Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-18

RepubIIcans-Why the Markets for
american Products are GIuIted
and LabOrers are StrIkIng-EvIIs
OF Protection Set Forth.
In the Senate Friday, Mr.. Baysrd spoke
on the tax bill, which was under considera-
tion. He congratulated the country that
ever at this late day aud In this unprece-
dented way Congress was approaching the
question of reducing the burdens OF taxa.
tion-of emancipating American industries
from the incubus OF 8 discriminating and
excessive taxation, laid in time of war and
maintained in time of peace. Denouncinc
IN advance amendments or opposition to the
measure the Senator from Vermont Mr..
MORRILL, had presented q bill to reduce
taxes IS It was miscalled. Il was abnor-
mai; it was unprecedented. For the first
time In the history of the country
the Senate had originated 8 bill to change
the tariff because party exigency demanded
1t. 1t was said that the measure was q
proposition to reduce taxation, and he
asked the Senate to consider whether 1t was
such an equivalent and reasonable measure
of relief to the masses Of the American peo-
pie as It was now admitted that 1t was their
right to receive. The first feature in the
bill was the abolition of the tax on bank
capital and deposits, and he was in favor of
that feature. He had never believed that
deposits were subject to taxation In
the hands of the deposItees. The stamp
tax on bank checks was a formslity
in business which he was not sure was not
OF much value. Il was troublesome to bauk
officers, to be sure, and he believed that
from those bank officers chiefly came the cry
for the repeal. 1t was tsx which it cost
nothing to collect, and which It was easy to
pay, and he did not believe that it's repeal
was a proper measure OF relief. It was, in
his opinion, unwise to repeal the tax on
friction mathes. The revenue derived from
1t was so great, so honestly paid, so cheaplv
collected, and the article was so universally
used, that it was difficult to imagine an
item of wiser taxation. As to the abolish
ing of the tax on proprietary medicines it
would not be claimed 1t would lessen
the price of medicines to the con-
sumner. He felt perfectly satisfied that
the 81 100000 was simply a gift to
those engaged In the proprietary medicine
business, and the bulk of the American
people would never derive the slightest ad-
vantage therefrOm. The bill also made an
unimp ortant diminution in the tax on
licenses, and provided for a reduction of the
tax on cigars from So to 81 per ihousand.
fifth of cent upon esch cigar would bring
any measure OF relief to the consum-r, or
enable him to buy his cigars cheaper. Those
were al! the internal revenue features of the
bill. There was not a diminuti0n of ope
farthiDg in the cost Of collecting the reve-
nue., and the cumbersome machinery of the
bureau of internal taxation stood Uncimin-
ished by the proposition.
Then followed the external features Of
the bill, the first being the so called reduc-
tiOn Of the duty on sugar. The tariff on
sugar had been difficult and complicated
one, and it had led to the interposition bv q
Secretary of the Treasury. without law, of
the test which it was by this bill sought to
make law This proposition was TO give
to the Secretary of the Treasury, in the en-
ployment of the polariscope, a discretion
which was, IN his opinion, too wide for
safety. The conflict In sugar interests was
immense, and yet Congress was called upon
without a word OF testimony, without
the examination Of a single witness. In
the middle of July to pass upon
matter vitality important TO those interests
He did not know any one engaged in the
sugar industry, but he was conscious of the
ruin that might be II 1icted upon the grow
err, the manufacturer or the IMPORTER nv
dealing hastily and lightly with a question
of this kind. He could not contemplate
this off-hand way of considering the auer-
ton without feeling of absolute distress
that he would be obliged to vote yea or nav
without any facts being known to the FL
nance Committee on which he could base
his vote. It was commended that this amend
ment would reduce taxation. He denied II:
1t took eff twenty-five per cent. dd gGl0renl,
but at the same time 1t introduced test
which would render that reduction nuga-
tory and void.
Mr.. Sherman (Rep., o. asserted that
there was not the slightest question but
that the reduction OF 25 per cent would
throw off between IS, DOC, 900 and $4,000 900
OF taxation.
Mr.. Bayard replied that it had been as
serted before the Committee on WAYS aud
Means of the House, when sitting in New
York, that the polariscope test was so
variant that it's results depended upon the
person making the test. He had been told
a few days ago by sugar dealer that there
was no hing IN this bill but handing over
OF the sugar duties to the Secretary of the
Treasury and his agents. The bill further
proposed to diminish the tax on B assemer
steel rails-to take off IS per ton. Would
not the duty of $40 which was left be in
effect equally prohibitorY? Twenty dollars
per ton was a higher rate to-day than S2S
was in 1870, when the rate had been estab-
lished.
Mr.. Sherman maintained that the reduc.
ton proposed in the bill would make a
sharp competition between the mauufac-
turers in this country and the manufac-
turers in Europe.
Mr.. Bayard commended that 1t was not an
equivalent and reasonable reduction, and
called attention to the fact Stated some
weeks ago by Mr.. Hewitt, Democrat, New
York, in the House, that It had been proven
by the record of a court of justice iu Phila-
delphia that a yearly dividend of II per
cent. had been declared by the manufac-
tureFs of steel rails, in order to show that a
much larger reduction might be made than
that proposed by the bill.
There was another reduction of taxation
claimed in the provision known as the
''hoOp iron" provision. In effect what did
that provision mean? Simply the doubling
OF the present duty on all cotton ties, and
the taking of $780, annually from the
pockets OF the cotton growers. It was an
abuse of the exercise OF the teXlDg power
to 90 this thing. 1t was not laid for reve-
nue.. 1t was not laid for public use, but
for private advantage; and there 1t would
stand in this bill, across whose false face was
written the word reduction" And this
completed the list Of tho so-called reduc-
lions pronoseG. so far as the internal taxes
were concerned the reductions were insig-
nificant, and it would be easy to figure an
increase in the tariff features of the bill.
Mr.. BsYard then passed to a general re-
view and criticism Of the present tariff sys-
tenn, reviewing its history from the time of
its adoption to the present hour, TO show
that It had passed from being a tariff for
revenue to being a tariff for protection.
Protection should be the incident not the
principle, and 1t was to protection as priT
ciple that be attributed the limited market
for American manufactures, and the
consequent labor strikes which were
to-day organized throughout the
country. II he were right, the
charge could not come too soon that
would give to American manufacturers an
outlet for their productions, and in that way
enable them to give their lsborers steady
employment, and prevent the recurrence of
those labor agitations which periodically
disturbed the country. He protested in
earnest language against any discrimination
in favor OF one class of persons and against
another, but asserted that that was the in
evi able result OF a protective tariff. What
would be the result on the political parties
If it should be agreed that the taxing power
of the government should be used by those
who could command the strongest cohorts
In order to make their raid on the Treas
ury?
Would this be any longer republican
govern emit, a representative government,
or would it be a mere government of wealth
"A mere plutocracY in which everything
should be given $50 him that hath, and
from him that hath not even the little that
he hath shall be taken away?" The Con-
stitution of the United States provides
that private property might be taken for
public uses on just compensation being
rendered; but where was the converse OF