Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-12

For many years past the rate on imported
wool has been more than double
that imposed on the products Of pasture
iield and farm. These aud other lower
tax-protected products have outrun and
kept far IN advance OF the wondrous
\ growth OF our population Wool pro
tected double as much has fallen further
behind. Wool finds Its market at home,
and It's price Is increased by tnx part of
the burden OF which must be borne by
the grower Of other farm products, whose
surplus in foreign markets fixes his price
AZ home, and to increase which his wool.
growing neighhor contributes nothing.
The price OF wool has been onward
for many years, II declined when the tax
was higher and protection greatest. From
statements OF the Ohio and other wool.
growers associations II appears that the
market price Of wool Is not three-fourths
AZ the actual cost OF production; that
with the existing protective rates Of 10
cents on the pound the price is stlll 10
cents below the price at which 1t can be
probably grown In the great wool grow
ing states OF Ohio and Pennsylvania. 1t
appears, therefore, that the attempt to
make woolgrowing profitable by the use
OF the taxing power has not been success
! Auit WhiAC INC baN HIS Dten great
national hindrance TO the wooden manu-
featuring industry, as we'll as a most
grievous burden upon all BUYERS of
wooden clothing. IL has been already
shown by statements OF wool growers
that the wool duty imposed by Gen. Car
fields associates, successors and school
OF economists did not promote the growth
OF sheep husbandry, and II is proposed to
remove 1t. For the last year this
duty on imported wool was S8,lG4, 2g5 90.
The specific duty imposed on wooden
goods, says Gen, Garfield Creating of the
tariff commission scheme), as near as pos
sible equal to the duty put upon wool
which entered into manufactures was
Sll 900, 900. This NTH the 81, l6l POS 90
equivalent duty IL ~ be removed and a
duty OF So per centSm al valorem on
wooden goods, as protection to manu-
facturers against foreign competition,
remains and viii yield the needed reve-
nues, Ia some Of the schedules wherein
the rates are proposed TO be reduced,
especially wooden aud flax, hemp
jute or linens, industries are left with
substantially the same II no greater adj
yantages than under existing laws
| Other articles, rates ON which are so TO
be reduced as cotton yarns, threads aud
coarser cotton cloths and sugar ere now
| dutiable at unnecessary and unocoasion-
ably high rates and these rates will flud
compensation ~ the burdens OF taxation
sought to be removed For reductions
tar greater ihau any proposed by
the bill we get from the duties
on cotton goods Sl0,90O,00o. The rates
on goods from which collect 50, 100, coo
OF this emount are slightly reduced,
while rates ON which we collect the
other $s,s00,000 are unchanged.
Sugar, with the present low price,
is left at a high revenue rate, equiv
alent TO sc per centum. AT the present
4 high rate We collect on sugar more than
one-fourth of all the revenue derived
from customs
In order to relieve both merchants and
customs officers from annoying exactions
and unnecessary labor 1t Is proposed to
abolish ALI oaths and fees, and TO supstl-
tute in lieu thereof, as In other CONNER
cial countries, the declaration of the i'm
porter, but preserving the same penal
ties as are now imposed by law for false
statements.
A limitation Of $4,000 has been imposed
upon the value OF wearing apparel ana
other property which may be brought in
free of duty by a passenger,
excepting tourists, arriving In the United
| States from aboard. This provision
taken in connection with the proposed
sections making II crime either to give
or receive any more for the passage OF
baggage through the custom-house will,
1t is believed, bring to an end great
abuse in regard TO excessive amounts of
baggage brought in free IN competition
with the merchandise of importers who
have to pay duties.
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The report OF the Republican minority,
which has been prepared by Representa-
tive Mckinley Of Ohio, begins with the
| statement that the substitute agreed upon
/ by the majority Is new creation aud en-
bodies but little matter that was included
in the Original bill as introduced by the
chairman, After reciting I'm detail the
various articles which it is proposed to
place upon the free list aud the
reductions to be made In manu-
featured goods, the minority report says
The majority assert that in $50 the aver
age OF the duty upon imported goods a
| little exceeded ~ per cent. but this only
means that prices and values are unusu-
ally low and furnished no specification
Tor this bill. The free list Is peculiarly
an assault upon the agricultural interests
OF the country, seeking out from The 1000
articles In the tariff their leading prod
uct to be driven out by ruiuous
competition from abroad. Metal,
glass, pottery, sugar, rice and
other important interests affected by the
original bill were given due notice of
changes proposed, aud had ample oppor-
tunity 20 make n successful defense
through their well'organized associa-
! tons.
! In this connection the report says
The wool-growers OF the country were
led to believe from tie bill first before
the committee that no adverse action
would be had touching their interests,
and they were, therefore, not before
| the committee In any official way,
and those who were heard spoke for the
restoration Of the duty OF 1867, without
dreaming that the inadequate protection
they now enjoyed was to be swept from
them aud their vast interests left TO the
mercy of competition with wool growers
In Australia, New Zealand and South
American states, whore the principal cost
OF production is the herding required by
| shepherds whose labor Is cheap, where
I feeding, either In winter or summer,