The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-03-20

Ahstraot Of the Reports Of the Minority /,
and Ct the Minority of the COMMITTEE.

Majority and minority reports of the ways
aud means committee on the Morrison tariff bill
were submitted to the house recently The
division in the committee was upon strict par
~ 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 1t would come up next week.
MAJORITY REPORT.
rne committee on ways aud means, to which
and accompanying documents "a relates to rev
cnue, Respectfully reports that in said messag
ana accompanying documents the president ha
rs follows: To make 6 start in the proposed re
ducsson of revenue from imports the tariff COM
mission had been created. In good faith it un-
said: Early in it's deliberations the commission
Siccame convinced that substantial reduction
in tariff duties was demanded, not by mere in
discriminate popular clamor but by the best
conservative opinion Of the country. Sucb re-
ducticn in the existing tariff the commission re-
CARDS not only as due recognition OF
public sentiment and q measure OF Justice Ia
consumers, but one conducive to General
industrial prosperity, and which, though il NAV
nc temporarily incoavenient, will be ultimately
beneficial to spectral interests afYected nv such
reduction. Entertaining these views the com
mission has sought TO present scheme of tariff
duties IA which substantial reduction should be
tne distinguishing feature. The average reduc-
fion IN rates. including that from the enlarge
Inent of the free list and abolition Of duties on
charges and commissions at which the commits
sicn has arrived, is not less ON the AVERAGE han
20 per cent, and 1t is the opinion of the Commits
sion that the reduction will reach o5 per cent
The chairman of the senate committee on
finance, IN explanation Of the bill before the
senate last year. which, after various amend
ments, became law, estimated at $4,000 600
the reduction OF revenue which would follow the
changes IN the tariff proposed thereby. These
calculat1ons have not been verified, so the oues-
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, 1883, under the act of March 8
1883. dutiablc merchandise was imported into
the United States valued at $685. sos, 90 on
when duties were paid amounting to 500. STA
ISo. being seSl Per cent on the value thereof
In the corresponding six months of the year
issZ. under the old law, the value of dutiable
imports amounted to $260,s56, 273, and the
duty paid was Sill, 266, 5o7, or 40. 65 per cent
on the value. 1t thus appears that the
AVERAGE COST OF IMPORTING GOODS
valued at 500 was l. a per cent less under the
d,ction III rates made by the act of March z
1883, amounting to l. IL per cent of the duty
This is subject TO an important modification re-
sulttng from changes in value and other condi-
ttons, some of which increase and others reduce
the comparative ad yalorsm rates The nom
tnal reduction made by the proposed bill is 90
per cent, or one-nfth 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
com mission bill. act of March 3, 1883 and that
he reduction at which the commission aimed,
Wood, sawed timber, coal and salt are
Of such universal use among, and so
q Zee to all people, that in view Of
II Is not deemed advisable longer to obtain rev
enue from tax on these articles TIL,
decrease OF revenue as shown by receipt,
under the new law. other than that resnltins
from the nominal reduction of l. Il per cent re.
SUITS from a falling of to the val.,e of nearly
9-o,ooo,ooo IN imports in the first half of the
IF year unaer inc ola a The reduction
timated at S31. 100000 IN the basis of lsst
year imports. To thar, extent the bill will re.
eSts,t peop i ot Unnecessary taxes. To that
- - VII ~ reduced directly as a meas
nre OF justice a consumers and Indirectly in
1at SeE lhcIe ~sed proportions. From a state
Ib;nh a; oy the bureau of statistics, copy Of
that =, appended to this report, it appears
Inae >ae duties or tariff taxes were decreased on
o -<e and increased on other articles of imported
Goods under the act OF March last-the new law.
w hiie this is true, there has been no increase In
the rates OF wages in any, but reduction OF
wages in most industries, as well in those whose
competing products have received more as in
tpose that obtained less protection under the act
Of March last.
MANUFACTURES.
Inc condition CT manufacturing industries is
not satisfactory. In common with other indus
tr1eS thcT only recovered late in 1879 from the
reverses and partial paralysis of five years dura
ton. IL less than three years after this recov-
cry such new evidences OF industrial adversely
appeared that IL one CT the largest, best paying
ana best paid Industries, iron and steel, it cul-
minated in four months stoppage, and idleness
zen upon Work2rS dependent upon it, not upon
Inc capital Invested in it. In the annual report
OF the American Iron and Steel association for
the yea1 iSS2, made May /, 1883, by James NJ.
S"aIE secretary OF the association, he says:
q the beginning Of June nearly all the mills
zeferred to, rolling mills in Pittsburg and the
West, were closed by a general strike which
continued until last September, when work was
resumed upon the scale of wages which had
tour months. the prices of rolled iron
lid not advance Notwithstanding the
efieeappase OF SO many mills !. fact fact that
produce this form of IRON again, in panic years,
exceeded the demand. At the same time it must
oe frankly admitted that our rolling mill capae-
fty has for some time been in advance of the
colsumptiye 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
ser Sc calamity to manufacturers" 1t is be-
ileVed that the condition Of the iren and steel
industries and the workers in them has not much
changed since 1882. The condition of other in
GUstf1es Is not unlike, and differs only IN degree
from iron and Steel The calamity Of frequent
recurring industrial embarrassment and en-
forced 1dleIess Is inseparabie from the enormi-
ties OF our protection system. The calanltties OF
snch q system always fall upon the laboring poor,
Your committee therefore, report the bill to re-
ducs the import duties and war tariff taxes, with
u
OF partial relief 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 objec-
tons TO the passage of the bill:
First-It will disturb business. The discussion
of 1t in committee has already done this. It will
values. retard IDcinipnt
cripple those now established, impair confidence
anseng business men so essential to our develop
pient and prosperity, and bring no countervail-
ing benefits.
Second-It will of necessity force down the
price Of labor in the United States. 1t 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 condt-
ton. The maintenance Of fair and adequate
scale of wages for American workingmen is in
daspensable to their comfort. their well 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
Taird-This proposed reduction will inevitably
increase foreign importations and as a conse-
quencc will. all experience teaches, increase
our revenues to which increase every interest OF
the country is opposed.
Fourth-It is wholly unnecessary, unjustiiable
and in every aspect and to every American inter-
est only hurtful. The enormous increase of cap
itai and wealth during the last fifteen years
under the protective tariff, now forces capital to
seek employment in the development of all min
eral. agricultural and other resources to the ad.
vantage and gain CT all our people, and change
or modification of the system will create such
uoubt OF successful enterprises as to check their
useful tendency, and thwart the national devel-
opment and progress which Is without precedent
in the civilized world.
Ffth-It has none of the merits OF carefully
matured tariff bill. 1t is not the result of a
studIous consideration of the interests of our
people, their investments and empIoyments or
OF the condition of the public treasury. 1t pro-
poses to reduce alike the duty upon every article
of foreign import Unfortunately and without
any examination Of its effect upon particular in
d'lstr1es, and wholly ignoring it's necessary effect
N advancing prices abroad b the destruction OF
competition at home. While nominally it liz
uniform reduction, in fact it is grossly UNEQUAL,
under the limitations of the bill, aud it will be
found difficult, if not imprs cticable of execu-
TON 1t is a leap in the dark.
Sixtn-That the feature of the bill which ap-
plies ad yaiorem duties to most schedules an
tected by 1t is especially Objectionable, because
III Will greatly increase the existing evil of under
valuation and consequent frauds upon the
revenue, as veil as to so complicate the rule OF
assessment Of duties as to greatly embarrass
the administration Of the law. Against the
statement Of the majority az to the effect of pro-
tective dues upon wages and on The iaboriny poor"