The Red Cloud chief., 1884-03-21
THE TARIFF.

fhs Morrison Bill. As Revised BY tAs
Ways and Means Committed, Reported
to House-The Majority and Minor.
ity Reports Accompanying tho Doc
ment.
WASHINGTON, March 12-The majority
and minority reports of the Ways and Means
Committee on the Morrison Tariff bill were
submitted to the House yesterday. The di'
vision was upon strict party lines. MOrri.
son says he does not know when he will
call the bill up for action. The majority
report says:
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Finance i'll explanation OF the bill before the
Senate last year, which, after various amend
mentS, became q law, at $4o, 0U,0OO
the reduction in revenue which would follow
the changes in the tariff. These calculations
have not been verified. So the question still
presses, what legislation IS neces-
sary to relieve the people of unnecessary
taxes? Your committee ind that in the six
months ending December3, 1856, merchandise
SIS, SOS. l09, on which duties were pail amount-
ing to So. 5l4, 1876, being 1921 per cent. on the
value thereof. In the corresponding six
months of lSe2, under the old law. the value
and the duty paid was Sill ,3GS, 501. or Es.65 per
cent. on the value 1t thus appears that the
average cost of importing was only LII per
cent. less under the new than under the old
law. The nominal reduction made by the pro-
posed bill is twenty per cent, or one-fifth the
present rate. With the Morrill, tariff imita-
tons in the bill, and the liquor and silk sched-
ules omitted, the actual reduction will not ex-
coed l5.14 per cent. The average reduction
made in the Tariff Commission bill and that
TO be made by the proposed bill together, do
not reach the reduction at which the commits
sion aimed.
The decrease in revenue as shown by the
receipts under the new law other than that re-
suiting FROM the nominal reduction of La
per cent. results from the falling of of nearly
SIS. 0O0,0 NJ of the imports in the first half year
under the new law. rs compared with the first
half of the previous year under the old law.
The reduction of revenue under the bill re-
ported ia at $3l, U0O.0 00. on the basis
of last years imports To the extent of that
$3l 900. 900 the bill will relieve the people
of unnecessary taxes. To that extent
taxes will be reduced directly as q
measure of justice to consumers. and in
directly in largely increased proportions.
From the statement made by the Bureau OF
Statistics it appears that the duties or tariff
taxes were decreased on some and increased
on other articles under the new law, but,
while this is true, there has been nc increase
in wages in any, but "a reduction of wages in
most industries, as well as in those whose
competing products received more. as in
those that obtained less protection under the
act of March last
Referring to the condition of the iron and
steel trade, as one of the leading manufact-
ures. the report attributes the depression and
the enforced idleness Of the workingmen to
the enormities of the protective system, and
declares that, as such always fall
upon the laborers, the committee had de
cided to report a bill for the partial relief of
the people from unnecessary taxes.
The minority report, which was prepared by
Mr.. Mckinley. after reciting the action OF the
last Congress in revising the tariff in places
where reductions were needed. urges that the
time which has elapsed since the new
.-.@ xn2DA toto nHaaf hoa knn, zoo. cho
to give il a sufficient test, and asks that il be
given a fair trial before the subject is brought
up again. Another objection urged is that the
reduction proposed by the bill under consid-
terest in the whole country. Continuing. the
report says:
While all unite in opposition to any reduc-
ton some interests assert the necessity of an
increase of duties for the actual maintenance
of an industry. The ~wool-grOwers of the
country demand the restoration of the wool
to respond favorably to this demand of moro
than u million of our fellow citizens
representing the agriculture of the
country. but We have been overruled. The
opponents to our views, not con-
tent with the refusal to accede TO the requests
of this large class of producers, deliberately
propose to reduce duties still lover. Against
this We enter q most earnest protest. There
are some inequalities, however, found in the
presen. law which it would be only just to
correct. Among these, wire rods, cotton-ties
and tin plates bear greatly disproportIonate
duties to kindred articles. and should be made
consistent and harmonious
We are opposed to the bill, because, first:
II Will disturb business, unsettie values,
retard incipient enterprises. cripple those now
established. impair the confidence among
business men so essential TO our development
and prosperity, and bling no countervailIng
benefits.
.. 1t will of necessity force down the price
of labor in the United States, will stimulate
imports, increase competition from abroad,
which can only De successfully met by re-
ducing the cost of home product We can
not too strongly emphasize our opposition to
any legislation which even tends to reduce our
labor to the foreign standard. either in price
or condition.
3. That the proposed reduction will inevit-
ably increase foreign i~mpOrtauOnS. and as q
consequence will increase our revenues, to
which increase every interest OF the country
is opposed.
4. lii is wholly unnecessary and unjust:fable.
The enormous increase in the wealth of the
country during the last fifteen years, under y
protective tariff. now forces capital to seek
employment in the development OF all min
eral, agricultural and other and q
change or modification of the system will
create such doubt of successful enterprises
as to check this useful tendency
;. 1t has none OF the merits of q carefully
matured Tariff bill. and is net the result of u
studiOuS consideration of the interests of our
people. 1t proposes To reduce alike the duty
upon every article of foreign import. without
any examination as to its effect upon particu-
lar industries, and wholly ignoring its neces-
sary effect in advancing prices abroad by the
destruction of competition at home. while
nOminally il is uniform reduction, in fact II Is
grossly unequal under the limitations OF the
bill, and it will be found diihcult il not i'm
practicable of execution
8. That feature of the bill which applies ad
yalOrem duties to most of the schedules az
fected by il is especially Objectionable, be-
cause it will greatly increase the existing evil
of undervaluation, and consequent frauds
upon the revenue, as we'll as so compiicate
the rule of assessment duties as greatly TO
embarrass the administration of the law.
Against the statement OF the majority as TO
the statement OF the wOrkmen themselves,
who unite i'm declaring that protective duties
are essential to fair and remunerative wages,
and that every reduction inevitably results in
lowering the standard of American wages. We
dissent radically from the statement of the
majority that a reduction OF duties li2htens
by 80 much the burdens of taxation. The
whole history Of our National experience
shows a constantly decreasing price as the
effect OF increased home competition.
What the country wants most is relief
from Congressional agitation. All the indus
tries of the country are extremely sensitive,
and just at this time, when business Is more
or less depressed in every branch. threat or
certainty throughout the country the evil ef
fecte of which no one can foreSee. twenty
per cent. reduction, or any reduction now
ever slight. following 50 close upon the reduc.
rs to q single schedule, and as to many
II can be shown to be wholly disastrous.
We believe IL. after q SUFFICIENT trial OF the ef-
feet of the last revision, IL shall appear that
the industrial interests OF the country can ne
the treasury will justify q further revision,
such action will be more wisely undertaken
by the friends of the protective system. and