The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-09
AND DEMOCRAT BI OOMSBURG. COLUMBIA COUNTY, Pa
The Tariff Bill.


Congress passed the amended Tariff
bill on the 3rd inst Judge Kelly ex.
planned the effect of the bill, saying the
first section of the bill was the bill
which the House passed last session for
the reduction of internal taxes, with the
amendments made thereto by the Sen
ate, touching tobacco, cigars and snuff.
These deductions would diminish the
Internal taxes from S35,000,000 to $40.
100000. lie was unable to make an
estimate of the immediate effect of the
changes proposed in the tariff law. The
estimate, however, was that the total
reduction of revenue under this bill
would be from S65,0OO,00O to $4,000,
900. Many of the provisions of the bill
met his own cordial support There
were other provisions of it, however,
which he could not defend here or else
where. lie did not approve the acti on
of the conference committee on duinine
He disapproved ais of the Treasury rul-
ing as to tin plate and nickel But, on
the whole, the bill was, in his judg
ment, an Improvement on the present
| law.
The following Pennsylvania Demo
cratic members voted for the bill. Beltz
hoover, Ermentrout, Klotz, Randall,
Mutchler and Wise. -Four Pennsylva
MIA republicans voted against it.
The Philadelphia Times thus com.
ments upon the law:
Il g, k,,, I;o,;,,. o,,,,,n,n,,, ,,,,o,,
the capacity of Congress for serious
legislation that the new tariff act,
which was the one important subject
presented at the beginning of the ses-
sion, has been delayed until the very
last day and almost the last hour, and
then forced to vote without more
than half dozen members in either
house understanding its character or
effect. The result is sufficiently salts
factory, for the preparation of a tariff
must always be entrusted to small
number, and the less tinkering il re
ceives in committee of the whole the
better it is likely to be. But it is very
evident that the majority voted for this
bill at last, not becl they had conf
dence in the committee that reported it
SO much as because they felt that u
tariff of some kind must be passed.
The satisfaction felt in having the
matter settled will make the country
more than willing to accept the tariff
of 1888 as a Just and equitable
mC asure, and ttade and industry, assur-
ed of some stability, will readily accom-
modate them>elves to it. Various
individual interests no doubt are disap.
pointed, but it ought to be clearly un.
derstood that nothing but the most oh
vious and glaring inequality will Justify
any renewal of taritf-tinkering at the
next session, and then only for the cor
rection OF acknowledged errors. This
tariff is expected to last, aud for the
present at least it settles the tariff pol
icy of the nation, policy of equitable
and not exolbitant protection, in the
interest of the whole public rather than
of individuals or localities. This policy
must not be dislurbed-by lobbyists or
bv politicians.
The feature of the act that will be i'm.
mediately appreciated is the abolition of
various internal taxes and the simplif-
cation of others. Congress was not
brave enough to rise to the full demand
of the country for the abolition of all
internal taxes, but so anuch relief as
has been given from various imposi-
tions that harassed and oppressed small
industries will be gladly received. The
whole effect of the act is expected to
be reduction in the revenues of about
seventy millions, scarce a half of what
might have been spared, but a greater
reduction than Congress has heretofore
been willing to make.
The only drawback to the satisfac
ton which this settlement of the tariff
question gives is the probability-al
most the certainty-that in work sc
hastily finished there are errors and
omissions, perhaps only clerical, tina
will cause annoyance and dispute al
: soon as the act goes into effect. This
is one of the penalties we have to pa,
} for careless legislation, but we cal
put up even with this if the count,
can gain period of freedom from tar
} if agitation and Congress be KEEP
steadily in the path of reducing tax
: es.