The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-02-15
THE TARIFF BILL.
A Talk With a Member of the
Ways and Means Committee.
Proposed Changes in the Tariff
and Internal Revenue.

A New York World Washington corre-
spondent has questioned a member Of the
House Committee on Waysand Means regard
ing the presext conditica of the Tariff bill
He replied>
''The Democratic members Of tho Ways
and Means Committee have gotten that por~
ton OF the bill that deals with rates about
completed, ubiect only to final revisien.
Wool is wade free and put in the front OF
the bin. The duties on woolen and worsted
manufactures are substantially reduced
and the present difference in the classltica-
ton between woolen and wersted goods
is abolished. 1t is eStimatsS that the
redpcton Of revenue from changes In
the woolen schedule will probably ;Ee' from
s12,OnC, 900 to Sl5,000 600. The ipresent
tariff makes the duties on cheaper woolen
goods much higher proportscnately than on
the finer fabrics, so that the poor 'nre taxed
out of ali proportion to the wealthy The
schedule that will be reported reyGyses this
entirely and taxes finer fabrics higher in
proportion to value than the cheaper goods
used by working men,"
What articles will be sdded tc' the free
istf'
..Sslt. lumber and many chemicals are put
upcu the free list. 1t IS not yet known
wha5her fish will be made freezer rot, as the
commission is embarrassed by the pending
negotiations with Great Britain. The ne.
ce&ity to obtain certain votes Of members
from those States which are large producers
ofcool and coke may prevent any reduction
1ascoal.n
How about the metaisy'
The metal schedule has otbeen completed
and is now being revised by consultation
with tariff reformers who are acquainted
with the production and manufacture OF
metals. There will be substantial reductions
onmetals though. Steel rails will probably be
put as low as $40 or Sl1. Tho changes made in
thiss 'hedule have been madeeor the purpose OF
oheapening as far as possible all agricultural
implements, tools and metals used in build
ing. The Democratic members from Vlr-
Einia, West Virginia, AlabaHna and :Pennsyl-
vania who otherwise will vote for the bill,
urgently request the committee not to put iron
ore on the free list, and this influence may
prevent it from being done.
''The principles upon which the bill has
been prepared have been to permit the intro
duction as far as possible Of raw material
free and to reduce corresponding duties on
the manufactured propucts, to cheaper the
tazation on all food and the necessaries OF
life, and to leave substantially untouched
the duties on luxuries or che imported
articles which are brought by persons OF
wealth. Few or no changes have been made
in the schedules affecting imported cigars,
tobacco, liquors, silks and such articles.
"How much Of reduction of tariff will
the bill producel"
"The bill will be more moderate than the
more decided revenue reformers would pre-
fer, but it will be in the right direction, and
1t is thought will commend itself to the coun-
try by its conservatism. The reduction on
sugar will be 20 per cent. or Sl1, ,0OO, 600, and
the entire reduction of tariff somewhere be.
tween s5O,oOO,oOO and s55, 600. .oCS, possibly
s60;03O, COO.
"The alterations in the Internal Revenue
law will be very marked. The tax on
10000, 900, will he abolished The special
license and the tax on the manufac-
lures of stills will be repealed, and all
fruit brandies made free. This will make an
aggregate reduction of internal revenue OF
perhaps $50, coo, 900, so that if the bill passes
the entire reduction of revenue will be be-
tween $50, 0,000, 900 and s90, ,o00,000
"As to the industries of the country which
have been established under the present sys'
tenn and have now a protection no greater
than seems to be necessary to prevent them
from being destroyed or badly crippled, the
committee has made no changes in the pres
ent duty. AS to all the industries, the rule
adopted by the committee has been to remove
from them as many obstructionS caused by
the present tariff as was possible, and to give
them as many advantages as possible, for the
raw material in America home
market sufficient to take up all their product,
SO that there might be an increase instead OF
decrease of material produced in this
country. It is firmly believed that if the bill
passes there will be large decrease OF i'm
portations on account OF the additional ad-
vantages furnished by this bill, and that the
price of wool, timber and other material
produced in America will be increased and
not diminished"