The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-10-27
THE SENATE BILL.
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The senate tariff bill whole Is to be
judged rather as a measure of revsnu
reduction th.n as one of tariff reform
Pressing as is the demand for revision
of the tariff, it must yield, for the present
to the more urgent need of cutting down
the surplus. That scheme Of tariff re-
form which is to be both Just and popular
which ia to rest upon scientific princi-
pies instead of rough guess work, which
is to conform to the interest of producer
and consumer alike, must be the work OF
a body of experts, free from corgression-
al entanglements and from the clamor Of
forward as the ultimate and certain
product of the great public demand
or revision and reduction of the tariff.
What is called for Immediately and must
be had without unnecessary delay is a
reduction of the accommodating and
troublesome surplus. The treasury must
not be enabled or encouraged to distrib-
ute among ito favorite banks many mil
lions of idle monsy belonging to the
people, nor should it be compelled, as the
only alternative, to purchase bonds at any
price which the holders may in future
choose to set upon them. As a means of
cutting dowE revenue to figure coinci-
dent with the requirements of the govern
ment, without injury to any native indus
Try and to the benefit of many, the senate
bill is q practical measure adapted to tn
exigencies of the day and hour. II con-
tenn plates reduction OF some $75,o00,-
COO in the national income. OF this
amount roughly speaking, the sugar
duties furnish $2s, ,OOo, 900, the duties on
tobacco $24,5OO. 900, and the tax on alco
mol used in the arts $7,O00,O0O, while ar
| tieles placed on the free list contribute
| $6,5Oo,oOO, and other articles on which
duties are reduced Ss,000,00o or SO more
The mein feature of this proposition is
the certainty that it sill dispose of the
surplus. 1t is always doubtful in ad-
vance whether the reduction of any given
duty will increase or decrease revenue
But the absolute repeal of taxes, the en-
| largement OF the free list, and the lower
ing of tne duty on sugar will operate
deinately. The senate bill is, therefore,
what the Mills bill is not, an act that will
prevent the gathering of a surplus for
some years to come. In addition to this,
it includes many of the changes most
earnestly desired 10y tariff reformers. In
deed, if such bill had become law at any
time in the last two or three years, with
out the sugar ana tobacco clauses, which
dwarf and distract attention from the 9TH
er sections it would have been hailed as no
inconsiderable or unwelcome advance
along the date of tariff reduction. To
cite few exam pies, We find on tho free
list books, printed in foreign languages
feathers and downs of all kinds, jute
bntts, MANILA, sisal grass ard other ma
terials for rough cordage and wrappings
and a large number OF chemicals. In
some parts of the wool schedule there are
slight advances. The chaages in the
metal list are very Numerous; and, while
tn. reduction in each classification is not
heavy enough to disturb industry, the ag
gregate is a decided decrease of taxation
The same is true of cotton goods and or
fax, hemp and jute. II public attention
were not so engrossed by abstract ques-
tions relating to the tariff, it would be
seer that there is here, as we'll as in the
chemical schedule, such uniform lover
ing of rates as must 90 far TO satisfy the
public demand. The senate has done well
in presenting 10 the country a carefully
considered tariff act, in such marked con-
trast to the violent, revolutionary and
sectional bill which the house has ap-
proved. It's distinctly tariff reduction
features are an earnest of the ability aud
Sillingness of the republican party to
carry out thoroughgoing reform of the
tariff, in accord with the maintainence Of
the protective system, when it shall be re
tured to power. Between the politics
thus outlined the country must choose,
: and the republican party should be able
, to wait the result with equanimity and
, confidence.