The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-04-21
THE TARIFF BILL.
The Ways and Means COMMITTEES Have
Completed the Bill and will Report
L This Week.
A Minority Report VIII Accompany the BiIi
The Average Rate Assessed Last
Year Exceeded Forty.seven
per cent.-wool Tsx.
PROVISIONS OF THE Bill.

PROVISIONS OF THE Bill.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The Ways and
Means Committee have completed the tariff
bill and will report It to the House early
this week. The majority and minority re-
ports to accompany the bill were made
public last night. The committee is divided
politically for and against the bill to be
reported, the eight Democratic members en-
dorsing the majority and the five Repub-
lican members the minority. The majority
In their report say the tax OIL imported goods
Is rs low as five per cent on some and
average rate for the current fiscal year ex.
ceeds forty per cent. or SAT in tax on
300 worth of imported goods. This, they
say, is the highest rate paid in any year
since 1868 and above the average rate of the
war period from 1862 to 1868. The reduc-
ton in the revenues proposed by the bill,
the committee think, will amount to S24,-
600. 900 for the year.
This estimate Is based on the importa-
tions of last year to meet an estimated sur
plus Of $50, 100000. 1t is the purpose Of
the bill, the majority say, to correct some of
the cassifications, rid the customs laws of
the complications of which the Secretary of
the Treasury complains, and so change
these laws for the better that they will be
capable of being administered with impair
tiality to all our merchants.
The duties intended to be removed by the
bill are chiefly those which tax articles used
by our own manufacturers, which now SUBJ
ject them to hopeless competition at home
and abroad with the manufacturing nations,
none of which tax such materials, that our
own manufacturers may successfully COM
pete, both at home and abroad, with manu-.
factnring nations which do not tax such
materials, thus securing markets for the
products of hands now idle for want of work
to do. Some of the materials upon which
great industries are built, such as wood, salt,
hemp and wool, are placed on the free list.
OF the tax on wool, the majority say:
1.-THE price of wool has been downward for
many years; 1t declined when the tax was
highest and protection greatest, and the At
tempt to make wool growing prolific by the
use of the taxing power has not been sue
cessful, while the tax has been the great
national hindrance to the wooden manu-
featuring industry, as we'll as most grlevous
burden upon all buyers Of wOo,en clothing
In some of the schedules, where 1t is pro-
posed to reduce rates, especially woolen and
fax, hemp, jute or linens, the industries,
the majority say, are left with substantially
the same, II not greater, advantages than
under existing laws. These, they say, will
find compensation in the burdens Of taxa
tion sought to be removed for reductions
far greater than any proposed by the bill.
Sugar, with the present low price, Is left at
the high but still revenue rate, equivalent to
slxty-six per centum."
In concluding that portion of the report
relating to tariff taxes, the majority say:
"With the still existing high, II not un-
warrantable, scale of current ordinary ex-
penditure, and the One.half Of the money
obligations of the late civil war yet to be
paid, high rate of taxation must he long
maintained, and In submitting the proposed
bill affecting the cost Of shelter Of part OF
the food and all of the clothing of the peo.
pie, It has been the effort of your committee
to adopt such rates of taxation as will be
permanent and as will only need to be dis
turbed by unforeseen national emergency
and at the same time to exempt necessary
articles from taxation and thereby promote
domestic industries"
The bill to be reported will contain
| numerous provisions relating to the admin
istration of the customs laws. On this sub
ject, the majority say, some Of the embar
rassments suggested by Secretary Manning
are sought to be removed, and whatever II
| formulated in the bill for this purpose has
received the approval of the secretary. The
| majority, however, do not pretend to have
dealt exhaustively with the evils which have
excited the condemnation both of the mer.
camille classes and of the officers whose duty
| 1t is to enforce the law. So long, they say,
| as the present complicated tariff shall exis
and duties are imposed upon more than fOul
| Thousand articles largely subject to I'D
yalOrem rates these evils will continue. All
| that Congress can do In the absence of {
| general revision of the tariff, with new and
simple classification. Is to provide for eaci
| cause of complaint as 1t arises. In the bill
! to be reported the most prominen
grievances are dealt with. In addition Il
the settlement Of such controverted ques
tions, an attempt has been made to relax thu
| provisions of the law which interfere will
the freedom Of exchange, more particularly
with reference to the warehousing of good!
| in bond and their withdrawal for consump
tion or re.exportation. A provision has alst
been inserted for the allowance OF draw
backs to the full extent of the duty pait
upon any imported materials which have
entered into the production Of articles OK
ported. The object Of this provision is Il
| remove an impediment to the growth Of oul
| foreign commerce.
| The provisions of the bill relating to tn,
duties upon coverings and packages, which
has been the subject Of innumerable protests
and many thousands of suits, and which
was partially adjudicated in the case o.
Oberteuffer against Robertson, has had the
careful consideration of the committee anl
the favorable scrutiny of the officers of thu
treasury. sad will simplify very much tn,
complications which caused general dissatis
faction among customs officers and mer
chants.
Mr.. Mckinley will submit the views O
the minority, signed by himself and hi
tee. Tho minority, dissenting from the 70
port of the majority, say the bill to be 70
ported from the committee differs widely
from the bill introduced by Mr.. Morrison
last February. 1t is, they say, new crea
tion, and embodieS little that was in tn,
original bill. The assertion of the majority
that the average rate Of duty upon importet
goods exceeds forty.scven per cent, the
say only means that prices and values wer'
unnecessarily, low, and furnishes no justltica
tion for the bill. What the average I'd "
loren rate of duty will be under our tarif
laws II amended a. provided by the major
ity, is left to conjecture, for the majorit!
report does not discuss even an estimate
but whether It will be higher or lower thar
the present will depend upon values. Moth
ing, the minority say, Is more unsound ant
fallacious than to assume that . reduction
Of duties Il demanded when average q
valorem rates show high percentage. Il
times Of business depression and low price
the I'D valorems corresponding with tn
over periods OF high prices because, Q
l avapvHsOdv kuovva or ought IN knnU a 0ivn,