Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-25
MORRISON'S REDUCTIONS,
AN INTERESTING REVIEW BY
SECRETARY MANNING.

u The Articles on which the Loss OF Rev
enue VIII Oesur on Account of Re
duetiORs aud tAe Free List-The Prob
able Eject orah Bill.
4 WAsHIN0ToN. Feb. 24'--The Secretary
Of the Treasury has written to Represen-
tative Morrison, Chairman Of the Ways
and Means Committee, in regard to the
probable effect the passage Of the Nor
rison tariff bill will have on the public
revenues. In the letter he says that the
net reduction computed on the basis OF
last years importations would be about
Sl2,000,0O0. In regard to the proviso lin
iting the maximum of duties to certain
ad valorem rates, he says it leaves room
Tor controversy on values. but that val
les could be approximately ascertained
by customs officers. He suggests, how
over, that provision be made by which the
valuation OF such officers should be made
final and not leave this important ques-
ton to be in after years subjected TO the
uncertainties of the courts with the con-
sequent cost to the people OF refunds Of
duties. the same remarks, ne says, ap-
oily TO those clauses OF the bill which fix
he rate of duty according to the valuae
Df the article.
MORE EYPLICITREss ADVOCATED.
he calls attention to the necessity Of
making more clear in some cases the ex-
act articles to which the provisos apply
a troublesome defect In the present tariff
law. He expresses the opinion that the
provisions in tariff acts fixing the rate
of duty according to the component
material of chief value, adds to litigation,
because of the uncertainty Of the mean
inc Of that farna uCh anrlEod fn q
factured article. There are number OF
suits pending which involve this question
and in them the Secretary fears the gov
eminent will be defeated.
EARTHENwARE DISPUTES.
The term earthenware, he says, is also
open TO misc0nstructi0n. In a recent
case it has been held to mean enly hollow
ware, or ware made on a potter's wheel,
and If this construction should prevail
the glazed tile, for illustration, becomes
non-enumerated manufactured article,
subject TO 20 per cent. ad valorem duty.
Attention is also called TO the uncer-
tainty Of the term, "Broken or granulated
rice" and a suggestion made that the
maximum size be stated so as to avoid
controversy.
WHERE TIRE REDUCTIONS LIE.
The Seeretary's letter is accompanied
Dy table prepared by the Bureau OF Sta
ustics, showing the reduction Of duty
elected by the Morrison bill, computed
on the basis of the imports entered for
consumption for the year ending June 80,
1885. This table estimates the decrease
"a revenue from food and wooden ware at
A,0Se, ,00O, chiefly by transfers TO the free
lst; on earthen and glassware, 81, 1888, 900,
'ty reduction of the rate of duty; hemp,
jtte and flax, 81 .s05, 600, by transfers to
thl free list, and $l44 600 by the reduction
ofduues retained; wool and wOollens,
by reduction of the rates, 81 ,315, 900;
sunlries, 81, 600, by transfers to the
free list; provisions, $500, 600, by trans
feresand $780,, 600 by reductions; metals,
$4lll00, by transfers, aud $685., 900 by re-
ductons; sugars. Si0,lT7, 600 by reduc-
tIOns The other changes effect total
estimated reduction OF $50, III, 600.
SUGAR IMPORTS.
Of2,54s,OO0 ,00o pounds of sugar import
ed inp the United STATES during the last
fscalyear 1885, ,000. 600 pounds, or "A per
cent, tame from Cuba, Porto Rico, Brazil
and tie British West Indies. These
countrAs, according to the latest advices
from thtDepartment of State, impose an
expert dlty on sugar. If such is fact,
it is probable that 80 per cent. OF the su-
gar imptled for last year came from
countries imposing an export duty
thereon. This would change the figures
10 the tabe of reduction on sugar from
100000 ,000to 81, 900, 900, and the aggregate
reduction the duty from s20,O00,OO0 10
n2,O0O,00O.
TIMBER TARIFFS.
The impOts of articles of timber and
lumber nsufd In the bill as effected by
the proviso a. to export duty, are import
ed from Canaa, which country, so far as
learned, imposes no export duty on the
articles specified. Therefore the prOvisO
has little or II, effect. The chief OF the
Bureau of Satisfies, in a letter to the
Secretary Of te Treasury explaining his
computations, says the effect which this
bill will have upon the volume of imports
Is a matter of SPECULATION and conjecture,
but that the gaeral effect of the reduc-
tion in duty is, Jf course, to increase the
importation. here are, however, so
many elements in the problem that it
would be hazadous to venture an Opin-
ion OF the subJest.