Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-05
yh aaehia 1ai1u eagle: riday a0rrne october $ 1883

1 Aio Is lTC6 GTdl6 al tuc COuCIcOC dllu buS
| list furnishes conclusive evidence of tn,
intent of the house bill, which cannot b.
| neutralized by the eleventh hour disclaim
er of it's supporters. Upon Investigation
| it will be found that with the exception o.
| tin plates the supply of the above article!
| for home consumption is furnished to {
| great extent by domestic producers. whose
| business would be in most instances de-
stroyed by the adoption of this bill.
The majority estimates that at least 500
100000 OF capital and BOG, 000 workmen are
now so employed. These items, it says
are the main factors of the articles named
in the list and seem to have been taken in
discriminatory from the present dutIable
list, and there is no reason for the removal
of duties upon them which would not ap
ply with equal force to hundreds of other
manufactures which are now dutiable. In
a considerable number of cases the admis-
sion of manufactured articles free of duty
while duty is retained on the materials
would not only eXtlnguish the industry
directly affected, but would effectually de-
stroy important collateral industry.
The report then goes on at length to
argue the importance of protective tariff
on wool, citing figures to prove that the
industry has fiourished under protective
tariff and languished under low tariff in
the past.
The majority terms the Mills bill sec
tional bill and says it has provisions which
point to an attempt to discriminate in
favor of the planters of the cotton growing
states, an attempt made with the vain
hope that it may be found possible to
achieve the permanent prosperity of one
section against the welfare of another.
This discrimination, it says, is not less
marked in favor of the people of Canada
and against the farmers and lumbermen
along our northern border from Maine to
Oregon.
The report says: "After months spent
IN violent attacks upon the protective sys-
tenn, fortunately, the people of the coun-
try have become thoroughly aroused to
the impending danger. and the friends of
the house bill suddenly discover that it is
not free trade measure, and that it
would not injuriously affect the vital
of any great number of persons
employed in industries. The proof of this,
it is said, is that the bill provides or pro-
poses an average reduction of only 81. 81 on
every 500 of dutiable merchandise i'm
ported. 1t is assumed that the rendi-
ton of an average ad valorem of 4.32 per
cent on dutiable merchandise is condu
Give to public welfare, and that the bill has
no free trade tendencies. The report emu
number of instances where the
average ad yalorem rate in 1887 under the
present law of A. As per cent and would
nave paul pLe prov VI tllc
house bill % 81 per cent, aud says, instead
of retaining an average ad valorem rate
upon all articles enumerated in the bill of
Il. rs per cent. it would actually retain but
p. 81 per cent. The alleged conservative
character of the bill disappears under this
and we find that the average
reductions it would produce are more than
twice as great as any which
have heretofore been proposed by
no
If all the articles in our tariff schedules
upon which protective duties are levied
should be placed upon the free list and all
our protected Industries destroyed, and
luties should be maintained at present
rates upon tobacco, silk, wines and liquors
and sugar, the average ad valOrem rate
imposed upon dutiable imDortations would
be 20 81 per cent, instead of A. 10, and by
5his wonderful mathematical process of
the extent of protection by
he average ad valorem rate we should
ind that the nearer we approached to free
5rade, the greater would be the degree of
afforded our industries. The
ate of duty upon sugar, as the advantages
IF this reduction, would be felt through
,uta larger circle than any other which
could be made in our tariff schedules.
Your committee have considered numer-
,us suggestions for the repeal of all in
ernal revenue taxes and abolition
If the entire internal revenue syS-
EN-; but they deem the adoption
If this course at present Who'll
Y impracticable and unwise, not only
because the repeal Of these taxes would
create large deficit but for the further
'eason that the taxes levied on distilled
spirit used as a beverage and on beer
should be retained and the legislation to
protect American dairy products from
fraudulent limitations should be enforced"
The majority and minority reports on
he tariff bill were presented to the senate
md ordered printed.