New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-03
DISCUSSING THE TARIFF.

THE COMMISSION AT WORK IN NETWORK.
soPFNING THE SESSIONS AT THE WINDSOR HOTEL
LISTENING TO AN ADDRESS by john s. MOORE.
Ina one of the handsomely furnished parors
OF the windsor Hotel the Tariff Commission yesleris
held its frat pubc session in this city. When called 10
order by II. W. Oliver jr., who presided In inc "O
Of the regular president John L. Hayes four o'her com
missioners were seated around a long table hea'n'
loaded with stationery that rely called into
tou They were ]. W. r. Underwood X T. iui''
A. NJ Garland, and J. A. Amber. As many .,.A'
appeared to be doing nothing in side parior Ll'er 0on
missioner W. IT, Mcmahon arrived leaving three com
missoners absent The session almost entirely ue"
up in the hearing OF an address tariff revision by john
s. Moore the free trade writer, who was subsequently
questioned by the Commission.
Mr. Moore began his address by sketchng the history Oh
the tariff legislation in the United states from the I'm.
when the first tariff act approved on July A. 80
down 20 the present day He said that the War
the direct ancestor Of the present tariff system 10 te
revenue tariff established under President Folks Auih
tration in 1896 and to its author Robert j. Waker ~
Secretary Of the Treasury. Mr.. Moore gave mSh Pr"
The object OF that tariff TO collect only such niO'
was necessary for the wants Of the Government
icay administered and to charge lesser duty on party
manufactured goods in their various stages ana hs'
rate of duty as they assembled TO state of periceo
During the fourteen years Of the Walker tarin' '
speaker said. :" the country prospered Inc
for manufacturing the largest scale was iu On ST.
basis and when the panic OF 1857 came It's duiauoh wa"
the shortest on record While the high tariff OF ISL was
the offspring of war Mr.. Moore continued the sun
protective system now established had its very neepuoh
i'm Sol while fearful civil was preparing MI hoo
then took upthe question whether or not In reFi7lns
simplifying the tariff it should be done in the h'nV ~
protection. high, and in some cases prohlptoS
he said was claimed fer three reasons % Inc n"
tes of the country were still in their infancy; t2 the
home industries could not compete Win lle
of Europe and 80 home proteeton eave Maorc char
fpf hp
aeterized the first claim as " shanelung ae and sx
when home industries protneed products
annually He admitted that wages mere WEI ~
I'm FI,roe INT coutended that the superiority OF American
vino machinery neuraized the great bugDe ..
manner labor Treating the third claim for protection AZ
great length he said that the high tarn lo-l itS sd
5rinI lie seven wears that followed the panic OF - %,
The panic of 1857 under thew alkeF iarl " - dis
of months. not of years As prev No, vi and n sham
tress the claim for protection was Iaicy g caused
Mr. Moore also denied that the protecute ' aS9a THAT
the revival OF the country's prosperity after lS.9 l
was due he said TO the liquidation that followed ne
the eeonomizng OF Inc people home Prosperity
brought about by the farmer ana not oy INC
What tariff reformers wished to see accomplished MI
Moore said in conclusion. was ~ red9ctU ,b IL
would he uTwIse in reducing duties 10 90 10 an cAlce
conended that simplifcatIOn was OF more tb
than reduction of the tariff. and protested agh>l ~
retention of any compound dues lie % "a on
Commission - pfoP9sGG eoSToc9c nine classes The
articles placed ON the list those when yue
revenue OF & rcbosed tariff would be 932
against 81 $50 go or collected from customs IN G
Nh Moore was then examined by the Commission. ~
said that he had reduced the duties on no article OV
ner cent adj vaorpm without placing II on tie free isL
Mr. Ambler-T you place the duy on hofl ll -. ~
s5 per ton Is the duty steel rails claimed 10 Dc
| one of the most eXOrhant . .. 90
Mr. MooreYes hut my object has been to suggest 70
Won something that l. practical We must be m0deruIo
IL onr changes Fifteen dollars ton on steel rails Il al
most ~ 10 SO per cent have put other iron ana st
and their manufactures at - per cent Bu cosueI 10
"a fair duty steel rails ,.--..-.. - ,,,,rt,a
long discussion Of the question Of taxation OF qulne
then took place. Mr.. Moore commended tnat iN Oh Jul
nine simply encOura ged monopoly. In regard 70 niahu
featured goods in whose composition various ra" hI' s
them He thought that the drawback y-tein on Inlorl
materials that used III home mahulactIteS va ~
{be nors.,pc alone in determining the grades OF m
norted sucoTs but did object "a the Use OF u anu tlo
hcb standard combined. He strongly favored al va
loren duties on silks and agreed with Mr. McMahon thi
tbe rv of eryaluatiOn had little IN IT, lie dld NOT
object 10 specific duties wherever they could be levied on
"A true ad valoTem basis. .,o
The Commission viii meet again to-day at 10 a. H.