St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-05
men OF MANY Minds.
Two Reports on the Substitute
Tariff Bill Presented
in the Senate.
Republicans Contend That
Their Production Fills
a Long-Felt Want.
Democrats Claim That 1t
Is Framed to Suit
Monopolists.
They Pin Their Faith to the
Bill Fatheped by
Mills.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-To-day the
majority and minority reports on the
tariff bill were presented in the senate.
Both are very long and explicit and are
intended for distribution as campaign
documents. The majority report repre-
senting the views of the Republican
members of the committee on finance,
fills eighty-nine closely printed pages, of
which over twenty-five are tabular.
There are detailed comparisons between
the features of the Mills bill and also
those of the present law and the bill
upon which this is report, making all
of the essential points comprehensive to
the average reader. The report opens
with the statement that the demand for
careful and thorough revision of
our revenue laws is imperitive. This
revision is necessary; to reduce
the national revenues, which are now
excessive; to remedy the defects,
anomalies and incongruities which have
been from time to time discovered in
the tariff schedules or which have been
created by erroneous decisions of the
treasury department.; to secure the
proper readjustment and equalization
of tariff rates rendered necessary by
modified business conditions, improve
ments in methods of production, radical
changes in prices, or by new elements
or sources of competition; and to give
relief and protection to many industries
which are now suffering on ac-
count of the inadequate rates
levied on competing products.
After an exhaustive examination and
criticism of the Mills bill in detail, and
a long discussion of free trade and pro-
lection, the labor cost of production
and war tariff, the majority close their
report with the following observation
concerning their work and the two tariff
measures now before congress: "ln
all the numerous changes suggested,
your committee have had constantly in
view the preparation of consistent
measure whose beneficent influences
would be felt in every section and by
every class of our people, which would
give greater diversity to our industries,
and. by strengthening and invigorating
the American
SYSTEM OF PROTECTION, SECURE
the harmonious developments and pros
perity of agriculture, manufactures and
commerce. The differences between
the house bill and the substitute report
ed by your committee are fundamental.
The house bill has been formulated on
the theory that diminution of revenues
can only be secured by reduction or
repeal of protective duties, and that tar
iff revision means simply that indiS-
criminate cutting of rates which en-
courages importations, benefits foreign
manufacturers and produces free trade.
The substitute proposes to reduce reve-
nues, and. at the same time, to preserve
the American system. 1t is based upon
the idea that tariff revision implies an
equitable reimbursement of duties in the
interest and for the benefit of the peo-
pie of the United States, and in the dis
tribution of rates its farmers have not
hesitated to erect or to maintain de-
fensive barriers which would carry con-
fidence and comfort into American
homes"