Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-05
aanrastrr 1ntelligenrcr.
TUESDAY FvENrNa, FEB. 8, 1884,
Mr.. Morrison's Bill.

Mr.. MOrriSOn's Bill.
Tho one thing clear about Mr.. Morri
son, a tariff bill is that IL Is not framed
as tariff for ''revenue only" and that II
tloes not change the protective policy
which rules our present tariff and those
which have preceded 1t. Its general
feature Is lowering Of the tariff twenty |
per cent, accompanied with some add. |
tions TO the free list. 1t Is clear that a |
horizontal lowering of all the duties
does not change the policy which gov
erned the imposition of those duties
and IL Is also clear that an addition to
the free trade list is not step towards
tariff "for revenue only" for that would
require the imposition of some duty on
all imported articles. To make tarif
for revenue only, 1t would be necessary
to put rate Of duty on each article I'M
ported such as draws from 1t tie largest
revenue. When certain things are per.
mitted TO enter free IL Is done in obedi.
ence to a belief that the prosperity Of
the country requires such free importa-
tion, and that this is more important
to it than the revenue to be obtained
from the articles; Just as duties are
levied to restrict the importation of
other articles, under the conviction that
such restriction is of more benefit to the
country than the revenue which would
come from lower rate of duty that
would cause greater importation OF
them.
Clearly Mr.. Morrison's tariff is pro.
tec.ive one, and the test OF it must be
made upon the question as to whether
the degree of protection 1t affords is
Just one to the people and the particular
interests concerned. This will appear
as its provisions are more fully under
stood. We have no doubt that a great
many of the duties can be lowered
twenty per cent. without injury to any
interest of great Importance and that
therefore they are wisely reduced. Proba.
bly, the iron industry. in which our state
is SO much concerned, can endure a
twenty per cent. reduction on foreign
iron manufactures. With the present
low prices of manufactured iron here,
the proposed reduction would be gener
ally sufficient to prevent the competition
of foreign irons, though there may be
some iron products that may be
injuriously affected. The pro
posed free importation of iron ore
will help some iron industries
such as that Of Bessemer steel, which
requires the high grades of ore that car
alone pay the cost Of carriage from for
eign countries. Those who use tn
cheaper ore will hardly feel it. Th
Bethlehem and Pennsylvania steel com
panies, which have purchased an iror
estate in Cuba, and are preparing to i'm
port the iron, will be very glad to get i
in duty free. Its very pure ore, yielding
sixty.fve per cent. metallic iron, anC
worth at the estimate of ten cents ;
unit, six and a half dollars ton. Th,
cost Of importing 1t is put at present al
about four dollars ton, including the
duty, seventy. five cents ton. 1t!
importation would be largely proftabl,
now, and with the duty removed will b.
more so. The policy which permits ore
used in manufacture to be imported with
out duty ia probably correct one, as
Is q benefit to the manufacturer, and I'll
owners of ore mines at home ought
have sufficient protection In their pro,
unity to their market (; and il their or,
are too poor in quality to be proftab
taken out with this advantage in the
favor, they had better be left in the cart
until the time comes when they will
worth mining. This argument Ca
hardly be successfully met. The ella!
Of labor employed in digging iron ore
not generally skilled labor, and the con
mon labor engaged in 1t can find oth'
work to do. Free ore Is consistent wit
the idea Of protective tariff, though a
we have said, it is not in harmony vii
the theory of a tariff for revenue.
Mr.. Morrison's bill will, of course, &
very rough handling in the course of
discussion, and Its merit and demerit W
be made conspicuous. Upon which 81,
the balance will be struck it is too ear
to decide. 1t may be that it will appe
that 1t would have been better to a
tempt tariff change as to few articl
rather than comparatively horizont
reduction all through the list 1t is
difficult question to treat and opinio
will not harmonize as to its true sol
tion.
SOUTHERN push and Southern ente
prise is rapidly making itself felt
generations move along. Once it W
customary to speak slightingly of eve
business project Of any magnitu
broached south of Mason and Dixor
line, bnt since the remarkable showi
at the Atlanta and Louisville expo
tions, Northern journals are piping to