New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-20
NO TARIFF BILL YET.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE ADJoURNs.
~ur TOBACCO PILL POS roNED-whO CONTROL
THE REVENUE CoMMITrEEI
my EEL KGR ArH rKIkuNi.t

AWAsylNGToN, Jan lo-Mr McMlilan' OF ich-
nos,ce. pr,s,dcd over the Ways and Means COM
mittee to-day in the place OF Chairman Mills, who
s a,,s.u, ON account of a slight Illness The
h;us which have been referred to the Committee
from time 10 time were distributed among the SUBJ
committee, and then Major Mckinley moved that
his bill to abolish all internal taxes the
manufacture and sale of tobacco in any of its
forms be considered. Mr.. Breckenridge, Of
Arkansas. moved that the bill he indefinitely
postponed and that action taken by party
vote 1t means, OF course. that the Democratic
members of the committee have determined to use
the tobacco tax rs tan 10 the tariff kite which
they are preparing To fly. 1t is whispered that
some of the Southern Democrats who anxious
to repeal certain internal taxes in order to save
Virginia and North Carolina" have promised IN
consideration of such repeal TO vote Tor the tari1
reduction scheme OF Premier" Mills and his CO.
adlutOrs They not ready to bring out the
bill today Perhaps the manufacturers" have
not been heard from.
WHAT WILL THE MEASURE INvoLvEf
The publication in THE TRIBUNE to-day OF an
outline of the plan Of campaign" adopted in the
dark-antern conferences caused much comment
and no small amount of indignation among Repub-
irce-trade leaders who had Hoped to keep the
scheme from the public until too late Cor eiectual
counteractiOn 10y its opponents Ii has been thus
fer impIGctcablc to obtain much definite informa-
ton respecting the bill which the dark lantern
conferecs propose to force through the Ways and
upon the House early in February
II is now understood that the measure is to be
brought out into the light of day before February
10 but not until after next week. One feature OF
il is said to he section IA of the Senate bill TO
regulate the importation OF foreign merchandise"
etc. That section provides that all coverings OF
imported goods-which coverings are OF any I'M
usual article or material designed for use other
wise than in the bona, fde Transportation
such \. d TSGa in q. the the un ss@e rates.
as though separately imported. This would seem
to indicate that attempt is TO he made IN the
bill to remove ohscurities and simplify the admin
stration Of the customs laws. But after all, thls
Is speculation.
The Republican members Of the committee are
kept in utter ignorance as to what is proposed
Thew have BEEN permitted to know only that the
majority OF the committee hes determined that
there shall he public hearings at which repre-
sentatives Of vrrious Industries and industrial
organizations NAV submit their statements Of the
facts relating to the interests which are to be at
fectcd hv the proroSeh legislation. All else is
shrouded in midnight secrecy.
INCOMPETENT EXPERIMENTATION.
Tho committee consists of eight Democrats
and five Republicans Two of the Democrats
represent districts in Indiana and PENNSYLVANIA,
rcspcctivcy The other six. who. of course, con-
troll tho action of the majority, which votes as a
unit. and therefore the action Of the committee
itself represent districts in the Southern Statcs
~ other words the committee is so cons ltnted
that six Southern Democrats control the action
Of seven Northern mon. two Democrats ana hVe
Ropublicans The six Southern Democrats rep
resent a voting constituency OF lo3,E4' accord
ing 10 the RETURNS of their election, while h\e
Rrnnhlcans represent voting CONSTITUENCY of
l7OS4S The six DemoCIatic melnoeIs VINO con
troll the committee are from States IN when tne
total assessed valuation Of taxable property IN
Iss6 amounted to 81 1851 0s, 002 while the five
Repubcans are from States IN which the as
scsscd valuation of taXabIe propcrV III 80 80
amounted to s677S.422,1 90, or more than tirec
and ono half times as much. The great states
Of New York and New-Jersey. with $3.50, 2!O'2yo
in taxable property, are not represented III inc
lilo fhn
Coorqia Kentucky. Tennessee, lcXaS ana WIS.,
Virginia cast six votes ana c9n,roi co.lui'' o
pregate valuation of taxable property Is only one
half as great that Of the two States mehtolei;;
The aggregate assessed valuation of property is
twice as great in the SIX SoutheIH. ~" in
named. But the New-Lngland ,fooHcr in the
the committee viii have no voice Wha.sN vn ~ tbe
framing of tariff or revenue bill ana un nv en-, une
proposed shall be submitted 9y ~, ho per-
trade trainers to the committee ne VIII ne PCT
mitted TO know absolutely nothing OF us contents.
IL NAV then enjoy the pleasure OF nearing ~, ~
nerbans the farce of consideration may be
played and the Republicans be permitted TO re-
cord their votes against il. . -. .,o
II is already apparent that any attempt OF w =
midnight confcrees to carry out their agreement
with certain Mugwump manufactqrerS %,d Iice1
revenue reformers7 in the House is knute Nel,
son. of Minnesota As soon as he was appr rise
% St che encprT If tRcy try that will to
PIT woollcn goods on the free list The wool
tariff is for the benefit Of the farmers, ana any
attcmrt 10 remove and leave the duty on wOOlleh
manufactures will he resented"
Scores Of other Republicans openly declared
that wool and woollcn goods must stand or fa
together and they represent all shades OF OPINION
Several Democrats made the same declaration
Premier" Mills and his followers nav as well
realize first as last that their scheme will not sue
coed.
RATHBONE'S ANNOYING FRANKNESS.
WAsnINGTON. Jan. / o. (SpecidQ.-Ihc nomln-
alton Of Major Rathbone to be Consul-General
at Paris is still pending before the Committee on
Commerce. because Of the objections of Senator
Morgan of Alabama to its confirmation. 1t will
ultimately be confirmed, as all the members OF the
Committee and large majority Of the Senate
understand the motive Of Morgans objections
II appears that at the time Rathbone was appointed
Mr.. LIE Breton was also seeking thc Onlce ai4