National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-12
THE MORRISON TARIFF BILL.
Report Of the Majority and Minority Of the
Ways and Means Committee.
What is Claimed by the Advocates Of
Twenty Per Cent Reduction.
Comments Upon the Iron and Steel Industry
Evils Of 0verprOduCOn.
CoRont Reasons why the Tariff Should
Not he Disturbed.

tariff bill were submitted to tho house yes
terday. The division in tho committee was
upon strict party lines. Mr.. Morrison was
asked when he proposed to oall the bill up
for action. He said he did not know. Other
members of the committee expressed tho
opinion it would come up next week.
The majority begin their report by quoting
what the President said in his message touch
ing a reduction of tho revenue. Tho
committee finds that in tho first six
months ending Dec 81, 1888 under act of
March 3, 1883 (the now law, dutiable NOR
chandise was imported into the United States
valued at 1895, sos, 100 ON which duties were
paid amounting to S06,5l1, 1876, being 40 01-100
per cent. as the value thereof. In the cor
responding six months of tho year 1882,
under the old law, the value of dutiablo
imports amounted TO $500, S56,273, and the
duty paid was $l11, 266,507. or ~ 65-100 per
cent. on the value. 1t thus appears that the
average cost OF importing goods valued at
800 was only LA per cent. less under tho
new than under the old law. This exhibit of
reduction in rates made by act of March 3,
1883, amounting to LA per cent. of the duty
is subject to an unimportant modification,
resulting from changes in value and other
conditions, some of which increase and others
reduce comparative ad valorcm rates.
The nominal reduction made by the pro-
posed bill is 20 per cent, or one-iifth of the
present rates With tho Morrill, tariff limita-
tions in the bill and tho liquor aud 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 dutiahle goods. Wood, sawed
lumber, coal, and salt are of such universal
use among and so necessary to all, tho people
that in view of the present abundant treasury
receipts it is not deemed advisable longer to
obtain revenue from q tax on these articles.
Tho rnHnptiOn Of rncaintg nm dart ba
bill reported is estimated ut 331 100000 on the
basis of last years imports To the extent of
that S3l 100000 the bill will relieve the
people of unnecessary taxes" Tothat extent
taxes will be reduced directly, "as measure
OF justice to consumers" and indirectly in
largely-increased proportions.
The condition of manufacturing industries
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 years
after this recovery such new evidences of
industrial adversely appeared that in one of
the largest, best-paying, aud best-paid indus
tries, iron and steel, the calamity of four
months stoppages and idleness fell upon the
workers dependent upon it, not upon the
capital invested in it.
The committee quotes from the report of
the secretary of the American Iron and Steel
association for 1882 to show the bad effects
of overproduction. The mills were closed
four months on account of n strike, but the
price of iron did not advance. The commit
tee continues: 1t is believed that the con-
dition of the iron and steel industries and of
the workers in them has not much changed
since 1852; that the condition of other indus
tries is not unlike, and differs only in degree
from iron and steel; that the calamity of
frequent recurring industrial embarrassment
and n forced idleness, is inseparable from
the enormties of our protective system, and
hat f1a pn1n tsa.g &c Il
tall upon the laboring poor. Your commit
tee therefore report the bill to reduce import
duties and war tariff taxes, with the recon-
mendation that it be passed as a measure of
partial relief to the people from unnecessary
taxes, "as measure of justice to consumers"
and conducive to the general industrial
prosperity"
The minority report was prepared by Mr.
Mckinley. 1t dissents from the views, and
argues that there is no necessity for q re-
vision of the tariff. The last congress made
. general revision, securing important re-
auctions. In few cases tho reductions
were below the point of necessity or wisdom,
and in other cases, as was beloved, touched
the lowest limit of safety. In response to
the general sentiment of the country the
forty-seventh congress, at its first session,
created a tariff commission, to investigate the
whole subject and report basis for a re.
vision With some important changes its
IL
1888. The law went into effect on the first
of July. 1888, and has therefore been in one
ration about eight months-too short time
to have given it u sufficient practical test
It's effect upon either the revenues or tho
business Of the country cannot yet be ascer-
tanned or determined. 1t should have fair
trial, and its results BIO fairly known, before
we enter upon the subject again.
The reduction proposed by the bill now
under consideration is 20 per cent, and it is a
noteworthy fact that not single interest in
the United States has asked for it-neither
the manufacturer the miner, the laborer, the
farmer, nor the consumer has requested or
demanded tho proposed reduction. On the
contrary, every interest, manufacturing,
laboring, and agricultural, represented before
the committee Of ways and means, have pro-
tested most earnestly against tho change
recommended by majority of the committee.
While all unite in opposition to any reduction,
some interests assert the necessity of an in
crease of duties for the actual maintenance of
the industry and the labor employed therein.
The wool growers off the country, representing
every state in the union, demand the restora-
ton of the wool duty of 1867. The under.
signed have sought to respond favorably to
this demand OF more than q million of our
fellow citizens, representing the agriculture
of the country, but have been overruled The
opponents of our views not content with a
refusal to aCcede to the requests of this large
CldsS OF pTOuNCerS LOT an increase oil duties,
deliberately propose to reduce the duties still
lower.
While we do not believe it proper mt this
time, for reasons before given, to enter upon
a fresh revision of the tariff, there are some
inequalities found in tho present law which
1t would be only just to correct Among
these wire rods, cotton ties, and tin plates
bear greatly dispropOrtionate duties to kindred
articles, and should DO mado consistent and
harmonious.
In addition to the foregoing, we arc op-
posed to the bill because:
l. 1t will disturb business, THE discus
sion of it in committee has already done
this) II will unsettle values, retard ncipi-
Ont enterprises, cripple those now established,
impair confidence among business men, so
essential to our development and prosperity,
and bring no countervailing benefits.
.. II will of necessity force down the price
of labor in the United States, it will stimu-
late imports, increase competition from
abroad, which can only BIO successfully met
by reducing the cost of the home product
The maintenance of fair and adequate scale
of wages for American workingmen is indis-
pensable to their comfort their well being
and the education of their families is essen
tial to the good order of our society, the
stability of our institutions and the welfare
and progress of our country.
8. This proposed reduction will inevitably
increase foreign impOrtations, and as con-
sequence will, as all experience teaches, in
crease our revenues, TO which increase every
interest of the country Is opposed.