Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-19
TO REDUCE THE SURPLUS.
Full Text of Congressman Millikens
Bill for that Purpose.

We publish the following full text of the
bill for the reduction of the surplus intro
duced by Congressman Mlliken on the 9Th
instant:
A BILL to reduce the Internal Revenue
AMI Tariff Taxes.
BE ii eaGcted, etc:
That all laws providing for the assessment
and collection of internal revenue taxes upon
tobacco and the manufacture thereof be and
the same are hereby repealed
Sec. 2. That sugar of all standards when
imported shall be exempt from duty, from
and after the first day of January. 4. u.
1889
Provided that this section of the act shall
not apply to the sugar product of any counl
try which shall lay an export duty upon such
sugar.
Nor to sugar imported in vessels other
than those of the exporting country or the
United States of America
Nor to Sugar from countries refusing to
vessels of the nted States of America the
the same treatment in their ports as to light
house and other charges that are granted to
vessels of such countries in American ports !;
nor to the sugar of any country which shall
not make as favorable terms for the entry of
the products of the United States as it makes
for the entry of the products of other
countries the most favored by it.
SEC. 8 There shall be paid out of the
Treasury annually from any names not other
wise appropriated. to producers of sugar in
the United States of America, in line of the
duties hereby repealed, within thirty days af-
ter the first day of January of each year, a
sum equal to the present vote of duty upon
their product, having regard to standard and
quantity, the sums to be paid each producer,
to be ascertained and awarded through the
Internal Revenue or Customs officers. under
such rules and regulations as the Secretary
of the Treasury shall prescribe.
Mr.. Miliken SAYS his bill will reduce the
revenue about ninety millions of dollars
yearly and neither destroy nor impair any
domestic industry. Tobacco culture will be
relieved by it, and sugar growing as well as
experiments in making beat aud sogham
sugar, will receive greater stimulous
from a direct bounty as they have done in
France, Germany and Italy. than from the
imposition of duty upon imported sugars.
He also SAYS that his bill will be national
in effect Sugar is consumed equally in all
sections of the country. 1t will benefit all
classes too, for sugar is an article OF prime
necessity with poor and rich, with laborer
and employer alike; and its benefits will be
sensibly felt since its cost is the largest food
charge in every family and the reduction
would be very great one inasmuch as the
duty on sugar is about - per cent upon its
cost, and during the year past it has aggre-
gated S5s 900, 900.
The repeal of the sugar duty as provided
for in Mr. Miliken's bill, does no violence
,b., ,rip ri,,ia Of sjppa
ductiou in the United States is protected by
a bounty an because the paramount object
of protection tariff, that is the growth and
extension of the industry protected, cannot be
secured in the case of sugar which can be
grown upon so limited territory within our
country, that with the great duty upon it, not
so much sugar is made in the United States
today as thirty years ago.
The bill is both protective and fair for it
sacrifices no American interest for the benefit
of foreign competitors, nor one industry for
another. nor the industries of any locality for
those of any other locality within our own
country.
This cannot certainly be said of the pro-
gramme of our democratic free traders, who
would destroy American wool-growing, one of
our most important industries, as well as the
lumber business aud various other noted in
dustries of the Northern States. in which
large capital is invested and thousands of
workmen are employed and millions of dol
lars in wages paid, all in conformity with the
ardent desires of British manufacturers. and
British and South American producers.
Mr.. Miliken is receiving many letters from
all parts of the North in commentator of his
bill. Not the least gratifying features Of it
are its provisions favoring our commerce and
carrying trade.
But how it will fare in the Committee on
WAYS and Means, or what issue the free
trade majority of that committee will bring
forth for Congress to consider no one gifted
with less that the power of prophecy should
venture even to guess