The new North-west., 1888-04-06

EST: DEER LOI
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Why the Republicans Oppose the Ways and
Means Tariff Bill.
1t is Sectional, Destructive and Encourages
British Free Trade.
WASHINGTON, April g. The report Of the
minority Of the Ways and Means committee
submitted to the Ho1se to day, is about
twice Is long rs that prepared by the major
ity. It opens with severe criticism Of the
action Of the majority, In so compiling the
bill that the minority was not given infor-
nation of the fact that it was in preparation.
1t denounces the refusal Of the majority to
hear the manufacturers, workingmen and
Congressman on the proposed reductions,
and charges the majority with sectionalism,
in that its bill reduces the tariff on only
two articles of southern production, sugar
and rice, and these very slightly, while it
makes = slaughter of everything produced in
the north and northwest. The bill, the re.
port says, is . radical reversal of the tariff
policy of the country, which for the most
part has prevailed since the formation of the
government; if enacted into law it will
disturb every branch Of business, retard
manufacturing and agricultural prosperity
and seriously impair our industrial indepen-
dence. It is marked with sectionalism
which every patriotic citizen must deploze.
The American farmer will appreciate the
vicious character of the bill when he is ap-
prised Of the fact that while the products Of
land and labor are shut off from Canada by
the protective tariff imposed by the Canadian
government, the Canadian farmer can send
many of his products here without the pay.
ment of duty.
Nowhere in the bill is the ultimate pur.
pose of the authors more manifest than its
treatment of wool. It places this article
upon the free list and exposes our focks and
fleeces to the merciless competition from
0OlOOus AZ tAJS 1VeFCNe IuV Olll 10 VuS GA0
echo of the Presidents message, and gives
emphasis to the settled purpose of the major
ity to break down the most valuable indus
tries Of the country. Why have the majority
put wool on the free list? The purpose is to
bring down the price of wool. If this should
be the result we inquire at whose expense
and loss? It must be at the expense of the
American grower, and TO his loss, who, at
present prices and with the present rate Of
duty, is being forced out of business by ruin
Gus foreign competition. The injury, by
the confession Of the majority, will fall upon
American wool growers. The bill will
greatly increase the imports of the foreign
product and diminish, if not"wholly destroy,
our own production. 1t should be borne in
mind that our wool producers cannot CON-
pete with the countries where but little
summer attention is required and where ID
Dor is so cheap, unless their industry has
just and adequate protection. The majority
inquire in their report, ''If Congress grants
the request of the wool growers, what are
the people to do for woolen clothing?" We
beg to suggest that the people of this coun-
try, during the existence of the tariff of 1867,
(and the tariff proposed by the wool confer
ence is substantially that tariff) were never
better clothed and never better able to buy
them. Wool upon the free list is deadly
assault upon the great agricultural interests,
and will fall with "a terrible crash upon 3
II ~-:I \
capital, unssttle established values, wrest
from the flock masters their lifetime earn
ings, bankrupt thousands Of our best and
most industrious farmers and drive them
into other branches of agriculture, already
overcrowded.
Under the head of steel rails the report
says: "If the majority desire to insure the
handling Of our steel rail market by our
English rivals the proposed duty Of Sl1 will
accomplish this purpose. The supply of
steel rails to the Pacific coast is now IN the
hands of foreigners, because of the cheap
| transportation by water from foreign ports,
the existing duty Of SIT not being sufficient
to enable our manufacturers to compete for
Topeka & Santa Fe railroad company had
lately purchased 10000 tons Of foreign rails
to be delivered at San Diego, CAL, and it is
mentioned that another lot of 10000 tons of
foreign rails had recently been sold by for
eign makers to Pacific coast railroad. In
seeking to seriously cripple, if not destroy,
the manufacture of steel rails in this country
the majority probably do not realize the full
significance Of the result which they invite.
The report states that from 1866 to 1888
the control of the House had been equally
divided between the two political parties,
each having had eleven years. During the
eleven years of Republican control the reve-
nues were reduced (estimated) $362, ,504 $3.50;
during the eleven years of democratic con-
troll the revenues were reduced S., ,358, ,9S5.
/ After devoting several pages to the subject
Of the treasury surplus and the failure of the
President to call in and cancel bonds the
direct attempt to fasten upon this country
the British policy Of free foreign trade. So
viewing it, there is a sense of obligation to
the people, and especially to the working
people employed in manufacturing and ag.
riculture, which impels them. to resist it
with oil their power. They will assist the
majority in every way to reduce the redund-
ant income of the Government, but any leg.
islation which will destroy or enfeeb.e oul
industries will he met with the persistent
and determined opposition Of the minority
represented in the House. The report was
prepared by Mckinley, and is signed by all
the republican members of the committee.
| AMagnifcent Residence Burned.
TEANEcK, N. j., April 2.-The handsome
residence of William Walter Phelps was
destroyed by fire last night At few minutes
past 6 o'clock. A loud report was heard in
the art gallery at the southeast corner of the
building. The flames at once filled the
gallery, and long tongues Of fire shot from
the windows. The building was lighted
with gasoline, aud it is thought that the ex.
plosion and fire were caused by defective
gas pipe. By o'clock the entire fine struc.