Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-03-31
HURD ON REVENUE REFORM.
ga Now Day Breaking In the
West.S.
From the New York world.l


Mr.. Frank H. Hurd, of Ohio, who
enjoys the distinction of having been
elected member of the Forty-eighth
congress solely because he is an uncom-
promising enemy of protection-Was
met in town yesterday by reporter Of
The Word.
"The tariff fight isn't ended, MIR,
Hurd %
sEuded ? It's hardly begun. The
unintelligible bill that came from the
conference committee in itselfis worth
less, of course; worse than worthless,
in fact, for it promises to unsettie busi-
ness to some extent and to do no good
in the way of reviewing the people. But
it has at least two good and significant
meanings. First, it is concession
made by the protectionists themselves
that the tariff needs revision, and, sec
ondly, it marks the beginning of such
popular agitation of the subject as
must bring about, and hope very
speedily, complete overthrow of the
protective system. 1t is good augury
when the protectionists quarrel among
themselves. Indeed, l am surprised
that they have not auarrelled before.
The protected manufacturers in this
country are the stupidest people alive.
How, in the name Of common sense,
are the manufacturers ofNew England
to prosper much longer if they cannot
get free raw materials And even
free raw materia will not save them.
Every year their domestic market be-
comes smaller, for rival manufactures
are springing up in the western and the
southern states that continue to cut off
their market west of the Asleghanies.
What they need and what they are
bound to have is the foreign market.
Last night l happened to meet an
English manufacturer who declared
when the conversation turned on free
trade that it would be sad day for
England when the United States be-
came free-trade country. 'Why ?
Because said he, I'VE English now
have practical mOnopo Y OF The mar
kets OF On-manufacturing countries,
and it cannot long be SO after the
United States becomes our rival Un.
| der the wide heavens there are no mell
stupider than our manufacturers. The
more l think of it the more am
amazed"
81 do not believe that the people in
the east understand the extent and
earnestness of the anti-protective fee
ing in the west. When l dec ared al
the very beginning of my campaign
last year that l should make my figh1
exclusively as o champion of a tariff
for revenue and let every other ques
ton take care of itself some OF my
friends reminded me of the numerous
manufacturing estab ishments in the
district and predicted my defeat.
told them it was not worth q mans
while to go to congress as q fat-and
lean fish-and-fowl individual, repre-
senting nothing i'll particular. 1 didn'
care to go except as tariff for revenue
man, and no other subject than the
tariff was discussed. But, as a mere
matter of policy, l was persuaded thai
the people, if they once thought of thi.
question, would elect me. 1t is o mis-
taken notion that the people are sc
stupid that they cannot understand the
tariff. They understand it better thar
the Forty-seventh congress understood
it at any rate. / am sure that If thu
tariff reformcrs would throw away
their hopelessness and lazinesss anG
make an aggressive organization we
1 could accomplish in two years what the
English accomp ished in six of hare
work. The outlook was never before
SO cheerful, and, for my part, l grow
more enthusiastic every day. Why
in Michigan they have organized al
anti-protection army. The peop e are
so deeply interested in the subject thai
they demand discussion, and the coun
try school-houses have been turned
into lecture-rooms. Inquiries from the
most unexpected sources are hearC
every day. The protectionists art
stupid i'll another way, too. If they
continue their impudent defense O
theft, the western people will be pro
voked into knocking their legs from
under them SO suddenly that they ma!
have real reason to cry ruin, if, a
they stupidity think, ruin wou d fol ow
the abo ition of protective duties.''
"You think, then, that the next con
gress wi make reductions Z"
"What congress will do have ne
means Of knowing; but the people have
demanded reductions, and how car
congress honorab Y refuse to do wha
it was elected to do l can answer fol
myself. l propose to introduce bill
on the very first day of the session tc
reduce the duties to a revenue basis
A revenue tariff is tariff that wi . ad
NIT of the greatest possible amount o.
importations and at the same time raise
a sufficient revenue. The imposition
of any duty, OF course, tends to dimin
ish the amount of importations, but {
revenue tariff diminishes the amount a!
little as possible in order to collect the
necessary amount of revenue. Whel
the amount of revenue becomes toe
large, the method of reducing it, under
a revenue tariff, is to enlarge the fret
list. The bases of the bill that l shal
introduce are these propositions:
81. A duty for revenue only ough
to be levied on articles that are no
produced in this country, such as tea
coffee and spices.
''lI. All raw materials ought to b,
admitted free of duty, such as coppe
and iron ore, wool and lumber.
sufficiently explicit definition of raw
material is, 'All substances to be uset
in manufacture upon which skilled
labor has not been expended
4 3. No article should be dutiable tn,
like of which is produced or manufac
tured here and sent from our countr,
and sold in foreign markets. This In
cludes all our agricultural product
and butter, hides, stock and animals o
all kinds, as well as watches, jewelry
cutlery and the like, which we alread
export.
81. All drugs and most chemical
should be on the free list.
"5. In levying duties regard shoul,
be had to the difference between luxu
ries and necessities. The latter shoul,
come in under the lowest possible dut
and the former under the highest nee
essary.
sc. A duty should be levied OF
wines, liquors and tobacco, in no cas-
less than the internal revenue tax OF
similar articles of home production.
81. The rate of duty OH all article
which pay more than 20 per cent
should be decreased cents annual
;. until the rate becomes 20 per cent
that is, articles which now pay 50 pc
: cent. should pay only As per cent. mex
year and only 30 the next. and so on.
IS. The rate Of duty on all article
which pay as much rs 20 per cent an
more than 5 per cent. should be de
!. creased 5 cents annually until the rat
becomes per cent. Then We shoul
have only two classes of duties-a 2
> per cent. class and per cent. class
''9. All specific and compound dutie
!. should be abolished. All duties shoul
be ad valOrem."
Mr. Hurd told r,onx ;ntaroet;rr n N