Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-12
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. THE IMPORT DUTIES. A Report Calling For Further Reductions REASONS URGED IN ITS FAVOR A Strong Protest From the
 Minority. THE MEXICAN TREATY PASSED Im Executive Session of the
 Senate.
HE MEXICAN TREATY PASSED
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
 The Tar1h-T~O Reports Submitted to
 the House-A Majority Report Favor
 ing . Reduction of Import Duties.
 WASHINGTON, March 11-In the House to- day MT. Morrison, from the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted a report on his bill to reduce import duties and war tariff taxes. The report finds that in the first six months ending December 31, 1883, under the act of March 2, 1883.-the new law, dutia- ble merchandise was imported into the United States valued at $235, s98, ,1O9, on which duties were paid amounting to $96, 514, 136, being 40. .91 per cent. on the value thereof. In the corresponding six months Of the year 1882 under the old law the value of dutiable imports amounted to $26O, 1856, ,173 and the duty paid was $111, ,266, 5O7 or 45 65 per cent on the value. It thus appears that the aver age cost of importing goods valued at $1OO was..only 1.74 Less under the new law than under the old law. The nominal reduction made by the proposed bill, the report con- 3inues, sis 20 per cent. or one-fifth of the present rates. With the Merrill tariff limi- tations in the bill and the liquor and silk schedule omitted, as they are, the actual reduction on the basis of last years imports will not exceed 15 "A per cent. on tho whole importation:of dutiable goods. Together the average reduction made in the tariff commission bill and that to be made by the proposed bill do not equal the reduction at which the commission aimed" *
 'Ths reduction of revenue receipts under the bill reported is estimated at $31, ,OOO 900 on the basis of last years imports. To the extent of that $31, 1000, 900 the bill will relieve the people of unnecessary taxes. To that extent taxes will be reduced directly as measure of justice to consumers and indirect ly in largely increased proportion" A state ment from the bureau of statistics is appended to the report showing that under the new law duties have been decreased on some and increased on other articles of imported goods. 'While this is true" continues the report. ''there has been no increase of the rates of wages in any, but reduction of wages in most instances. Extracts are embodied in the report from the annual report or the Auarican Iron and Steel association for 1882 to show that the calamity of four months strike in the rolling mills of Pittsburg and the West fell upon the workers and not upon the capital invested. In conclusion the report says: 'Tt is believed that the condition of the iron and steel industries and of the workers in them has not much improved since 1882; that the condition of other in- dustries is not unlike and differs only in degree from iron and steel; that the calamity of frequent industrial endorsements and enforced idleness is inseparable from the enormities of our protective system and that the calamities of such 8 system always fall upon the laboring poor" The majority therefore report the bill with the recommend. partial relief to the people from unnecessary tax; as measure of justice to consumers and conducive to the general industrial pros- perity."
 MT. Mckinley of Ohio submitted the views of the minority objecting to the pas- sage of the bill on the ground that Congress made general revision of the tariff at it's last session warranted by the fact that there had been no general revision since 1860. The new tariff has been in operation since July, 1883; too short time to have given it 8 sufficient practical test. The bill proposed by the majority proposes a reduction of 20 per cent. and not a single interest in the United States has asked for it. On the contra
 ", every interest represented before the con- mittee, manufacturing, laboring and agricul- tural, has protested against it. The free trade clubs of New York and Brooklyn represented by a number of so called political economists have encouraged not the reduction, but the entire abolition of export duties which in any way discriminate for American pro- ducers. While all unite in opposing reduc. ton, some interests see the necessity of an increase of duties for the maintenance of in- dustry and the labor employed therein. The wool growers representing every State in the Union demand restriction of the wool duty of 1867. While the minority have sought to respond favorably to the demand of more than 8 million persons, the majority, not con- tent with 8 refusal, deliberately propose to general revision, the majority think there are Irregularities which ought to be corrected. Among these they say "wire rods, cotton ties and tin plates bear greatly disproportionate duties to kindred articles and should be made consistent and hMmoni
 ous" The bill the minority say is not proper at this time because, first, 1t will dis turb business; second, it will of necessity force down the price of labor in the United States; third, this proposed reduction will
 inevitably increase foreign importation and as a consequence increase our revenues, to which every interest of the
 country is opposed; fourth, it is every respect and to every American interest
 only hurtfuI; fifth, it has none of the ele
 ments of a carefully. matured tariff bill sixth. the features of the bill which applies adsvalorem rates to most of the.schedules af- fected by 1t are especially objectionable be cause it will greatly reduce the existing evl of undervaluation and consequent frauds mon the revenue as well as SO complicate the l rule of assessments of duties as to greatly | embsrrass the administration of the law. | The minority concludes as follows: In the | belief that the late tariff legislation would re- main without material change for period oi years business has adjusted itself to it and fine producers have entered into contracts and generally arranged their business in character and volume in conformity with 1t | All classes of our people have relied upon its reasonable permauence and freedom from l immediate radical changes SO that every con- silsration appeals to Congress to let the
 present law alone and permit the business l of the country to proceed without | Iaoislstive disturbance. What the country | wants most is relief from congressional aei 1 tation All of the industries of the country
 are extremely sensitive and just at this hour when the business of the country IS de. | pressed in every branch the threat or fear oi
 a change introduces an element of uncertainty
 and disturbance thu toughout the country the l evil effect of which no one can foresee. 4
 twenty per cent. reduction, or any reduction
 however slight, following 1pon the reductions | of last winter cannot be defended as to z
 single schedule of the tariff and aE
 to many it cap be shown to b'
 wholly disastrous. We believe that after [
 sufficient trial ot the effect of the last revis
 ion if it shall appear that the industrial in dustries of the country can be maintained with and that the condition of the treasury will justify further revision such actior would be wisely undertaken by friends of tht
 protective system and with less disturbance | to the public prosperity than if done now by | the avowed advocates of the destruction o the American system of protection. Th'
 minority report is signed by Representative Kelley, Kasson, Mckinley: Russell and His Cock, comprising all the Republican member
 of the Ways and Means committee.