The Mineral argus., 1884-04-03
moRR1soH TARIFF BILL.
Abstract of the Reports of the Majority,
and of the Minority of the COMMITTEES.

and of the Minority of the Committee.
Majority and minority reports Of the ways
and means committee on the Morrison tariff bill
were submitted to the house recently. The
! division in the committee was upon strict par
tv lines. Morrison was asked vixen he pro
posed to call up the bill for action. Hesald he
did not know. Other members expressed inc
opinion it would come up next week.
MAJORITY REPORT.
rne committee on ways and means, to whic'
was referred so much of the president S messag
and accompanying documents as relates to rev
| enue. respectfully reports that in said messag
and accompanying documents the president Ia
| deemed II his duty to give congress information
as follows: To make a start in the proposed re
duction of revenue from imports the tarth com
mission had been created. In good faith it I'M
dertook the work. In its report to congress II
said: Early in its deliberations the commits on
became convinced that a substantial reduction
in tariff duties was demanded, not by mere IN
discriminate popular clamor, but by the best
conservative opinion of the country. Such re-
duction in the existing tariff the commission re-
yards not only as a due recognition of
public sentiment and a measure of Justice TO
consumers, but one conducive to general
industrial prosperity, and winch, though II may
be temporarily inconvenient, will be ultimately
beneficial to special interests affected by such
reduction. Entertaining these views the COM
mission has sought to present a scheme OF tariff
duties In which substantial reduction should be
the distinguishing feature. The average reduc-
ton in rates. including that from the enlarge
menu OF but lICt Il anu dOOAlbAOhO vi bh
| charges and commissions at which the commits
sion has arrived, is not less on the average than
20 per cent, and it is the opinion of the commits
sion that the reduction will reach % per cent.
The chairman of the senate IN on
finance, in explanation Of the bill before the
senate last year, which, after various amend
ments, became a law, stimate at $45, 10000
/ the reduction of revenue which would follow the
changes in the tariff proposed thereby. These
calculations have not been verified, so the ques-
ton still presses, what legislation is necessary
to relieve the people of unnecessary taxes. Your
committee find that in the first six months end
ing Dec. 81, 1888, under the act of March 3,
1888. dutiable merchandise was imported into
the United States valued at $235, S95, 100, on
which duties were paid amounting to S96,5l4,-
1876 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 dut1able
Imports amounted to $500, 5 1928, and the
duty paid was $111 ,266, 507, or 1866 per cent
on the value. 1t thus appears that the
AVERAGE COST OF IMPORTING GOODS
valued at 500 was Ia per cent gp less H a the
duction in rates made by the act Of March 3,
1888, amounting to LA per cent of the duty.
This is subject to an important modification re-
sulting from changes in value and other condt-
tions, some of which increase and Others reduce
the comparative ad valorem rates. The NOM
inal reduction made by the proposed bill is 20
per cent, or one-fifth the present rates. With
the Morrill, tariff limitations in the bill and the
liquor and silk schedules omitted as they are,
the actual reduction on the basis of last years
Imports will not exceed 1874 per cent on the
whole importation Of dutiable goods. Together
the average reduction made in the tariff
commission bill, act of March 8, 1888, and that
10 be made by the proposed bill, do not equal
the reduction at which the commission aimed.
Wood, sawed timber, coal and salt are
necessary to all people, that in view Of
the present abundant treasury receipts,
It is not deemed advisable longer TO obtain rev
enue from a tax on these articles. INT
decrease of revenue as shown by receipts
under the new law, other than that resulting
from the nominal reduction OF LA per cent, re.
anita from n falling off tO the Valua of nearly
| $25,Cco,0O0 in imports in the first half OF the
previous year under the old law. The reduction
of revenue receipts under the bill reported Is es-
timated at $31, 0O0, 900 on the basis of last
years imports. To that extent the bill Will re-
lieve the people Of unnecessary taxes. To that
extent taxes will be reduced directly as a meas
ure of Justice to consumers and indirectly in
largely increased proportions. From a state
ment made by the bureau of statistics, a copy O.
which is appended to this report, 1t appears
that the duties or tariff taxes were decreased OF
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 II
the rates of wages in any, but a reduction ol
wages in most industries, as well in those whose
competing products have received more as IL
those that obtained less protection under the ac'
of March last.
-NuFACTURE
The condition of manufacturing industries 4
not satisfactory. In common with other indus
tries they only recovered late in 1873 from tn
reverses and partial paralysis OF five years dura
ton. In less than three years after TINS recoV
cry such new evidences of industrial adVers1t,
appeared that in one Of the largest, best payln
and best paid industries, iron and steel, u cul
minated in a four months stoppage, and tdlenes
fell upon workers dependent upon 1t, not upo
the capital invested in it. In the annual repoT
Of the American Iron and Steel association u 4
Swank, secretary of the association, ne says
A the beginningof June nearly all the mill
referred to, rolling mills in Pittsburg and tn
continued until last September, when work wa
resumed upon the scale of wages which ma
four months the prices Of rolled iro
Gid not advance, notwithstanding u
, stoppage Of so many mills-a fact IN.
clearly demonstrated that the capacity I
produce this form of iron again, as in panic year
exceeded the demand. At the same time; 1t mu
, be frankly admitted that our rolling mill capa'
l ity has for some time been in advance OF q
consumptive wants of the country, and that u
6 check to the over-production otrolled iron VINE
= was afforded by the strike OF 1os2 was IN ! !
: sense q calamity to manufacturers. II Is D
Z lieved that the condition of the iron and ste
' industries and the workers in them has not nut
changed since 1882. The condition Of other Il
n dustries Is not unlike, and differs only in degr
from iron and steel. The calamity OF freque'
q recurring industrial embarrassment and e
g forced idleness Is inseparable from the enorn
! ties of our protection system. The calam1t1es
u such a system always fall upon the labor1ng poo
Your committee, therefore, report the Dill TO !
duce the import duties and war tariff taxes, WI
a recommendation that it be passed as a measu
of partial relief to the people from unnecessa
q taxes. as a measure OF Justice to consumers, a.
conducive to til General industrial prosperity
MINORITY REPORT.
The minority report, signed by Messrs. X
ley, Mckinley, Hiscock, Kasson and RUSS
presented the following, among other obj
tons to the passage Of the bill:
First-It will disturb business. The discuss
OF 1t in committee has already done this. 1t '
unsettle values, retard incipient enterpris
K cripple those now established, impair conddel
among business men so essential to our devel
o ment and prosperity, and bring no c~ountervi
20 ing benefits.