO framed that
manufactured articles, which are used
and consumed by the labering masses
and are actual neeessaries for the com
ferts of life, arc made to yield almost
the entire revenue for the support Of the
government. We give the following
spinior Of Morrison, Coz gresham from
Illinois, Who has carefully analysed the
bill:
Morrison says he was favolably dis
posed at first towards the tariff com
mission bill, being stunned by the
sweeping reduction the commission
proposed. He, like his fellow Demo
Gratis, had professed to believe the ap-
pcintment of the commission was a sub
terfuge on the part Of high tariff lntel-
ests, which did not propose to submit
to any reduction whatever Whe. ,
however, it came in and it was discev-
cred the commissions schedule did
propose reduction ranging from 20 to
SO per cent, he yielded gracefully to
the requirements land announced that
be expected to sustain its recommends
tions. Now, however, ne has changed
bis mind. He has found, notwith-
standing the reduction, that the pro-
Iosed tariff is still protective one and
not for revenue only. Ae said to-day:
sThis report of the tariff commission
is y fraud and cheat on the face of it.
1t seems to make great reductions and
SO far it meets my approval. The fact
is, it is a cunningly devised scheme for
protection which makes very little
practical reduction upon the list as a
whole. / The free list about which so
much has been said is fraud too, be-
cause there is scarcely anything added
10 it but spices. In chemicals the re-
duction is considerable, but beyond
that cannot say much in favor of the
new bill. It recommends the abolition
Of all charges for fees and commissions,
which have bean trying to have re-
pealed for the past ten years. It makes
aach amendments in our tariff regula
lions that the administration of the Law
has shown to have been unnecessary
Again, lis groups and classification
are good. So far I like it and when
have enumerated these points ] hav
said ali there is to say in favor Ct it
The ways and means committee is Civ
ing the matter very little consideration
and is skimming through it withou
any attempt to investigate the propose
changes. The testimony of person
upon whose statements the lists wer
prepared by the commission is nc
read, and [ have suggested that if W