The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-05


part of the sppraising ofie ers necessarilv nm
certain and unequal; but ~heo. as now. MANY
foreign importers deem [ ne successful evasion
OF our revenue laws oy INSCRIPTIONS methods
ad valorem rates fail lamentabiy Of
their purpose. They greatly exagger-
are variations in foreign prices.
When business Is depressed and foreign prices
are aonormahy low, when foreign competition
is most to be- dreaded, and when . defensive
barrier is most needed by domestic producers
then ad valor sm rates are lower protection is
duced. and depression IL intensified. On the
other hauo., when foreign values are the highest,
rates are higher, and restriction enlarges into
prohibition. IL it is desirable that sliding
scale CT duties should be adopted, rates should
incre ase as foreign prices diminish. Ad yalo-
rem rates afford facilities for the grossest
frauds upon the revenue. Through uudervalua-
ward dishonest importers, while they destroy
the business alike OF honest importers and OK
domestic manufacturers. The foreign manu-
facturer practically fixes the duty which he is
willing to pay, and in many cases the only limi-
tasion upon the amount OF foreign Importation
is tbs extent TO which the fear Of detection in
nuences the persons who make the invoiees
The evils which flow from ad valorum rates are
SO great and so manifest that this plan of COL
iecting duties has no advocates but professional
and political revenue reformers and dishonest
consigpers.
''In illustration of the effect Of the House bill
TO increase importations, and break down 40
mestic producers, We cite the application Of ad
valorem rates 20 the manufacture OF fine cotton
cloths The specific rates now levied upon cot
ton cloths furnish ne reasonable grounds for
adverse criticism, either by the producers
consumers OF cotton manufactures The inev-
liable effect OF the substitution would be 70
largely increase the importation of all the finer
and more expensive Glasses OF these goods, aod to
produce DISCRIMINATION and depression IN this
important industry. The uniform rate OF 10
per centum proposed bears very unevenly upon
the various grades Of goods. 1t would be, IL
upon the coarser and commoner kinds which
are largely consumed by all classes of cur peo-
pie, but it would encourage the importation,
without restraint, OF those fine fabrics which
may be properly designated az luxuries.
"The proposal to apply this principle to all
manufactures OF wool would be equally unsatis-
factory and destructive The rate proposed in
the wool schedule would prevent importation OF
the low grades Of fannels blankets and hats Of
wool, aud all low and medium grades OF cassi-
meres and other cloths which enter into the
clothing Of the great mass Of our peol 10, but
would be insufficient upon all the finer classes
of dress goods and cloths for mems wear. All
the articles in both these schedules which could
be classed as necessaries OF life, and which are
worn by our workiugmen and women, would be
protected by the rates proposed 10 the extent OF
exclusion OF the foreign article, while upon all
the finer and more extensive products which are
in the nature of luxuries, and purchased largely
by the rich, the rates would place no restraint
upon the importstons, and would furnish no
protection to the American producer
The majority says that with the exception or
silks, wines, liquors, tobacco and sugar. every
tariff schedule IS invaded by alterations made
with the hostile spirit which pervsdes the House
bill. and that nearly all OF our industries would
feel the blightins effect OF changes which are
either ipconsiderate or purposey destructive.
The majority says
1.-THE free trade tendencies, which are partly
concealed IN these propositions 20 cripple or de-
stroy numerous industries, are clearly brought
into view by examination of the list Of ar
ticles which the bill proposes TO place upon the
free list. OF the 104 items from which the duties
are removed, nearly one-half forty eight iu
number, are manufactured articles, sixteen ara
agricultural products. eleven are articles which
now free of duty, without commercial
importance, and twenty-one are articles which
pay a mall revenue duty, out which are OF
such character that removal OF duties is unob-
jectionable."
The report here embodies list OF absut City
manufactured articles from which 6uiies are
proposed to be removed by the Mills BILL refer
ring TO which list the majority says:
This is free trade in the concrete, and the
list furnishes conclusive evidence of the intent
of the House bill, which cannot pc n:utralized
by the e,eventh-iour disclaimers Of its support
ers. Upon investigation it will be found that
with the exception OF tin-plstes, the supply Of
the above articles for home consumption Is now
furnished. 20 q great extent by domestic pro-
ducers, whose business would be, in most in
stances, az once destoyed by the adoption Of this
bill"
The majority estimates that at least $500, 000,-
600 of capital and 100000 workmen are now so
employed. These items, it says, in tbe manu-
facture OF the articles named in the list. seem
to have been taken indiscriminately from the
present dutiable list. and there is reason for
the removal OF duties upon them which would
not apply with equal force To hundreds of other
manufactures which are not dutiaole. They
owe the distinction OF having been designated
for the frat sacrifice on the free-trade altar to
the fact that neither the interests OF a section
nor the political control of distric. demanded
their preservation. 1t declares that in many
cases where tie manufactured article is placed
on the free list, q duty 10 retained on the mate
that this Discrimination would act ss q pro-
hibition upon production in IBIS country,
aud it cites SOAR looking-glass plates,
tin-plates. cotton-ties snd hoops, needles,
ochre and ochrsy ssrths. and umber ard rmbery
earths, dry and ground in oil, free. willie q duty
OF 10 cents per gallon is retained on inseed-oi.
In q considerable number of cases the admission
of important manufactured products free Of
duty, while q duty is retained materials
would not only extinguish the industry directly
affected, but would efectuallv destroy important
collateral industry. The free admission OF iron
or steel sheets Of all thicknesses coated with tin
or lead, would not only prevent the production
of tin-plstes in this country. but it would cause
a substitution Of imported tin plates Or sheets.
in most cases, for roofing and other building
purposes, and for domestic uses, where galvan-
lied or other sheet-iron steel is now used. and
thus large and important American industries.
now fully established, would DO annihilated.
The provision to admit German looking glass
plates free of duty would not only destroy the
business of silvering platss in this country, but
the much larger and more important industry
Of manufacturing plate or other polished glass
for all purposes. AS the glass referred 70 IS
of the finest quality and highly polished, it
would not only take the place of plate or other
polished glass for looking glasses, bat OF glass
I, for other purposes, as 1t could be cheaply sil-
vered and the silver removed an expense
which would be Insignificant contar with the
duty on foreign glass This provision also con-
tains, the majority believes, the first attempt
which has been made in American tariff to
discriminate between the productions of various
foreign States, and it thinks ii can be safely
suned that the producers of France, Belgium
and England would not consent TO this discrin-
ination in favor of German manufactures.
Placing curled hair on the free list would,
it says, ruin q useful trade. and il would also de-
prive the farmers of the United States of q prof
table market for millions Of pounds of hair. In
many cases the duty is removed not only from
materials, but also from the manufactured prod
uct in various stages well. Raw wool is free
of duty, and no duty is levied washed
secured wool. or on wool-tops or other msnufact-
ures of wool less advanced in condition than
yarns. Jute is put on the free list and the
duties are also removed from burlaps and bags
or jute for grain. If Canada consents, round
and square timber and sawed boards are all free
from duty, while the duty on planed lumber Is