The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-11
FORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS.
The Tariff Bill Gives Rise to An Elk
tended Discussion.
The Proposed Revival of American Com
merce Exercises the Wisdom of States
men in the Lower House.
THE SENATE.
The Tariff Bill and Its Provisions Discussed
at Length.


ton, for the passage of the Lowell bankruptcy
bill.
Mr.. PIatt said that the committee on pensions
were unable 20 arrive at a conclusion at their
last meeting respecting the bill granting in
creased pensions TO one-armed and One-legged
soldiers owing to the absence of the chairman
on account of sickness.
Mr. Fry introduced a joint resolution provd-
ing for the termination of the fisheries articles
of treaty between the United States and Great
Britain, concluded at Washington, May 8, 1871,
and moved its reference to the committee on
foreign relations. He was very anxious
that the committee act promptly on
the matter. He thought these articles
in force another day, because the fishing prlvi-
1eges which we gave to Canadians were very
valuable, while those which they gave us were
worthless, though by gross acknowledgements on
our part, and skilful diplomacy on the part OF
Canadian authorities, we had been required 10
pay and had paid S5,500,000 for them. He
thought this magnificent gift TO Canada, for
every cent of it gift, He charged that
where we took one barrel of mackerel in their
waters nuder article eighteen, under the treaty,
they took one hundred in ours. He also made
1t point that Canadians are permitted to ex-
port fish to the United States free OF duty After
further discussion the resolution was referred as
Mr.. Frye suggested.
Mr. ingalls, offered resolution directing the
committee on judiciary to inquire and report
what legislation was necessary to ascertain and
determine when the powers and duties of the
presiden tial office shall devolve upon the Vice
president in case of inability of the President TO
discharge the same, and in what manner the
removal of the disability may be ascertalned
under the constitution.
At the suggestion OF Mr., Garland the resolu'
ton went over.
The calendar was then proceeded with, and
after passing private bills at the close OF the
morning hour Mr.. Morrill, moved to postpone
the education and bankruptcy bills, which was
agreed to, and the tariff bill was then taken up
for consideration.
Mr. Morrill, addressed the Senate, and said:
"At the outset permit me to say that the report
of this bill by the Senate committee or finance
has not been made in any spirit of antaSonlsm
to, or competition with, the ways and means
committee of the House, but in view OF the early
termination of the present Congress- 1T has been
made to secure with greater certainty
O reduction of the too abundant revenue from
both internal taxes and tariff, by such timely
consideration as would permit favorable action
on the part of the Senate well of the House
before the close of the present session. IT, with
all other important measures pressing upon our
attention, we can wisely accomplish this, we
shall have deserved credit at least for diligence
and honest effort. The amendment reported
from the finance committee has for its basis the
report of the tariff commission. The internal
revenue tax, if the bills should become IA law
will hereafter he limited to spirits, beer and to-
baccO, including snuff and cigars. As we come
to the amendment OF the tariff it cannot fail TO
be seen that a very o substantial initial
possibly more radical than the future may jus
tify. The reduction of rates on sugar, and on
and woolens, Is large and emphatic. The free
list has also been considerably increased. The
reduction on the manufactures of paper, OF bon
nets aud hats, on salt, on spices, caustlc SODA,
anine colOrs, and many other articles, are very
pronounced. Sections 1907 and zoos of the
Revised Statutes require an addition to the cost
or value of imported articles upon which adva-
loren duties to be computed, of the
cost OF inland transportation packages
and commissions All this it is proposed
TO repeal, and this will, of course, cause con-
spicuous reduction in many heavy articles, espe-
eially, crockery ana chinaware; but 1t Will
srea i, s1mplifS the work of the customs officers
in the ascertainment OF the precise amount upon
which duties should be levied. Without some
conversation, this change OF law would be very
disastrous 30 home industry in China and
about one-half of our consumption
country the tariff commission therefore re-
ported in favor of is per cent. addition to the
present rates of duty, but the committee on
finance reported an addition of only 10 per cent
This will only leave this class of trade, it is be-
lieved, in Its present condition. The repeal and
reductions proposed of internal revenue taxes
aggregate nearly $l3,000,000. Add the tax col
lected by the treasury of the United States from
national bgnks, nearly $40 100000, special taxes
$4,000, 900, cigars and cigarettes almost 81 900,
900, touacco SO, 000, 900; total, $34740,324. We
must not conceal from ourselves that so general
a change to the lower duties, carrying
affect those with stocks ON hand
and the doors we also open to labor abroad will
TO some extent shut out labor at home. Homo
institutions, 1t is to be feared cannot be NAM
tanned except by reduction of wages. Already
some large iron establishments are shut up, and
in Philadelphia 10, 900 looms are said to be idle
There has been an over-production in othe" ar
ticles than whisky, and nowhere more eXtrava-
CANT than in the IL 900 miles of railroads buit
in 1882. Storm signals of late have been fire.
quenty visible in the financial horizon. Those
who believe that monetary crisises are periodi-
cal, now fear decennia return of that of 1878.
Without being myself a croaker, yet frankly say,
II there Is any proposition in the present
bill which it shall be made to appear will crush
any legitimate enterprise degrade any labor,
I o. lihRFtV |
it."
Mr.. Morrill, closed his speech by saving; off
the senators are in earnest ahOut having any re-
duction of taxes and of tariff, their hearty CO.
operation is absolutely necessary TO bring about
that result. II the work is done at this session
of Congress, it must be done promptly. AS we
proceed with the BILL If easy questions are asked
in explanation, shall answer with great pleas
ure, II harder questions are asked, shall either
step aside for my colleagues on the committee
to come TO the 'front.' or | shall retreat behind
the words of old Sam Johnson When asked by a
lady how he came TO make a blunder IN his die
tiOnary to the description of the pastern joint
of horse, he responded Sheer ignorance,
madame" (I4aughter
Mr.. Beck attacked the report of the Tariff Com =
mission, saying: "Wnile plauslbly processing to
reduce duties it really increased them upon
many important articles. The commission had
simply let men who were to make money out of
business fix up schedules for themselves, and
had handed that in as their own work, when, in
fact in his Judgment they had done lntelli-
gent work at all. 1t would. therefore, be the duty
of senators who really desired
reduction oil existing duties TO
examine this bill very carefully,
to see tina: it did not really increase them, by
means of cunning changes of the schedule, and
the transpositIon and provisions devised by men
who would profit by an increase, and who, per-
haps in many instances, deceived even members
OF the commission themselves. Mr.. Beck illus
trated this view by reading the provisions in re-
lation to BesseWer steel, steel ingots, blooms,
etc. Articles of this kind weighing over 500
pounds to come in on the payment of duty
of 6 of per cent, while, by certain other pro-
visions taken together, the same articles when
they weigh over 500 pounds are required to pay
2 cents per pound or $50 ton. The senator
from Vermont (MorriiD had congratulated the
country upon the fact that the average duty
upon dutiable imported articles only about
AZ per cent and this was claimed would be barely
adequate protection for American labor, but the
figures furnished by the tariff commissioners
themselves showed that in large number OF
American industries wages paid amounted to
only II 610 per cent. OF the value of the goods
produced, and that the profit manufacturers