The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-12
THE NEW TARIFF BILL.
REPORTS or THE COMMITTEE.
reasons OF the Majority why the Bill
shoa'd ass-COunter-Argumen by the
ny telegraph 70 The Dispatch.I

tbS telegraph 20 the Dispatch.l
| WASHINGTON, ID. c.. March 1.-THE ma
lority report from the WAYS and Means
Committee upon the tariff bin to-day Is as
follows:
The Committee on WAYS and Means, to
which was referred so much Of the Presi-
uehps message md accompanying docu-
ments as relates TO the revenue, respect
luiiy report that in said message and ac-
compauying documents the President has
ueemed IL his duty TO give TO Congress In
formation as follows To make a start in
The proposed reduction OF revenue from
imports tariff commission had been
created, and In good faith II uH-
dertook the work. In its report to
Congress 1t said that early in its delibera-
tons the commission became convinced
that substantial reduction OF tariff duties
is demanded not by mere indscriminate
popular clamor, but by the best conserva-
tive opinion Of the country. Such reduc-
tions OF the existing tariff the commission
regards not only as due as a recognition OF
public sentiment and measure OF justice
to consumers, but are conducive TO general
industrial prosperity, and which, though
1t may be temporarily inconyenient. will be
ultimately beneficial to the special interests
affected by such reduction. Entertaining
these views. the commission has sought
TO present scheme of tariff duties in
which q substantial reduction should be
the distinguishing feature. The average
reduction in rates, including that from the
enlargement OF the free list and abolition
OF duties on charges and commissions, at
which the commission mas arrived is not
less an average than 30 per cent, and 10 is
the opinion OF the commission that the re-
duction will reach % per cent. The chair
man OF the Senate Committee on Finance
! in explanation OF the bill before the Senate
last year, which after various amendments
became a law, estimated at $40, 900, 600 the
reduction OF revenue which would follow
the changes in the tariff proposed thereby.
These calculations have not been verified:
so the question still presses, what legisla-
| ton is necessary to relieve the people OF
unnecessary taxes?
From comparison OF figures for the last
six months OF 1888 with the same period
OF 1882 il thus appears that the average
cost Of importing goods valued at 800 was
only 14-100 per cent. less under the new
| than under the old law. This exhibit OF
reduction in rates made by the act OF
! March 8, 1888, amounting to | 74-100 per
cent. Of duty, is subject to an unimportant
modification, resulting from changes in
value and other conditions, some OF which
! increase and others reduce comparative dd
UdiOrem rates. The nominal reduction
made by the proposed bill is 20 per cent,
or one-ffth of the present rates. With
The Morrill, tariff limitations in the
| bill, and the liquor and silk sche-
| dulles omitted as they are, the actual
reduction. on the basis of last years i'm
ports, will not exceed 1914 per cent. on
the whole importation OF dutiable goods
| together. The average reduction made In
| the Tariff Commission bill act OF March
3, 1888. and that to be made by the pro-
posed bill, do not equal the reduction ut
which the commission aimed. Wood,
sawed lumber, coal, and salt are OF such
universal use among us and so necessary
! to all the people that in view of the pres
ent abundant treasury receipts it is not
deemed advisable longer to obtain revenue
| from tax on these articles. The decrease
! in revenue. as shown by the receipts under
| the new law, other than that resulting from
the nominal reduction OF LA per cent.
results from falling off to the value OF
nearly S25,0G0,000 of the imports in the
| first half OF the year under the new law
as compared with the first half Of the pre-
vious year under the old law. The reduc-
ton OF revenue receipts under the bill
reported is estimated at 100000 on
the basis OF last years imports. To
the extent of that S3l, 100000 the bill will
relieve the ;eOple OF unnecessary taxes.
To that extent taxes will be reduced di-
rectly rs a measure Of justice to consumers,
and indirectly in largely increased pro-
portions.
From statements made by the Bureau OF
Statistics, copy OF which is appended to
this report, it appears that the duty or tariff
taxes were decreased on some and increased
on other articles OF imported goods under
| the act OF March last, the new law. While
this is true, there has been no increase OF
the rates of wages in any, but reduction
of wages in most Industries. as well in
| those whose competing products received
more as in those that obtained less
protection under the act OF March last.
| The condition Of the manufacturing indus
| tries is not satisfactory. In common with
other industries, they only recovered late
in 1879 from reversed or partial paralysis
of five years duration. In less than three
wears after this recovery such new EVIL
dences OF industrial adversely appeared
that in one of the largest, beSt-paying. and
best-paid industres-iron and steel-a
calamity of four months stoppages aud
| idleness fell upon workers dependent upon
| il. not upon the capital invested in it.
In the annual report Of the American
Iron and Steel Association for the year
1882, made May l, 1888, by James NJ.
Swank, secretary OF the Association. he
saws at the beginning Of June nearly all
the mills referred tO-the rolling-milIs OF
Pittsburgh and the West-were closed by q
general strike, which continued until the
last OF September, when work was re-
sumed upon the scale OF wages which had
previously prevailed. During the strike
Of four months the price OF rolled iron
did not advance, Notwithstanding the stop
mage of so many mills-a fact which
clearly demonstrated that the capacity
10 produce this form Of iron had again, as
| in manic wears, exceeded the demand. At
the same time il must be frankly admitted
that our rolling.mll capacity has for some
time been in advance OF the consumptlve
wants OF the country, and that check TO
the over production OF rolled iron when
was afforded by the strike OF 1882 was in
no sense q calamity to manufacturers. III
is believed that the condition OF the iron
and steel industries, and of the workers in
them, has not much changed since 1852 ;
that the condition Of other industries Is
not unlike and differs only in degree
from iron and steel; that the calamity OF
frequent-recurring industrial embarrass-
ment and enforced idleness is inseparable
from the enormities Of our productive sys-
TEN, and that the calamities Of such sys'
TEN always fall upon the laboring poor,
Your committee therefore report the Dill
to reduce the import duties and war-tarln