The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-10-26
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
Senator Allison and His Colleagues E
plain Their Tariff BILL.

Senator Allison and His Colleagues Ex-
plain Their Tariff Bill.
The majority report of the Senate
Committee on Finance declares that
the demand for careful and thorough
revision of our revenue laws is imper-
alive, for these reasons:
First-To reduce the National revenues
which are now excessive.
Second-To protect honest importers and do
mestic producers from the disastrous conse-
Quenoes resulting from fraudulent undervalua-
tons Of imported merchandise on which I'D va
loren rates OF duty are levied.
Third-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
Fourth-To secure the proper readjustment
and equalization Of tariff rates rendered neces-
sary by modified business cond tions, improve
ment IN methods Of production, radical changes
in prices, or by new elements Or sources Of
competition.
Fifth-To give relief and protection to many
industries which are now suffering on account
OF the inadequate rates levied on competing
products.
The public demand for a reduction
of revenue. the majority says, is more
urgent on account Of the inexcusable
retention in the National Treasury or
on deposit in National banks of vast
sums Of money in excess of the amount
required to pay the current demands
upon the Treasury and to meet the
maturing obligations of the Govern
ment. This sum; with the additions
which will accrue within the next four
months and before any legislative
action reducing the revenues can be
effective, it declares. will be sufficient
to pay in full the outstanding A per
cent. bonds due in 1891, 1921, OO0, 900.
This accumulation, it insists, could
and should have been profitably
avoided, and the possibility Of business
disaster averted, prompt return of
the money collected from the people to
the channels OF trade through the pur-
chase of United States bonds that could
at all times have been obtained for
prices which, to the Government,
would have been equal to an invest
ment of otherwise improbable funds at
rate of interest of not less than 2 per
cent per annum.
The majority expresses its conviction
of the inadequacy of the House bill as
a remedial measure for these reasons:
First-That 1t would probably increase In
stead OF reducing the revenue.
Second-That it provides no remedy for uu
dervaluations but on the contrary invites and
gives immunity to fraud by substituting ad
xyalp for fir
Third-That 1t does not remedy any of the
inequalities or anomalies, or cure any OF the
defects Of existing law.
The results, however, 1.-THE majority
says" which would flow from the fail
ure of the bill, as corrective meas
ure, would be much less disastrous to
the material interests of the country
than those which must surely follow
the adoption of its vicious affirmative
propositions.
The report here embodies list of
about fifty manufactured articles from
which duties are proposed to be re-
moved by the Mills bill, referring to
which list the majority says:
This IS free trade in the concrete, and the
Of the House bill. which can not be neutralized
by the eleventh hour disclaimers OF its sup
porters. Upon investigation 1t will be found
that, with the exception OF tin plates, the sup
ply OF the above articles for home consump-
ton is now supplied to q great extent by do
mestic producers. whose business would be in
the most instances at once destroyed by the
adoption Of this bill. 1t is estimated that ut
least $500 OOO OO0 OF capital and 300 900 workmen
are now so employed.
The provision to admit German
looking-glass plates free of duty, the
majority believes, is the first attempt
which has been made in an American
tariff to discriminate between the pro-
auctions of various foreign states. and
it thinks it can be safely assumed that
the producers of France, Belgium and
England would not consent to this dis
elimination in favor of German man
ufacturers.
OF free wool the majority says:
We haze cen recently advised by the Presi-
dent OF the United States that in any tarin re-
vision 'such reliance upon present revenue ar
rangements as have been invited or encouraged
should be fairly and justly regarded and as
sured that In the reforms inaugurated by his
party friends abrupt and radical changes
which m ght endanger such enterprises and in
iuriously affect the interests of labor depend
ent upon their success and continuance are not
contemplated or intended" There can be no
better test OF the sincerity Of these high sound |
ing declarations than the proposition TO put
wool on the free list. Wool has been dutiable |
since 1916. and through oil the tariff mutations |
which have taken place since no suggestion |
has been made by any political party, up to the |
Inauguration Of the present Administration, |
for the removal OF duties. The woolgrowers |
Of the country produce annually $4,000. 600 |
pounds of wool valued at t10O 100000. They |
supply nine-tenths OF the clothing wool used |
by American manufacturers, and they have |
raised the United States to the first rank |
among the wool-producing countries Of the |
world |
The majority terms the Mills bill
"a sectional BILL" and says its pro-
visions point to an attempt to dis |
criminate 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
at the expense of another. This dis
is not less marked in favor |
of the people of Canada and against
the farmers and the lumbermen living
along our northern border from Maine
to Oregon" The majority treats at
length upon the advantages of home
market for farm products. arguing
shat it is for the highest interests of
the American farmer that the number
of our food consumers rather than Of
food producers should be increased,
and that the general prosperity of all
should be secured. The report says: