New-York tribune., 1886-03-31
MORE KINDS OF TIRIFF EEFORM

Another bill has been agreed upon Ivy the
Democratic members of the Committee of
Wavs and Means. according to DISPATCHES of
free-trade journals. 1t contemplates very
different kind of taril from any hitherto pro-
posed by the committee, but it is unncc-
cssary to define Or discuss it. The members
of this committee seem to have in the egg, So 10
speak, an indefinite number of bills and
schemes, which may or may not hatch, accord
ing to the state of the weather. IL is CuIiOnS
that their measures are entirely unlike in every
thing else excepting that they are all hostile to
American industries.
1t is important to notice that the inference TO
WHICH this fact points is warranted by the gen
era attitude of the Democratic party in Con-
greSs. \ change of duties may bc sought for
several decent reasons. 1t may bc sought be
cansp it is believed that the people pay too
much money into the Treasury; or. second, be-
cause it is believed that the Incidental burdens
resulting from protective duties are too great +;
or. third, because it is believed that protcc i've
dutic, would be more effective if the dItic, ON
some articles were lowered or rcmol ed. There
would be no fatal Inconsistency in proposing
fifty bills to reduce in different WAYS the
amount of revenue received 10y the Treasury.
The reduction of the duty on sugar was meas
ure of that sort. bat there would have been no
fatal Inconsistency IN proposing. instead Of
that, n reduction Of other duties similar IN
character. so rs 10 lessen the revenue 70 the
same extent. But the measures which have
been agreed upon by the Democratic members
of the Committee of Ways and Means accord
ing t. reports in free journals, arc en-
tircly unlike in this respect, and it Is noticed
that the committee appear, OF late to have dis
covered, what the Secretary of che Treasury
clearly announced when the session opened,
that the Government has at present no surplus
revenue.
Again, there would hc no fatal Inconsistency
in proposing many different bills designed to
reduce, II a greater or less dcg,cc, protective
duties which are thought to enhance uuduly the
cost Of corresponding products to consumes.
But il is fatal to declare one day that a particu-
lar duty shall be cut down for that reason, and
to declare the next day that IT shall not II l.
fatal to affirm one day that the interests of CON
sumers do sufer by reason of a certain duty,
and the next day that they do not. Finally
there ght be some sense IN hoping To benefit
a particular branch Of manufacture 10y rcmov.
ing duties on particular kinds of raw ma crial
But there is not grain of sense in proposing
one day to put iron ore on the free list, and the
next day to leave the duty OF iron ore where II
stands and to put wool on the free list.
Changes of that sort only show that the commit
tee has 40 principle Of action by which it seeks
to be guided.
The truth is that this committee fairly repre-
scnts the Democratic party in the House. The
majority of lis members have no higher aim
than to break down home industries. which
they gnorantly suppose to have been built NJ
at the cost and to the Disadvantage of the
people. it is time that this sort of thing should
stop. 1t is hurtful to all Industries and il Will
prove hurtful to the party III power. Ii iustliics
all that opponents of the Democratic party have
said in regard to its dangerous tendencies and
the consequences OF Democratic victory.