National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-05
The New Tariff Raid.

The ways and means committee has at
last finished the arduous labor to which II
has been applying itself for some weeks
past, and the result is a tariff bill which
will probably be reported to the House of
Representatives to-day. 1t is not the Nor
rison bill, nor anything like 1t, nor Is It
the Observation-Disclosures bill, although IL
includes most OF the latter. Its free list Is
less devastating to American industries than
the Morrison bill, because It omits the
metal schedule and some other items which
were included In that measure, but it is a
deadly assault on the protective system, a
staggering blow to labor, and as such It
must meet the solid opposition of Republi-
can representatives and of all honest pro-
tectionists on the other side of the House.
1t is fitting commentary on the oonsis-
tency Of the Democratic party that on Sat-
urday last and during the two or three pre-
ceding days, while the Democrats In the
House were trampling over each other in
their wild eagerness to show their friend
ship for the workingmen, the Democratic
members Of the ways aud means committee
were in their room preparing their assault
on labor. Most Of the Democrats who have
been making loud professions of love for
the wageworkers will be found in solid col
umn behind Mr.. Morrison when he gets a
chance to bring this bill before the House.
Lumber, salt, wool, fax, hemp, and iute
are placed on the free list. The entire
metal schedule, as It appeared in the first
bill, is omitted; also, earthenware and
glassware and provisions. The sugar
clause, which followed the glass schedule
on the old bill, is changed to the end of
the new bill, but no attempt has been made
TO rearrange the schedule, 1t merely says
ION all sugars 90 per centum of the several
duties and rates Of duty now imposed on
said sugars, provided that imported sugars
on which an export duty has been laid
shall be subject to duty as now provided by
law" or course there are such changes In
the dutiable list as are necesstated by the
changes in the free list, and there are
some not thus called for.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that all
the Republican members of the ways aud
means committee voted against each AMI
all of the proposed changes, and that the
Democratic members voted as solidly the
| other way.
The bill means the absolute destruction
| Of the salt industry In which millions OF
capital are embarked and on which the
bread for thousands Of families is depend
ent. Worse than this, it will be found
If we may judge the future by the past
| that when our salt manufacturing industry
is destroyed, the price of salt will be ad
vanced to higher figure than its present
cost.
The death.knell of sheep husbandry, ex'
cept in Texas and California, would bC
sounded II this bill could be enacted. II
would NOW a wide swath Of ruin in Ohio
and all the sheep-growing states OF the
country, except those in which wool can bC
raised at merely nominal cost. There are
many thousands of farmers who would bt
less seriously damaged by the burning o
their houses and barns than by the passag,
Of this BILL
Flax culture has come to be promising
business in many localities, and a good
deal Of capital has been invested in 1t. This
bill means its destruction, and the same Is
true Of hemp and jute.
The Democratic party has shown iii
friendship for American labor since the
present Congress came in by both direct
and indirect attempts to send to Europe fol-
articles that are produced by our own work
ingmen. The country will not soon forge
the carefully plotted scheme which showed
its head In the shape of a proposition tC
buy marine engines abroad. There or,
European agents in Washington to-day try
ing to lobby through Congress bills au
thorizing the purchase Of foreign machine )
that is in all respects inferior to American
make. They have the active cooperation
of Democratic officials in and out OF Con-
gress. The new tariff bill is but continu
alton Of long campaign against the labor
of our own country, and 1t has no excuse
for existence.
AS TO the manner in which this raid Is tC
be met in the House the NATIONAL REPUB
LIcAN advises the Republican party to
make no alliances. II there are any Demo
Gratis who do not want to go with Messrs
Morrison, Carlisle, Mills &c Co., let them
fail in on the left Of the Republican process.
sion. But forthe votes of protection Demo
Gratis, who organized the House on free
trade basis, no such raid as this could have
been possible.
I