The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1884-03-20
MORRISON TARIFF BILL.
Abstract Of the reports Of the majority
and of the Minority of the Com mi ttaa

Majority and minority reports of the WAYS
and means committee on the Morrison tariff bill
were submitted to the house recently The
DIVISION III the committee was upon strict par
ty lines. Morrison was asked vixen he pro-
posed to call up the bill for action. He said he
did not know. Other members expressed the
opinion it would come up next week
MAJORITY REPORT.
I.ne committee on ways ana means. tn xvbic,
was aeleIrea so much OF the president messae
enne, respectfully reports that in said 1nessac
and accompanying documents the president h. &
deemed II his duty to give congress informatins
as IoiloWs: 10 make start in the pronoseI RI
ducLlOn OF revenue from imports the tariff con,
mission had been created. In good faith If mn
ued1ooh tne WORN IN It's report to congress i,
SAID: Early IN Its deliberations the commission
became convinced that a substantial reduction
IN taIln duties was demanded, not by mere IN
discriminate popular clamor, but by the best
Conservative opinion of the country Sucb re
ductlon in the existing tariff the commission re-
CARDS not only as due recognition Of
pubic sentiment and measure Of justice to
consumers, but one conducive to eanerai
industrial prosperity, and which, though II NAV
De temporarily inconvenient will be ultimatey
beneficial to special interests affected bv such
reduction. Entertaining these views the oom
mission has sought to present scheme of tsriff
duties in which substantial reduction shonId he
the distinguishing feature. The average reduc
ton in rates. including that from the enin-o
ment OF the free list and abolition Of 0dntias 81,
charges and commissions at which the commits
sion has arrived, is not less on the ayeraee than
~ per cent, and It is the opinion of the commits
sion that the reduction win reach 25 ner cent .
The chairman of the senate Committees IN
hnance, IN explanation Of the bill before the
senate last year, which, after various amend
menus, became law, estimated at S45 600 600
tne reouctlon OF revenue which would follow the
changes in the tariff proposed therehv Tbasa
taicula51ons nave not been verified SO the cues
zion still presses, what legislation is NECESSARY
TO relleve the people Of unn ecessary taxes Vo,,r
committee find that in the first six months end
Ing as, Dec. 81, 1883, under the act Of March 3,
1852 dut1aDle merchandise was imported inf !,
the United States valued at 1895, sos. 100. on
which duties were paid amounting to SOC 81 A.
IL IS6 being 4o.sl per cent on the value thereof.
eS92, under the old law, the value of dutiahIe
imports amounted to $3.50, $50, 273. and the
duty paid was $ll1, 266, SOY, or 4265 Der cent
on the value. 1t thus appears that the
AVERAGE COST OF IMPORTING GOODS
valued at 500 was LIZA per cent less under the
new than under the old law. This exhibits q re-
a 9s III rates made by the act of March 8,
1885. amounting to l: "a per cent of the duty
Ihls Is subject to an important modification re-
6ultlng from changes in value and other condi-
GIiNons, some OF which increase and others reduce
Che comparative ad valorem rates. The nom
lnal reduction made by the proposed bill is 30
per cent, or one-ffth the present rates. With
The Morrill, tariff limitations in the bill and the
the actual reduction on the basis of last wears
imports will not exceed IS IA per cent on The
t Wnole importation of dutiable goods. Together
com omission bill, act of March 3, 1883, and that
TO be made by the proposed bill do not enuai
he M reduction at which the commission aimed.
Of such uniyerssl use among, and so
necessary to all people, that in view of
The present abundant treasury receipts,
st is not deemed advisable longer to obtain rev
enue from a tax on these articles. The
decrease of revenue as shown by receipts
under the new law, other than that resulting
from Ine nominal reduction OF Liza per cent, re-
suits from q falling off to the value of nearly
$25,000,OOO in imports in the first half of the
previous year under the old law The reduction
OF revenue RECEIPTS under the bill reported is
year imports. To that extent the bill will re-
lleVe the people of unnecessary taxes. TO that
extent taxes will be reduced directly as meas
I nre OF justice to consumers and Indirectly in
largely increased proportions From a state
ment made by the bureau of statistics, copy OF
which is appended to this report, it appears
that the duties or tariff taxes were decreased on
some and Increased on other articles of imported
goods under the act Of March last-the new law
Whue this is true, there has been no increase in
the rates OF wages in any, but a reduction of
wages IN most industries, as well in those whose
competing products have received more as in
G6ose that obtained less protection under the act
OF March last. rsgs# -, -. - -...--r -
N MANUFACTURES.
Inc condition OF manufacturing industries is
not satisfactory. In common with other indus
Tries they only recovered late in 1879 from the
ton. In less than three years after this recov-
cry such new evidences of industrial adversely
appeared that in one of the largest, best paying
and best paid Industries, iron and steel, it Gull
minated in four months stoppage and idleness
Tell upon workers dependent upon it, not upon
the capital invested in 1t. In the annual report
the year 1882. made May !, 1888, by James M.
Swank, secretary of the association, he says:
AZ 1.-The the beginning Of June nearly all the mills
referred to, rolling mills in Pittsburg and the
strike which
continued until last September, when work was
resumed upon the scale of wages which had
four months the prices Of rolled iron
did not advance, Notwithstanding the
stoppage Of SO many mills-a fact that
clearly demonstrated that the capacity to
produce this form of iron again. as in panic years.
exceeded the demand. At the same time it must
be frankly admitted that our rolling mill capac-
ity has for some time been in advance Of the
consumptive wants of the country, and that the
check to the over production of rolled iron which
was afforded by the strike of 1882 was in no
sense a calamity to manufacturers" It is be-
Heyed that the condition of the iron and steel
industries and the workers in them has not much
changed since 1882. The condition of other in
dustries is not unlike, and differs only in degree
from iron and steel. The calamity of frequent
recurring Industrial embarrassment and en-
forced idleness is inseparable from the enor1ni-
Ties OF our protection system. The calanlities OF
such q system always fall upon the laboring poor
Your committee therefore, report the bill to re-
duce the import duties and war tariff taxes, with
recommendation that it be passed as measure
OF partial relieft to the people from unnecessary
taxes, as measure Of justice to consumers, and
conducive to the general industrial prosperity.
MINORITY REPORT.
The minority report signed by Messrs Kel-
ley, Mckinley, Hiscock, Kasson and Russell
presented the following, among other obiec-
tons to the passage of the bill:
First-It will disturb business. The discussion
OF It IN committee has already done this. 1t vii
unsettle values, retard incipient enterprises
cripple those now established, impair confidence
among business men SO essential to our devotion
ment and prosperity, and bring no countervail-
ing benefits.
Second-It will of necessity force down the
price of labor in the United States It will
STIMULATE imports, increase competition from,
abroad, which can only be successfully met by
reducing the cost of home products. We cannot
TOO strongly emphasize our opposition to any
legislation which ever tends to reduce our labor
TO the foreign standard either in price or conti-
tlon. The maintenance of a fair and ADEQUATE
scale OF wages for American workingmen is in
despensable to their comfort, their we'll being
and the education of their families, is essential
TO good order in our society," the stability of our
institutions, and welfare and progress Of our
country. = -
Third This proposed reduction will Inevitably
increase foreign importations and as a conse-
quence will, as all experience teaches increase
our revenues, to which increase every interest al
the country is opposed
Fourth-Itis wholly unnecessary, unjustifable
and in every aspect and to every American inter
est only hurtful. The enormous increase of can.
1tal and wealth during the last fifteen wears
under the protective tariff, now forces capitaI to
seek employment in the development of all min
eraL agricultural and other resources to the adj
vantage and gain of all our people, and change
or m0d1ncatIon of the system will create s,1ch
doubt OF successful enterprises as to check Their
useIuI tendency, and thwart the national deyel-