The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-01
HEWITT and THE TARIFF.
THR KIND OF BILL THAT HE
WILL FAVOR.
II should Admit Raw Material Free
Of Duty, and should BE Accept
able TO the Democracy.

Ha3DfngtOn letter 70 tno TnllhOoi
phia Hm0: The aceounts which
have been circulated concerning tn,
differences supposed to exis
among the members OF thu
majority OF the Committee on Wsy
and Means on the tariff have beer
largely Sensational. Mr.. Mills, WHIT
has q bill OF his own TO propc SO, is no
disposed 10 q ahead quite as rapidly
IS Mr.. MORRISON, bat he does favor the
passage Of atariff bill at the present ses
sion which will f,rmulste the promises
az well as the principles OF the Demo
cratic party on that question. On THU
point there Il no disagreement, there.
fore the form OF q proposed bill will
have reference to party unity on The
tariff.
AbTam S. Hewitt, who is the only
member OF the majority on the com
mittee who has any adequate compre.
hsnsion Of this psrplexing problem in
public economy, in conversation said
1--WE have been hearing a great de Al
about q tariff bill. No measure Of the
kind has been prepared by the com.
mittee and none introduced by its Gu-
thority, therefore what has been done
has been perhaps in advance OF a log
ical consideration OF the question OF
equaliEiDg the duties on importp.
Has there been q change Of front2"
mot st all Speaking for myself, /
have never changed my views on the
question. have been greatly abuse d
on account Of bills which have been
prepared on The tariff, and for which |
have never been Tespobsibls. In q
measure 20 sweeping in Its operations
and influence and in the interests af-
fecsed 1t would be wise TO canvass the
situation ,fbeiore undertaking too
much. 1t 10 somewhat hazardous to
undertake to antagon 70 the organized
inteFesis Cf powerful industries. Take
the matter OF iron end steel. There
are ffty-five members Of the majority
in the House who represent cnnstitu-
encifs more or lass interested In iron
and steel industries. Now this in it.
self is formidable power. The same
thing, however, could not be said Of
any ether industry. In the maitsr Of
tex'iles, pottery, ssa,..ssswgre, these in
1ustries might be said to be Local, sud
therefore the general Interests OF the
country but slightly Affected. Fall
River, Mass, several points in Rhode
Island and the vicinity Of Philadtl-
phia take in the great mass Of textile
establishment 2. Trenton and one or
two other points would cover pottery,
and 30 on. Iron and steel, however,
are not local, snd therefore to ad just
that schedule involves elements which
cannot be disregaIded."
"rhen you think that q tariff bill
will be prepared which will pass2"
II most assuredly do. But IL will,
in my opinion, begin at the founda-
ton. For my part, have always in
sisted upon free raw mateIiale end
nothing more for the PRESENT. / DO.
lieye II we can get the raw materials
OF manufacture free 1t will 30 ghetpsn
the cost OF the materials Of production
that American labor will be able not
only b. hold II own, but advance in
the scale OF wages. / beliege in main
tanning The standard OF American Ia.
Dor, and we have now aipractical il
luEtration OF the fact that the present
system does not do that. The ten
denoy OF American wages has been
downward, and with 1.-The return OF
active markets, labor, in it's efforts TO
get back 10 it, old standard, has re-
sorted 10 strikes, fortunately not al
tended with violence. lam not say.
ing anything abdht manufacturers
They, Ia many branches, a.e handi-
capped by the high cost Of raw mate
rials.n
@What is yOufidea Of a bill which
would pass 2"
II have no authority to speak for
the committee. but, speaking for my.
sell, AN sati fed that the first step
should be bill for the admission Of
all raw materials free OF duty. BY
that l mean wool, lumber, coal, sal
hemp, manila, jnte, iron, sulphur,
copper and lead ores, stone, earths or
clay. ETC."
THAT portion OF a bill before the
committse was agreed TO in commit
tee"
SO II was reported in the press,
and l presume that Information was
obtained from authentic sources"
"1ou include iron ore In the list 2n
THAT was In q bill, as the public
were informed, and was agreed 10.
What the committee may do Ia the
future EN- not able TO say. I shall |
insist, % always have, that iron ore
should 20 on the free list with other
rs= materials. When you reach the |
point Of regulating the duties on
mAnuisctnr ticts You enter the |
more eomDlicA cd branches OF the
problem q an equitable o. jusiment
Of dutes, On pig-iron the present
duty y abso utely prohibi,ofy on the
common grades OF r1n, but when Won |
come 10 the high grades, like spiegal-
eiscn. thas1ect is not the same. The |
same might be said of Russian ehett.
iron, wo "a about shilling pound. |
In my opinion, IN former attempts 70 |
adjust the tariff too much has been
undertaken at one time. | believe |
this point has been realized and the |
course to be pursued as a me, sure of |
party policy, speaking az my own
opinion, 10 10 pas bill putting ali !
raw materials on the free list and 1T |
that 90 imo operation a. oncs. By
the time the next Congress |
assemblies We will know what
effect ii has had uprn
industries. II will then be practicable
TO deiermiI upon what manufactured |
articles aud 10 what decree duties can
be reouced without Injury to labor.
This Is what have always contended
for Begin q, the bottom and work
mp. The bill which hes been lalked
about 30 much has had the fault Il All /
its predecessors. think yon will fad
that the last experience will lead 70
wiser acuon AID united party
Have your conferences with the
conservative wing of the majority IN
tie II use been satisfactory p
81 ave had conferences with no
one, L o. has the committee, ss far %
have hetn informed. What may hay.
been done individually don know
: Mr.. Hewitt very emphatically re.
peaie bis atsmeni that bill would
BE- rmulatsd which would cover the
points Of ~ chm raised ly persons
rppresel tug industrial cOnstituenoee