Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-12-09
-TRE TARIFFS COMMISSION.
Some Of Its Provisions or IntereS, 20
West Virginia.

"CSs NAEkAnlA.
Special DispatcA to the Reoister.
WASHINGTON, December S.-Col. Alex.
Boteler, of your State, yesterday gave me
his proof of the Tariff Commission report,
which had just come from the public
printers.
he is no little gratified over the manner
in which the work Of the Commission has
been received, and looks as though the
labor and trouble involved in its prepara-
tion had agreed with him.
Concerning the report and his connec-
tion with it as a member of the Commission
he declined to be interviewed, saying it
would all be found in the report itself, but
went on to speak of some of his experi-
ences as Commissioner, as we'll as the
points of the report most interesting to
West Virginians.
The volume as now furnished is a mod
est pamphlet OF 129 pages. When the tes-
timony which has also been ordered to be
printed, is complete the matter will run
up to 1925 pages, and contain a library of
information Of practical value to indus
trial classes. SeVenty-eight days were con-
sumed in hearing witnesses of whom $40
were examined. Twenty.nine places were
visited and 1900 miles travelled in the five
weeks devoted to visiting different cities
Of the country, from Long Branch to st.
Louis Wheeling was about the last city
visited by the Commission, setting there
on the 18th of October last, and closing its
public session in Philadelphia four days
later.
Of the report as whole it may be said
the principle Of rerisiOR was closely adhered
to rather than the consideration of the ques-
tion of ultimate abolition and most of the
testimony looked to the imposition of high
er rather than lower duties. Nevertheless
the findings of the commission and their
recommendations look to a substantial re-
duCtiOn of about twenty-five per cent. on
the existing customs duties, and it is
claimed that such reduction will still leave
the industries of the country that stand
most in need Of protection in position to-
sustain themselves as against foreign COM
petition.
OF the recommendations of the commits.
sion which are Of most interest to you are
those recommending an imposition of fifty
cents rsr ton on imported ores instead of
twenty per cent. dd ralOrem: reduction OF
ten to twenty per cent on bar iron, and OF
five, ten and fifteen per cent. on hoop, band
and scroll iron respectively. The duty rec
commended on pigiron and scrap IS $40 OF
cent. per pound, and $40 OF cent.
on steel rails. There IS also
aslight reduction on nails.
Glassware, QueensWare, Etc.
On glassware, plain, mould and pressed,
the duty is made specific instead of ad yalo-
rem, and the same recommendation is made
concerning window glass.
On earthenware, white and printed, and
on white and decorated china, porcelain
and Parian ware an increase of fifteen per
cent is suggested.
The removal of the II per cent and ten
per cent al Valorem duties on first ana
second. class woods, and the reduction of q
half cent per pound on woods OF the third
class valued at less than u cents per pound,
and l cent per pound if valued at and above
u cents per pound, is proposed.
There are other suggestions OF special
interest to particular producers which
closer examination of the report will de-
velOp.
1t will be seen that the four great pro-
ducts of West Virginia are cared for in the
recommendations of the Commission, and
Mr.. Boteler thinks they will continue to be
protected under any policy likely to be
adopted. Even should the principle of
tariff for revenue be adopted, he holds
that there would be the best reasons in
the world for such discrimination in levy
ing duties for revenue purposes as would
foster and develop our home industries
needing care and defence. Take out that
word only said Mr.. Boteler, from the
Watterson plank and we shall have plat
form on which we all can stand. Make
il q
Tariff for Revenue.
and in providing for that revenue our
weaker industries can be preserved. But
the moment you put in the word only
you exclude all idea of caring for develop
ment of industries which, without such
care, cannot exist, and which we all desire
should continue.
Comparing the different sections of the
country visited by the Commission with
our own State, Mr.. Bateler expressed his
belief that no State in the Union possessed
the elements of richer growth and greater
material prosperity than West Virginia.
He spoke of her virgin forests and mineral
treasures, of her beautiful valleys clothed
with the garniture of pasture, and her hills,
tolerant of culture to their very tops, in a
manner that would have delighted the heart
of real estate agent in Mcdowell County,
and nothing but his repeated injunction to
print nothing and an unwillingness to bur-
den him in the Senatorial race with pos
sible misauotation keeps us from reporting
him fully on this lead. Lam.