Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-31
HEWITT ON THE TARIFF.
B.Ffef That a Bin WIN he Agreed
Upon and Passed by the Democrats.

E' 'ief That Bin WIN he Asreeo
Upon and Passed by the Democrats.
Fran The PhUadelpAtd 7foes'
WAsHINGToN, March 2S.-Ihe &C
counts which have been circulated con-
corning the differences supposed to exist
among the members of the majority OF
the Committee on WAYS and Means on
the tariff have been largely sensational.
Mr.. Mills, who has bill of his own to
propose. is not disposed to 20 ahead quite
as readily as Mr.. Morrison, but he does
/ favor the passage of tariff bill at the
present session which will formulate the
promises as well as the principles of the
Democratic party on that question. On
this point there is no disagreement, there
fore the form of proposed bill will have
reference to party unity on the tariff
Abram ). Hewitt, who is the only men,
Der Of the majority on the committee who
has any adequate comprehension of the
details of this perplexing problem in pub
lie economy, in conversation said:
I'VE have been hearing a great deal
about tariff bill. No measure OF the
kind has been prepared by the committee
and none introduced by its authority.
therefore what has been done has bee
perhaps in advance of logical cOnsidera-
duties on IMPORTS
HAS there not been a change of frontY
Not at all. Speaking for myself l have
never changed my views on the question.
l have been greatly abused on account OF
blllS which have been prepared on the
tariff. and for which l have never been
responsible. In measure so sweeping
IN its operations and influence and in the
interests affected it would be wise to
too much. 1t is somewhat hazardous TO
undertake to antagOnize the organized
interests of powerful Industries. Take
the matter OF iron and steel, There are
% members OF the majority in the
House who represent constituencies more
or less interested in iron and steel
industries. Now this in itself is
afOrmidable power. The same thing, how
ever, could not be said Of any other in
dustry- In the matter Of textiles, pot
terry, glass ware, these industries might be
said to be local and therefore the general
Interests of the country but slightly
affected. Fall River, Mass, several
points in Rhode Island and the vicinity of
Philadelphia take in the great mass of
textile establishments. Trenton and one
or two other points would cover pottery,
and so on. Iron and steel, however, are
not local and therefore 10 adjust that
schedule involves elements which cannot
be disregarded."
'"Then you think that a tariff bill VIII
be prepared which will passT'
81 most assuredly do. But il will, in
my opinion, begin at the foundation. For
my part have always insisted upon free
raw materials and nothing more for the
present. l believe if we can get the raw
materials of manufacture free, it viii so
cneaDen the cost of production that Amer
ia In hor ha oh of Iu tn nl re
Own, but advance in the scale of wages.
| believe i'll maintaining the standard of
American labor, and we have now
practical illustration of the fact th at the
present system does not do that. The
tendency of the American wages has been
downward, and with the return Of active
markets, labor, in its efforts to get back
to Its old standard, has resOrted to strikes,
tOrtuna tely not attended with violence.
! am not saying anything about manu-.
facturers. They in many branches are
handicapped by the high cost OF raw ma
terials.
what is your idea of a bill which
would pass?'
81 have no authority to speak for the
committee; but speaking for myself, l am
satisfied that the fret step should be
bill for the admission of all raw materials
free of duty. BY that I mean wool, lum-
Der, coal, salt, hemp, manila. jute, iron,
sulphur, copper and lead ores, stone,
earths or clay, ETC."
"Chat portion of bill before the COM
mittee was agreed to in committee
$50 II was reported in the press, and |
presume that Information was obtained
from authentic sources"
You include iron ore in the hstY'
That was in bill, as the pRbIic were
informed, aud was agreed to. What the
committee may do in the future | am not
able to say. | shall insist, as l always
have, that iron ore should go on the free
list with other raw materials. When you
reach the point OF regulating the duties of
manufactured articles you enter the
more complicated branches of the problem
of an equitable adjustment of duties. On
pig iron the present duty is absolutely
prohibitOTy on the common grades of
ir0n, but when you come 70 the high
grades, like spiegelelsen, the effect is
not the same. The same might be said
of Russian sheet iron. worth about a
shilling a pound. In my opinion, in
former attempts TO adjust the tariff too
much has been undertaken at one time. l
believe this point has been realized and
the course TO be pursued as measure OF
party policy, speaking as my own
opinion, Is TO pass bill putting all raw
materials on the free list and let that 20
into operation at once. By the time the
next Congress assemblies we viii know
what effect it has had upon industries.
II will then be practicable to determine
upon what manufactured articles and to
what degree duties can be reduced with
out injury TO labor. This is what l have
always commended for. Begin at the bot
tom aud work up. The bill, which has
been talked about SO much, has had the
fault of all its predecessors. l think you
will find that the last experience will
lead to wiser action and unified party.
Have your conferences with the con-
sentative wing OF the majority in the
House been satisfactory
81 have had conferences with no one,
nor has the committee, as far as l have
been informed. What may have been
done individually dent know"
Mr.. Hewitt very emphatically repeated
his statement that bill would be fOrmu-
lated which would cover the points Of OBJ
lection raised by persons representing in
dustrial constituencies, and that IL would
be a bill upon which the Democratic
party could 20 TO the country in the Con-
gressional elections.