Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-02-10
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 CORE
spondent has questioned a member Of the
House Committee on Ways and Means regard
ing the present condition of the Tariff bill.
He replied:
The Democratic members of the Ways
and Means Committee have gotten that por-
ton of the bill that deals with rates about
completed subj ect only to final revision.
Wool is made free and put in the front OF
the bill The duties on wooden and worsted
manufactures are substantially reduced
and the present difference in the classihca-
ton between wooden and worsted goods
is abolished. 1t is estimated that the
reduction of revenue from changes IN
the wooden schedule will probably be from
So, 900 600 to SI5, 900, 600. The present
tariff makes the duties cheaper wooden
goods much higher proportionately than on
the finer fabrics, so that the poor are taxed
out of all proportion TO the wealthy. The
schedule that will be reported reverscs this
entirely and taxes finer fabrics higher in
proportion to value than the cheaper goods
used by working men"
What articles will be added to the free
list!"
salt lumber and many chemicals are put
upon the free list. 1t is not yet known
whether fish will be made free or not, as the
commission is embarrassed by the PENDING
negotiations with Great Britain. The ne
cessity to obtain certain votes of members
from those States which are large producers
on coal"
How about the metalsr'
The metal schedule has not been completed
and is now being revised by consultation
with tariff reforrners who are acquainted
with the production and manufacture of
metals. There will be substantial reductions
on metals though. Steel rails will probably be
put as low as SO or Sl1. The changes made in
this schedule have been made for the purpose OF
cheaEening as far as possible all agricultural
implements, tools and metals used in build
ing. The Democratic members from Vir-
GINA, West Virginia, Alabama 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
pre- vent it from being done.
1.-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 prophets, to cheaper the
taxation on all food and the neceSsaries OF
life, and to leave substantially untouched
the duties on luxuries or the 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 producer
1.-THE bill will be more moderate than the
more decided revenue reformerS would pre-
fer, but it will be in the right direction, and
it is thought will commend itself to the
try by its conservatism. The reduction on
sugar Will De ~ per CENT. or SI1, UUU,UOO, anu
the entire reduction of tariff somewhere be-
tween $500 900 and $4,000, 900, possibly
S60OGO,00O.
1.-The alterations in the Internal Revenue
law will be very marked. The tax on
manufactured tobacco amounting to about
$4,000, 600. will be abolished. The special
license and the tax the manufac-
lures of stills will be repealed, and all
fruit brandies made free. This will make
aggregate reduction of internal revenue of
perhaps $50 600, 0J0 that if the bill passes
the entire reduction of revenue will be be-
tween $50. 600, 900 and $50, 000, 900.
9 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 Instructions caused by
the present tariff as was possible, and to give
them as many advantages as possible, for the
purpose of furnishing to the producers of
raw material in America a 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. 1t is firmly believed that if the bill
passes there will be a large decrease of i'm
portations on account of the additional adj
vantages furnished by this bill and that the
price of wool, timber and other material
produced in America will be increased and
not diminished