Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-07
The Tariff Commission Report.

Inc laF1H COMMISSION report.
The report is a very long and formidable
document. I he commission restricted their
work to a revision of the tariff They de-
clare that high duties have a tendency to
create prejudice; to encourage unsafe in
vestments Of capital; to cause plethora of
certain commodities; that the time has come
when a reduction from high war rates can
safely be made and that the increase in
productions by the older industries is suffi-
cient to admit Of reduction without impair
ment of ability to compete. The reductions
on the average and as a whole approximate
twenty per cent, and will perhaps reach
twenty five per cent. As the amount of
reduction cannot be stated with precision, it
follows that no statement can be safely made
as to the effect of the proposed reduction
upon the total volume of the revenue from
import duties. Although the free list is con
siderably enlarged in the scheme proposed,
this list has already been enlarged by previous
legislation to such extent as To embrace
nearly one third in value OF the merchandise
imported in lsSl--that little room is left for
reform in this direction.
The essential feature of our existing tariff
system for generations has been Iii, elimination
and nothing but disasters have attended the
temporary departures from this rule. 1t has
been the effort of the commission 10 make
the reduction apply TO commodities of neces-
sary general consumption and to diminish or
withhold the reduction upon commodities Of
high cost, requiring more labor, and, which,
being consumed principally by the more
wealthy classes, could bear higher duties, at
the same time supplying revenue and en-
couraging the higher arts without being OPP
pressive in their operation. 1t has been
sought invariably to make discrimination
in the rate of duties imposed manufac-
tured product and the raw material, or par
TALLY manufactured product of which it is
made, the object being to impose higher
duty upon the latter. The report describes
in detail the method by which the commission
arrived at its results and then proceeds to
say:
Reference has hitherto been made only to the in.
teress of production affected by the work of
revision entrusted 10 the commission the character
of the proposed revision in the Interest of American
commerce must next receive consideration. 1t is an
error to suppose that there Is any real antagousm
between the interests OF production and OF com
merce, but internal commerce, the most important
Of eur commercial interests, depends mainly upon
domestic productions.
The report then goes into an exhaustive
review of the recommendations made bv the
commission, and illustrates the review with
numerous schedules showing the present
status of the various industries OF the
country and comparing il with the status in
former years. In some eases the revision has
no regard for the revenue feature, as with
books, the tariff on which is largely reduced
in the interests of education and progress
while works of art are increased to encourage
American artists In discussing the admin
istration of the tariff laws, recommendations
are made to facilitate their enforcement, one
of which is that the duties on charges be
repealed with others to do away with the
annoyance to foreign commerce which now
prevails. An important recommendation is
that af a customs court for the purpose of
deciding questions of classiticatons and
other questions peculiar to the import trade.
The report discusses at length the importance
of American industry and commerce, giving
statistics at length and putting the animal
industrial product of the country at SIX bill
lions of dollars, and showing that the United
States in the matter of Productive interests
is now the first country in the world.
Appended 10 the report is u full tariff bill,
with schedules and detailed references, tn
fifteen schedules describing the commissions
reasons for making the proposed changes
Other papers submitted with the report are
the statistical tables sho wing the condition of
labor. The report of the commission is
unanimous While differences on some
points existed. aud are set forth in the end,
there is no minority report 1t NAV be stated
that the reduction fixes the duty on steel
rails ut Sl1 90 per ton. or eighty cents per
100 pounds. All other parts of the iron
schedule are consistent with this. There is
an entirely new schedule of chemicals, based
upon scientific methods, and a schedule upon
metals arranged upon new plan. The re.
duction in wool is said in the report to be of
such character as will commend itself to
the public, the greatest reduction being upon
the article of blankets, upon which the tariff
was particularly excessive. 1t is observable
that no duty is recommended on quinine. and
that the duty on wood pulp is abolished,
though that on wood and lumber is retained.
Some concessions were made, il is apparent,
to satisfy public opinion and meet the pecu-
liar wants of various interests. The report
proper, exclusive of the testimony, makes
over 1000 pages, and until it is printed the
details of the charges in the existing tariff
recommended by the committee cannot be
satisfactorily stated. Ii may be said in this
connection that the vast amount of work in
the report could only tie finished by working
night and day. and Its completion on the dsy
required bylaw is a source of surprise to
those who had predicted that two years would
be required to go over the ground covered by
this investigation.
See ssBird" ady't: yet Holdep's BIRD