Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-29
TARIFF TINKERS.
HE MONsTROsITY PENDING IN
THE HOUSE.

A Tissue of DeceptiOn-NO Relief for
Tax-Payers-True Inwardness of the
Bill-The Increase of Duty on Cotton
Ties and Cotton FabrIes-A Blow at
the Working People.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-The tariff bill pro-
posed by the Ways and Means Committee,
debate upon which VIII occupy the House for
some time to come, is fraud, a delusion and
a snare. 1t it no revision of the tariff. The
protective barons have stronger hold upon
the throats of the people than they ever had
before The people certainly should be thank
full that the chances of its becoming a law are
so slim. There is no gentleman in Congress
who is better posted upon the subject of
the tariff than Mr.. John q. Carlisle of Ken
lucky. He is a member also of the WAYS and
Means Commlttee-One of the Democratic
minority of that bOdy-whieh prepared the
new tariff bill the barOns want to be thrust
upon the country. | went to him to-day to
get some inside facts about the working of the
Ways and Means Committee and his clear
ideas about the effectof the bill ON reducing"
duties. Mr.. Carlisle would be interviewed
In answer to question he said:
"We have worked constantly on the bill for
five weeks. 1t has been completed only few
days, and we have not yet had time to make
accurate calculations as to its practical effect
upon taxation and revenue; but | can give
you IN general way my present impressions
about it. The Tariff Commission stated in its
report that the reduction of rates recommend
ed by it would not be less than 20 per cent,
and would on an average, in the opinion of
the commission, amount to reduction of 25
per cent. After very careful examination
commission, and a comparison of the
proposed rates with existing law, / feel war
ranted in saying that the revenue would not
have been diminished to the extent of per
cent AS general rule the proposed reduc-
tiOn of rates related to articles of but little
consequence to the people at large. Very fire.
quently the reduced rates were still prOhibi-
tory, 50 that no relief whatever was granted
articles the rates of duty were largely in
creased, and in some instances more than
doubled Upon tin plates, used for canning
fruits ana vegetables, and for roofing and
other purposes the rate was exactly doubled.
The rates were largely increased on many
grades OF steel In common use among the
farmers and mechanics throughout the cOun-
try. The Committee on Ways and Means has
reduced the rates proposed by the Commission
in many instances, particularly in the sugar
and metal schedules; but it has also largely
increased the duties ON cotton and wooden
goods and earthenware over the recOmmen-
datlons of the commission; but on a great
many grades of those goods it has increased
the rates over the present law. OW-
ing to the numerous changes of
classification and the multitude of ingenious
provision scattered through the bill it is mpOs-
sble for the most experienced experts to de-
termine precisely what its effect will be upon
revenue and taxation. have no hesitation
in saying that the proposed scheme is more
prOhlbitOry in its general plan and structure
and more grinding and oppressive upon the
country than any tariff law ever enacted
since the foundation of the government. This
Is severe Judgment to pronounce upon
measure which ewes its origin to
a popular demand for relief from the
burdens of taxation, but if it were possible to
expose all the snbtle devices and cOntrivances
by which duties are to be increased and legiti-
mate trade obstructed, you would see that my
opinion is fully justified. The work of the
committee shows clearly that the intention is
to impose prOhibitOry rates upon machinery
and other manufactures of iron and steel now
paying duty of 35 or IS per cent, adIvalorem.
cannot now go through the bill to show how
the duties on sheet and plate iron andwire and
all Ine manufactures OF wire are doubled and
trebled by ingenious prOvisos. There is a
most unjust and ingenious discrimination
made against certain sizes of Bessemer steel,
lngOts, blooms. etc. The reason for this dis
elimination will be understood when it is
stated that the large sizes upon which the
low duty is imposed, are imported by the
Bessemer steel rail manufacturers and used
i'll making rails, while the smaller sizes
are required by different class Of
manufacturers, such as the makers of
wire rods. If this bill becomes a
law the latter class viii be absolutely
prohibited from procuring their material
abroad and will be compelled to abandon the
use of their machinery or purchase their steel
from from @ the Bessemer 5 T mills mills at whatever price
asked.
Mr.. Carlisle-"The duty proposed bv the
Ways and Means Committee is $32 96 per ton
instead of the present rate of 35 per cent. ad
valorem. The present rate is equivalent to
$l3 "A per ton, consequently the bill proposes
to make the duty two and one half times
greater than it now is. This will amount
nearly to tax of 100000 per
annum upon the producers of cotton in the
South and will of course diminish the profits
on their crop to that extent, as they receive
nothing Tor the Dagging or ties when they sell
their cotton"
''You say, Mr.. Carlisle, that the bill proposes
to increase the duties on some kinds of cotton
and wOolen goods?"
Eyes, sir; it proposes a very great increase
over the existing law in many cases. For in
stance, an entirely new clause has been in
serted in the wOOlen schedule. The goods
affected thereby are cheap, durable
abiaov ana handsome RE F. .,i, and are used
their families as material for wonen's and
children's dresses. The increase of duty upon
them bears heavily upon people Of small
means, who cannot afford to purchase the
finer qualities of wOrsted goods but who
nevertheless, feel just pride in dress
ing thelr wives and children
in good substantial material. On cotton
stockings, hose half hose, shirts and drawers.
and on laces, embroideries, insePtings, trim
mings, lace window curtains and cotton vel
vet the duty is increased from 35 to 45 per
cent. ad yalorem. This is q very large in
crease nmany articles of clothing, and in NV
opinion there is no justification whatever for
it. The duties on cotton, cords braids web
blng, gorlng, suspenders, braces, and all manu-
tactures OF cotton not otherwise provided
for, are increased from S5 per cent,
to 40 per cent Gd Yalor6m. There is another
large increase ON great mass of cotton
goods in common use, Including ready made
clothing. On many kinds of cotton fabrics the
rates will be increased from l25 to 200 per cent.
AZ, V@lorem ,..m under the bill as reported The
cotton goods upon wii,1H Vie du-
ties are increased from 35 to
revenue OF $l0,955.62l and
constituted the great bulk of
our impOrtatiOns under that schedule. The
increased rates upon these goods will tax the
consumers 70 the extent Of many millions of
dollars every year for the benefit OF domestic
manufacturers, who will not for a long time at
least be able to furnish as good quality of mer-
chandise as the people are now procuring
abroad
'What will be the general reduction that
will be effected by the bill?"
"The reduction will not be per cent The
apparent reduction will be about $4,000, 900,
nearly $4,000 900 Of which is taken from the
single article OF sugar The Tariff Commits
sion in its report, you will remember, admit
ted that the public sentiment of the country
and the interests of our various industries
demanded reduction of 20 or 25 per cent
The passage of this bill will not satisfy the
country, and unless it shall be materially
amended in the House, am satisfied that the
real revenue reformers VIII be compelled to
vote against It. 1t was little curious how
the Ways and Means Committee acted in re-
gard to sugar. When the schedule was hrst
gone over a reduction of about $3,5O0, 600 or
$4OOO,OOO on sugar was recommended. But
just at the close of the committees labors
when iron and steel and cotton and Woolen
goods and glass and earthenware had all been
provided for to the satisfaction of the parties
interested a motion was made to still
further reduce the duties on
sugar. 1t was carried bv the votes
of several gentlemen who mad previously
voted against any further reduction, and the
result was that $7,OOO,OOO or $8,OOO.OOO more
were taken from the low grades or
raw sugar, which the refners i'm
port and prepare for consumption.
As soon this was done An
effort was made TO reduce the duties on the
higher grades of sugar, so that sugar fit for
consumption might be also admitted and pro-
cured by the people at reasonable prices: but
this effort was defeated by the same votes
that had reduced the other grades. AS the
bill now stands the importation of sugar fit for
consumption is prohibited by the high rates
imposed upon it and every pound of sugar the
people use must pass through the hands Of the
fetneFs, POToHAC
The SOudan Expedition,
CAIRO, Jan. 2S.-A dispatch received
here from Colonel Stewart, Eshows the