The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-08-02
TIE TARIFF QUESTION.
Remss Ks OF senator Maxey in the Senate
Last week-Soms thoughts for our
Farmers.

bemss Ks Of senator Maxey In the senate
Last week-Soms thoughts for our
Farmers.
Mr.. PREsIDENr:-I do not expect TO dis
cuss at all the little bill with its numerous
amendments except for short time on two
points. Upon these points desire to place
my views on record as concisely as | can
put them.
had intended to say something with re-
speci TO the merits or more accurately, the
dement's, of this bill, but is apparent to
my mind that there is q breaking up OF the
camp preparatory to retreat, and | sim
ply propose now to place upon record some
facts in respect to two amendments which
are quite important to the people OF the
state in part represent. -
The bill itself, AS it came rom the house,
affords, as believe, no relief 10 the great
army of overwhelmed taxpayers. IL IS a
delusion in those who think so, out shall
not now further refer TO that, because for
the reason stated, do not think 1t neces'
sary.
One section of the bill proposes reduc-
ton of the duty on Bessemer steel rails
from S2S TO $50 per ton. That affects very
largely the state of Texas, which, begin
ming in 1865 with 33l miles of railway, went
up on the last day Of December, 1881, to
over 1000 miles OF completed and equipped
railroad, and we have since increased that
200 miles up 10 the present time, and a
large portion of these roads is laid with the
Bessemer steel rail, we are, therefore, dl'
rectly and Immediately and largely inter
ested In that question, because the cheaper
the roads are quilt the cheaper is transpor'
tation
In reply TO the structures made by the
senator from Delaware (Mr. Bayard) the
other day upon the excessive tariff OH Bes-
semer steel rails the senator from Massa
chusetts (AIr. Hoar) said that notwithstand-
ing this tax of S2S on Bessemer steel rails
they were imported. want to address my
self moment to that, so far as the interest
of my state is concerned, and | can explain
it, think, conclusiyely and satisfactorily
to any one.
have Just stated the amazing increse in
mileage OF railroads in Texas. You will
find very accurate statement prepared at
my request under the auspices of the cot
ton exchange at Galveston, in the annual
report of the chiefof engineers, in volume
9, page 1881 from which it appears that for
the year ending December3l, 1879 iron and
steel rails and fastenings to the extent of
$3i0,OO were imported into the port OF Gal
weston, and for the year ending December
81 1880, there were imported $3,776,9l6, an
extraordinary increase of over 600 per
cent, and you will find that the percentage
OF increase for the year 1880 over that OF
1879 of importation of iron and steel rails is
very much greater than the percentage of
increase OF importation of any other article.
Why was it? Was it because the i'm
porters believed that SOS per ton was q just
and reasonable tariff? Let us see the rea-
son. There are some eight Bessemer steel
factories in the United States. Every one
OF those factories, as | an informed, was
crowded with orders beyond what they
could fill for months. The state of Texas
gave to every company which completed
and equipped a mile Of railroad
1920 acres Of land per mile.
The amount Of land which belonged
to the state and which went to these rail-
road companies was rapidly becoming alb
sorbed in the building of the roads. Hence
to secure the land those companies which
could not get orders filled at the mills in
this country found it to their interest to get
rails by speedy importation from Liver
pool.
have stated and placed on record that
the amount of iron and steel rails and fast
enings imported into the port of Galveston
for the year ending December 81, 1879, was
$4,000, and that that was increased to
1915 GIG for the year ending December 81.
1856, or over 900 per cent.
Now what is the reason for it The rea-
son, in my judgment, is conclusive and un-
answerablc, so tar at least as my state is
concerned. The state had given 1920
acres of land per mile to any company
which would complete and equip mile Of
railroad There were hut eight Bessemer
steol companies. constituting q syndicate,
in the entire United States, and the orders
in those mills were far beyond their power
TO rapidly fill. The company which had its
order in first was served first. The lands of
the state were becoming rapidly absorbed,
and therefore it was the policy Of those rail-
road companies which wanted to secure
this land to import their steel rails from
England and pay the difference between
the imported ton and the ton manufactured
here, whatever difference that might be,
because they would make more money by
securing these 1920 acres of land per mile
than the difference between the American
steel and the British steel. That is the
reason why they imported 1t there. And
in my Judgment the imperative necessity
for steel rails to supply the immense rail-
road building within the last two years. far
beyond the capacity OF the eight Bessemer
mills in this country, will account for the
importation NJ all the ports,
Then pass to the other point. This bill
under review processes on its face to he u
bill Tor relief and tor the reduction of the
taxes of the people, and it is remarkable
fact that the only people in all this country
whose taxes are increased by this bill are
the people whom in part represent, You
may look to the fifth section of the bill, and
the increase which the people OF the south
pay on cotton.tios is 100 per cent | will
show tn It.
Hoops cut to lengths, splayed and
punched, are worth pee ton, free on board
a vessel at Liverpool, q los. ID, equal to
$S660--that is, all charges paid, ready u
come to the United States. The presen,
duty is So per cent ad valorem, which is
$i2.Sl per ton. The amendment of the
finance committee will make the duty "a
cents per pound, or $500 per ton. The
duty Is now 80 per cent. ad valorem. 1t is
proposed to be increased to u cents n
pound. Let us see the effect of that.
The general average of the annual cotton
crop made in the south is 100000 bales
or that 100000 bales the state of Texas
raised little over one-iifth, or 1901 OC
bales last year. As have said the average
crop In the south is 100000 bales. Now
there are six ties to each bale, and the ag.
gregate weight OF these six ties is III
hounds to the balea equal to III, 800, 0oI
pounds Of iron used in baling the 6,0OO,O0C
bales of cotton, or 30,l3i tons ut 2,2iC
mounds per ton. The present tax Is $40, 81
Der ton, equal to $3s6,0l6 The proposed
tax OF Ii cents pound is equal to u tax OH
Atom of 30 pounds of S33.GO. The tax on