Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-27
M0RRISON'S TARIFF BILL,
ACTION or THE BOARD OF
TRADE AND RICE GROWERS.

crimlnation Against Southern Pro
duets--The Rice Growers AssOoiatiOn's
Memorial to Congress - Resolutions
Adopted by the Board OF Trade.
The Board Of Trade at its meeting yester-
day took a positive stand in regard 10 the
Morrison tariff bill. The opposition to the
bill is on account OF its discrimination
against Southern products.
The following resolutions, on cred by
Capt. f. NJ. Hull and seconded by Mr.. Il.
A. Well, were adopted, and copies will be
forwarded to-day to the Georgia Represen-
tatives in Congress;
WHEREAS, The tariff bill now pending in
| Congress, known as the Morrison bil seems
TO be unjust TO our section, inasmucn "a more
than one-half Of the proposed reductions faIs
upon the products OF very small section OF
the country without any adequate reduction
on articles consumed by same section; there
fore be 10
Resolyed. That we are opposed to the Nor
/ risOn bill Tor he reason that the greatest re-
ductions are made upon three OF the
! four principal products OF this section, name
ly, lumber, rice and sugar.
ReSoiUea, That VIC are opposed to the Morri-
son Dill for the reasons that with the pres mt
| duty on rice we ind iJ hard 10 compete with
! the foreign article, a. shown by the fact that
the Imports OF foreign rice and rice hour Is
| already larger than the domestic products,
and further reduction would entirely de-
stroy our profits on home products, aud thus
| render valueless large area OF land upon
winch large sums OF money have been eX-
pended TO make IL available for rice culture.
/ and rendering it unfit for other use. and
| throwing out OF employment large number
| OF our cOlored population. both men and
women, who, by their training, are untitled
! for other occupation.
| ResoIg Il, That we urge upon our Senators
and Representatives that they oppose the pas
sage OF the bill as it now stands, and that the
secretary be instructed TO send to each mem
| Der from this State copy Of these res0lu-
| tions.
In Offering the resolutions Capt. Hull
stated that while doubtless a majority of
the people In this locality are in favor of
reforming the tariff, they are not willing
to have the principal reductions made
upon the products of the South. The Nor
rison bill proposes a reduction of over 20
per cent. on sugar, rice and lumber, the
products from which a large part Of the
Southern people earn their living. Only
about per cent. is to be taken of from
! the duties on articles in which the North
and West are interested. For this reason
Capt. Hull is opposed to the bill. tits bet
ter, he said, to submit to the present tariff,
with all its burdens aud Inconsistencies,
than to have our most important indus
tries ruined.
Capt. j. X. Clarke said that while he is
In all his sympathies free trader, he is
not in accord with the Morrison bill,
which proposes to make the tariff only
more Objectionable by unjust discrimina-
tons against the agricultural and busi-
ness interests Of the South. While it
proposes to reduce the duty on rice and
sugar, the products OF the South, nothing
is SAID about the 10 per cent. per bushel
duty on oats, and the As per cent. per bar
rel duty on potatoes, which protect the
Northern and Western farmer. The bill,
he added, would open Southern products
TO competition with the cheap labor prod
ucts Ofthe world, and would give our peo-
pie nothing In return.
The rice growers of the State are strong
ly opposed TO the bill. At a recent
meeting OF the Georgia Rice Association
committee was appointed to prepare a
memorial to Congress ana the following
petition signed by j. II. NJ. Clnch, Presi-
dent of the Georgia Rice Association;
Paul 7. Haskell, Secretary; Henry Tay-
Tor, President Planters Rice Mill Co.,
savannah; George j. Mills, Secretary;
Robert Understands Son h Co., owners
and agents Upper Steam Rice Mills, Sa-
vannah; Thomas +. ScreYen, President
SavannahSteam Rice Mill Co. and Il. M.
Cunningham, Secretary, has been pre-
pared.
To the Honorable the Senate and HOHss Of Rep
reseAtdtiOes iR Congress Assembled:
The petition of the undersigned represent
ing the rice growers of the State Of Georgia,
and others largely interested, directly and in
directly. IN the rice industry OF said State,
respectfully shews
That there is understood to be pending
proposition to reduce the duty on foreign rice,
to-Wit; On cleaned rice TO one and three
fourths 40 of a cent per pound. and on I'M
cleaned and paddy rice each 20 one N cent per
! pound, equivalent to a reduction on these ar
ticles OF 20, 80, and IS per centum respectively,
| or an average of 25per cent, and we pray that
aafn rn0ngtfnma ha mi into az.
! because,
!. They are equivalent to removi nc all useful
| protection TO, and destroying all profit IN the
production Of domestic rice. aud as virtually
throwing open American markets to a foreign
| product lower In quality and without guar
antee of lower prices.
| 2. Because the existing duty on foreign rice
has afforded so little protection to domestic
rice growers. that their profits, especially IN
| view of the extraordinary hazards 10 which
| they are exposed, have been small, while,
| since said duty has been established. the i'm
port Of foreign rice has steadily increased, un-
| I'll, including rice hour ana rice meal, It ex-
ceeds the domestic product, and the prices of
the latter have steadily declined.
,. Because, In view Of these facts, the ex-
listing dutyis not discouraging TO the importa-
ton of foreign rice, and Is. in fact, so ad-
Justed as TO bring II into active competition
with the domestic product. and further re-
ductiOn OF said duty can only result IN great
detrimsnt TO, If not in the absolute destruc-
! ton Of American rice industry; and that we
| I've one of the oldest industries OF the coun-
try. reducing to deep distress great numbers
of lAbOrers and their families, already poor
and In need, forcing capital to withdraw or to
abandon long-hxed Investments and driving
proprietors. in most instances STIR pped OF all
resources, from lands we'll known to he I'M
a0apted TO and valueless for any other profit
able culture.
Because such results are not consistent
with just and benehcent administration OF gov
eminent, and are more 10 be deplored, because
the reduction OF revenue proposed. while this
reduction IL not assured by said reductions Of
duty, ~ estimated TO come, at least One-half
from two industries OF bat one section of the
country-industries hitherto ENCOURAGED By
law, and in which our citizens have large in-
vestments.
5. Because, as incident At least 10 a system
of duties on foreign i'm 0rts, IL Is sound poll
cy. II, indeed, IL il not the duty OF the govern
ment, to protect the interests OF American
/ capital and labor, and we protest against
such changes in the revenue laws, ~ will, in
any greater degree than at present expose
American labor TO indirect and ruinous con-
] fiCt with the same cheap and degraded for
eign labor, wdch Is by law virtually prohibi-
! ted on American soil.
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