The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-03-21
moRRrso TARIFF BILL.
Abstract of tia reports OF the Majority
ana OF the Minority Of the COMMITTEES.

were submitted to the house recently, Ille
division in the committee was upon strict par
ty lines. Morrison was asked vixen he pro-
posed TO call up tho hill for action. lie sand ne
lid not know Other members expressed the
opinion it would come up next week
MAJORITY REPORT.
Tne on ways ana means, TO whicl
was referred so much OF che presidents messag
and accompanying documents as relates TO rev
| gnue, respectfully reports that in said messag
and accompanying documents TIT president Ia
deemed it his DUTY to give congress information
as follows: To make y start in the proposed re
ductiOn Of revenue from imports the tariff COM
/ mission had been created. in good faith it I'M
dcytook the work. In its report TO congress IL
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
conssr vAtive opinion OF the country. Such re
iuction III the existing tariff the commission re-
yards not only as q due recognition Of
oublic sentiment and a measure of Justice to
consumers, but one conducive to general
| industrial prosperity, and which, though IL may
be temporarily announcement, will be ultimately
beneficial to special interests Affected by such
J reduction. Entertaining these views the COM
mission has sought to present a scheme of tariff
duties in which substauti~i reduction should be
tine distinguishing feature. The average reduc-
ton in rates, including that from the enlarge
ment of tho free list and abolition OF duties on
| 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
I sion that the reduction will reach % per cent.
The chairman OF the senate committee on
| finance, in explanation of the bill before the
senate last wear, which, after various amend
ments. became a law, estimated at $45, 100000
the reduction OF revenue which wonld follow the
| changes in the taTtn proposed thereby These
calculations have not been verified, so the ques-
| ton still presses, what legislation is necessary
to relieve the people or 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 1926, $685. 100, on
which duties were paid amounting to $96,514,-
1876, being 4o.9l per cent on the value thereof.
In the corresponding six months of the year
1882, under the old Law, tho value Of dutiable
imports amounted to $780, 56, 2T3, and the
duty paid was $ll1, 266, 507, or 1895 per cent
on the value, 1t thus appears that the
AVERAGE COST OF IMPORTING GOODS
valued at 500 was LA per cent less undeT the
new than under the old law. This exhibits d re-
duction in rates made by the act Of March 9,
1888, amounting TO ! IA per cent Of the duty.
This is subject TO an important modification re-
sulting from changes in value and other Condi-
tiOns, some of which increase and others reduce
the comparative ad valorem rates. The nom
inal reduction made by the proposed bin is 20
per cent, or one-ffth 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 10. IA per cent on the
whole importation Of dutiable goods. Together
the average reduction made in the tariff
commission bill, act of March 3, 1888, and that
4 w ~ a. ~ II pLOKONEN JILL w III Gudhl
the reduction at which the commission aimed.
Wood, sawed timber, coal and salt are
Of such universal use among, and so
necessary to all people, that in view OF
the present abundant treasury receipts,
Il Is not deemed advisable longer to obtain rev.
epEo from a tax on these articles. The
decrease OF revenue as shown by receipts
from the nominal reduction Of LA per cent, re
suits from q falling OF to the value of nearly
$25,000,0 600 in imports In the first half of the
1 IDrovinra un1or the old tavu Thu rcdnntiOn
OF revenue receipts under the biz reported is es-
timated ut $31, 000, 600 ON the basis of last
years imports. To that extent the bill will re-
lieye the people OF unnecessary taxes. 10 that
extent taxes viii be reduced directly as a meas
ure of justice to consumers and indirectly In
largely increased proportions. Frcm q state
ment made by the bureau OF statistics, a copy OF
which is appended TO this report, it appears
that the duties or tariff taxes were decreased ON
some and increased on other articles of imported
goods under the act of March ast-the new law!
While this is true, there has been no increase in
the rates of wages in any, but a reduction OF
wages in most industries, as well in those whose
competing products have received more as in
those that obtained less protection under the act
Of March last.
MANUFACTURES.
The condition OF manufacturing industries Is
| not satisfactory. In common with other indus
tries they only recovered late In 1879 from the
reVerses and partial paralysis of five years dura-
ton In less than three years after this recov-
cry such new evidences OF industrial adversely
appeared that In one OF the largest, best paying
and best paid industries, iron and steel, 1t cul-
minated In a four months stoppage, and idleness
fell upon workers dependent upon 1t, not upon
the capital invested in 10. In the annual report
OF the American Iron and Steel association Tor
tns year 1852, made May !, 1881 by James nj.
6WaHk, secretary or the association, ne says:
AT the beginning Of June nearly all the mills
referred TO, rolling mills In Ptttsburg and the
West, were closed by q general strike which
continued until last September, when work was
resumed np0n the scale of wages which had
previously prevailed. During the strike OF
four months the prices OF rolled iron
stoppage OF so many mills-a fact that
clearly demonstrated that he capacity TO
produce this form of iron again, asin panic years,
exceeded the demand. At the same time. At must
be- frankly admitted that our rolling mill capac-
ity has for some time been in advance OF the
c~onsumptire wants of the country, and that the
check to the oye<-production ofrolled iron which
was afforded by the strike OF 1882 was in no
sense a calamity to manufacturers 1t Is be-
Heved that tho condition Of the iron and steel
industries and the workers IN them has not much
changed since 1882. The condition Of other in
d~ustries 4 not unlike, and differs only in degree
from iron and steel. The calamity OF frequent
recurring industrial embarrassment and en-
tics Of our protection SYSTEM The calanljsies o.
such q system always fall upon the iaboring poor
Your committees. therefore, report the bin to re-
duce the import duties and war tarid taxes, witt
o Recommendation that IL be passed asa measure
OF partial relief to the people from unnecessary
taxes, as q measure OF justice to consumers, ane
DUAH&SANc 70 vnc kchch&d Anuupthtai pkoSBchtpys
MINORITY REPORT.
The minority report, signed by kessrs. KEEL
leys Mckinley, Hiseock. Kasson and RUSSELL
presented the folloving, among other objec
tions tothe passage Of the bill:
First-It viii disturb business. The die tussio
Of Ii in 0mmitt has already done this. Ii wi
unsettle values, retard incipient enterprises
cripple those now established, impair conadenc
among business men 70 essential TO our develcY
ment and prosperity, and bring no couutervail
ing benefits.
second--Jt viii of necessity force down til
price OF labor III the United States. It wi
stimulate imports, increase competition froi
abroad, which can only be successfully met b
reducing the cost Of home products. We caunc
too strongly emphasize our opposition to an
legislation which ever tends to reduce oar lab<
70 the foreign standard. either IN price or coz3d
tion. The maintonance Of q fair and adequal