Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-12-14
The Tariff Commission Report.

pointed, nave returned empty-handed
so far as results went, but very heavily
laden with hotel bills, that a like out
come was expected IN the present in
stance. Happily the expectations were
doomed to disappointment. Instead OF
a statement dealing in glittering gener-
alities the commission present a report
that shows evidence of a careful investi-
CATION of the needs of the country fol-
lowed by n practical consideration OF
the remedies best fitted for the COM
plant with which the nation is now
struggling. In this report they have
made, as one member of the commission
expresses it "a symmetrical revision and
reduction of the tariff. keeping in view
the relation which each article on the
list bore to every other.n The recon-
mcndations include, as stated in a dis
patch to the St. Paul Pioneer Press,
Sweeping changes made by the
abolition of all fees, charges and COM
missions, which upon some classes of
goods will be equivalent to a reduction
of the tariff rate. This is especially
true of pottery and other bulky articles.
The tariff on Bessemer steel rails has
been reduced from 1928 to $1S u ton,
and on blooms it is put down to of
cent a pound. The duty on raw wool
has been made specific instead of COM
pound as before, and has been slightly
reduced. The commission recommends
that on irst-class clothing woods, such
as are commonly sheared in the West
the duty be 10 cents a pound, on those
valued at less than 80 cents and II cents
a pound on those valued at over 80
cents. 1t is the same on woods of the
second class known as combings. The
existing tariff, which is compound, is
equivalent to about 12I cents a pound
on an average for such woods as are
produced by the Western growers.
The recommended tariff will only be
about q cents less. This is on I'M
washed wool. On washed it is about
twice as much. On some wooden goods
the compound duties are retained, but
upon lower grades there is recommend
ed a very large reduction of the tariff.
The tariff on the lower grades of wooden
blankets is reduced about so per cent.
There is a reduction of about 16 per
cent on carpets. The tariff on ready
made clothing is cut down about one
fourth. The free list is given a far
wider space than ever before and is
headed by wood pulp. Spices and all
green fruits except oranges, lemons and
grapes, are also on the free list. The
dye extracts and crude chemicals used
in the manufacture of medicines are on
the free list, as is quinine. A single
copy of any foreign publication, book,
pamphlet or newspaper is recommend
ed to come in free of duty in order that
articles of this kind may be sent from
abroad through the mails. There is a
reduction of 20 per cen on printing
paper. The cotton schedule has been
changed from A to |, and has been very
much condensed.
There is a reduction of about 80 per
cen on cottons with all compound tar
ifs abolished. There is new schedule
on sugars and a revolution in the meth
cd of levying the tariff is recommended.
The commission recommends that all
sugars which are known as below grade
thirteen be dutiable according to the
polariscope test, abolishing the Dutch
standard. Above this grade the COM
mission recommends the retention of
the Dutch Standard system. The effect
of the recommendation would be a ON
siderable reduction of the duty. On
oranges, lemons and grapes, the only
dutiable fruits under the proposed re-
vision, there is simply a specific duty
of so much per box. The duty on all
medical preparations is reduced from
40 to % per cent ad valorem. The ad
valorem duty OF iron ore is abolished,
owing to the variation of values, and a
specific duty of so per cent a ton, which
amounts to about 3 per cent reduction,
is recommended. Analene dyes are
now paying over 100 per cent and the
commission recommends that they shall
pay 40 per cent duty. On salt there is
a reduction recommended on the article
which ONE in sacks and barrels of
from II cents per 100 the present duty,
to 10 cents per 100, and upon salt in
bulk from 8 cents per 100 to 6 cents
per 100. Duties on tobacco are removed
and the duty on cigars, cigarettes, etc.
are made SO a pound. There is no
change recommended in the duty on
lumber and zone on grain. The duty
on tirecrackers and playing cards is
raised from 80 per cent ad yalorem to
100 per cent adj valorem. The tariff on
all silk goods has been very heavily re-
duced. Taking the recommendations
as a whole, the revision will involve a
reduction on the part of the tariff list,
ranging in all important features from
20 to 50 per cent. The only notable
industry, which the commission found
it was impossible to reduce without ruin
ing the business of American manu-
facturers.
With the exception of the wiping out
of the tax on tobacco, the recommen-
dations will stand a fair chance of meet
ing the approval of the moderate men
both sides. The commission have
given the matter the most searching at
tention and heard the testimony of wit
nesses engaged in all the great indus
tries in every part of the country. This
mass of testimony has been carefully
digested and their report is the sum-
ming up of the whole matter. The ques-
ton is now before congress for its action.
There is no one thing surer than that a
revision of the tariff must come sooner
or later. Such being the case it is far
better that the revision should be under
by the party now in power, to the
end that the reduction is not carried
below the limit of a proper pro-
lection to those industries needing it,
than have the whole matter go
over into the hands of a Democratic
congress, and allow the task to be under
taken by a party whose cry is ga tariff
for revenue only This is a short
session but a great deal Of solid work,
helpful in the highest degree 10 the best
interests of the country. can be accom-
plished, and this matter of the tariff is
one of the most import ant.
Third District Vote.
The vote in the third congressional
district as reported by the State can
vassers was as follows: