The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-10-12
The MINORITY REPORT.

Report OF the Minority OF the Senate n
nance Committee ON the New Tariff
Bill.
WASHINGTON. ocf. h.-The report of the mi
norify OF the Senate Finance COMMITTEES on the
substitute Tariff bill makes q document OF
twelve printed pages. 1t begins with the state
nent that in the preparation OF the substitute
for the House bin no member Of the minority
Of the committee was consulted or informed as
10 its provisions until IL was reported to the
full committee September 25. II recites the
work OF the subcommittee in hearing sthe
statements, arguments and appeals Of manu-.
lecturers and others who demand that the pres
ent high rate OF iarin taxation shall be main.
tanned and in me :t instances prompted not by
any revenue nece ssities but alone for th- pur.
pose OF increasing III cir own profits al the ex.
pense of 6t.0ca0G tax PAYERS"
Continuing, it says: 1T is safe TO say that
all the interests benefited by a higher protect.
i've tariff have been fully heard and have Lad
much influence in shaping this substitute,
while the great tody OF the people-the tax.
payers and the victims OF this polIcy-haye
not appeared and have not been heard" 1t is
said that the snort time that the substitute
has been in the hands Of the majority they
have found ii difficult to ascertain its ef
feet, but the difference between the
House bill and the Senate substitute is appar
ent and radical at the outset in the matter oil
revenue The one is framed in the interests of
he public treasury: the other in the interest OF
private pockets The one is framed in the in
terest OF the whole people; the other in the in
terest OF 5000 manufacturers. The one Is
designed TO reduce both Government revenue
and taxation-the taxation especially which
bears heaviest on the necessaries of life. the
other is intended TO raise public revenue. in
deed. but TO maintain private revenues, increas
ing and retaining taxation On all tn. neccssa
ries OF life.
The minority say the substitute bill IS framed
1t the expense mainly of the farming class and
the bill is full Of tricks by which this is &c
cornplished- though not apparently So In.
stances are rccited and the report says: Can
ingenuity go further That taGgers iron shorld
be raised from - per cent. to G. per cent that
table cutlery for the poor should be raised BIZ
specific rates added TO ad valorem: that knives
should be heavier taxed and made cheaper for
the PIC grade and dearer for the SI5 grade by
making each pay sl0 and p per cent ad valor-
cn-all these and more are no longer startling
and prepare the mind FOR thousand other in
consisteucles and DETERMINATIONS hidden by
neat and obscure claSsIficatious that only time
and patient Investigation will reveal
The minority criiicise the lumber. salt and
iects OF trusts" as follows: The presen,
tariff is the nursing mother Of trusts. II is the
wall behind which these combinations are
formed. by which the people are pIundered.
The tariff keeps out the foreign competition
and the combination suppresses the domestic
and the whole people are at their mercy and
pay whatever il demanded. Language is mad.
e9uatc to describe the iniquity OF these combi-
nations against the rights CT the people, or TO de
pct their disastrous effects upon the general
welfare As the tariffs. which render trust.
possible, are established and maintained at the
special instance OF those who form them II
would seem but simple justice as well as good
policy to tear down as much as possible OF their
cover and refuse 10 longer aid them in WRONG
doing.
They are not private affairs as has been as
serted, but public evils of the gravest character
affecting the price OF every article which con-
tributes to the comfort ana support OF the peo-
pie. The provisions Of the substitute favor
them greatly and will serve TO encourage their
formation IN SIN other branches OF ualufac-
ture- Many OF those belonging to trusts ap-
peared before the Finance Committee, clarnor.
Gus for such legislation as would promote their
interests. They are all opposed to the House
bill. which should commend il to those who
condemn their methods. II is bad enough 20
permit those who are most interested (manu-
facturersl TO appear before our committees and
suggest the legislation they wish. but surely
We should not listen 10 the trusts and aid them
TO rob with both hands"
The minority deny that the House Tariff DILL
Is a free trade measure and say that no one can
propose the reduction OF taxation without be-
ing subjected 20 the charge OF being a free
trader by the opposition.
The minority deny that tariff revision will
reduce wages, and conclude their report with
the following remarks concerning free wool:
The minority are firmly convinced that be-
sides the incalculable advantage To the whole
country which would result from the placing
OF wool upon the free list, il is easily demon
strated that no class Will suffer. but that each
will reap his share OF the benefit With q
consumpt ion of CO0Na0IJ pounds Of raw wool
IN lss7 and a population OF 6hGDG.01. the
average per capita consumption is easily rec,<-
oned al eighteen pounds. or fifty pounds to the
average family o. FIVE persons. and the North
ern farmer constantly exposed 20 the rigors OK
our winters, consumes something more than
the average. II requires from three TO four
pounds to make = pound Of cloths. so that
twelve to sixteen pounds of W. oil in clothing
for the family Will be seen to be a low average.
This is now taxed from 81 70 nearly
% per cent. The manufacturer is no: benefited.
because his finished product comes into com
petition with the foreign product made not only
from untaxe6 wool but cheaper wool II the tax
be taken OF wool We will import more wool o.
factories prosper. because their capacity is be-
yond our own wool production. When the
factories are turning ont more product the
employees have steadier work and better wages
and indirectly, OF course, the whole country -
benefited. Under the House bill the
manufacturers with free wool secure
even higher competitive advantage
over the foreign than under me
present Law Of the substitute. The manufac-
;urers Will export woolen goods as we uow ex
BORT cotton and leather, and the demand fo- the
rool will better the wool market and encourage
an increased production. while the average
wool grower himself will reap from cheapened
Clothing more benefits than he ever did firm A
TX OF his nrodict, which lie must pay himself
The minority, therefore dissenting from the
report of the majority. commend to the Senate
and the country the bill Of the House of Repre-
sentat;ves No. s.f5l. IS a message for The re-
scctlon CT taxes based alike upon JUST, anI
good policy
The minority report is signed by Harris
vance and voorhees,. Mcpherson corcurs in
respect to the articles upon the free list. but
wants some notifications IN the dCtiable list
Beck has a supplemental and individual report
in which he indorses the Mills bill and eulogizes
the President
Dakotaas in Distress.
ST. PAUL. Mimi, Oct. 5.-Mayor Smith