Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-10-11
THE MINORITY REPORT.

THE MINORITY REPORT.
nance Committee on the New Tarin
Bill.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.-The report OF the mi
nority OF the Senate Finance Committee on the
substitute Tariff bill makes a document OF
twelve printed pages. It begins with the state
ment that in the preparation OF the substitute
Tor the House bill no member of the minority
OF the committee was consulted or informed as
70 Its provisions until it was reported to the
full committee September 3. It recites the
work or the subcommittee in hearing ''the
statements, arguments and appeals Of manu-
facturSTs and others who demand that the pres
emit high rate of tariff taxation shall be main
tanned. and ia most instances prompted not by
any revenue niece ssities but alone for the pur-
pose of increasing tn cir own profits at the ek-
pense OF 60, OOO,O 900 tax payers"
continuing it says: 1T is safe to say that
all the interests benefited by higher protect
i've tariff have been fully heard and have had
much influence In shaping this substitute
while the great body OF the people-the tax
payers and the victims of this pol1cy-haye
not appeared and have not been heard It is
said that the short time that the substitute
has been in the hands of the majority they
nave FOUND 1t difficult to ascertain its ef-
feet, but the difference between the
House bill and the Senate substitute is appar-
ent and radical at the outset in the matter of
revenue The one is framed in the interests of
the public treasury: the other in the interest of
private pockets. The one is framed in the in
terest OF the whole people; the other in the in
terest OF 10000 manufacturers. The one IS
designed TO reduce both Government revenue
and taxat1on-the taxation especially which
bears heaviest on the necessaries of life; the
other is intended to raise public revenue in.
deed, but to maintain private revenues, increas-
ing and retaining taxation on all the necessa-
ries of life.
The minority say the substitute bill is framed
q oip1vy # tho
the bill is full of tricks by which this is ac-
comphshed, though not apparently so. In
stances are recited and the report says: Can
ingenuity go further? That taggers iron should
De raised from 80 per cent. to IS per cent; that
table cutlery for the poor should be raised by
specific rates added to ad valorem; that knives
should be heavier taxed and made cheaper for
the S2OO grade and dearer for the S15 grade by
making each pay $40 and 4. a5 per cent. ad valor-
email these and more are no longer startling
ana prepare the mind for a thousand other in
constituencies and Determinations hidden by
neat and obscure classifcations that only time
and patient investigation will reveal"
The minority criticise the lumber, salt and
provisions schedules, and then discuss the SUBJ
Jects OF trusts, follows: 1.-THE present
tar1n is the nursing mother OF trusts. 1t is the
wall behind which these combinations are
formed, by which the people are plundered.
The tariff keeps out the foreign competition
and the combination SuppreSseS the domestic
and the whole people are at their mercy and
pay whatever is demanded. Language is mad
equate to describe the iniQuity of these combi-
nations against the rights of the people, or to de-
Flct their disastrous effects upon the general
welfare AS the tariffs, which render trusts
possible, are established and maintained at the
special instance Of those who form them, it
would seem but simple justice as well as good
policy to tear down as much as possible Of their
cover and refuse to longer aid them in wrong
doing.
s'They are not private affairs as has been as
serted, but public evils of the gravest character
affecting the price OF every article which con-
tributes to the comfort and support of the peo-
pie. The provisions of the substitute favor
them greatly and will serve to encourage then
formation in still other branches OF manufac-
ture. Many of those belonging to trusts ap-
peared before the Finance Committee, clamor
Gus for such legislation as would promote their
interests They are all opposed to the House
bill, which should commend it to those who
condemn their methods. It is bad enough to
permit those who are most interested (manu-
facturers) to appear before our committees and
suggest the legislation they wish, but surely
we should not listen to the trusts and aid them
to rob with both hands,
The minority deny that the House Tariff bill
Is a free trade measure and say that no one can
propose the reduction OF taxation without be-
ing subjected to the charge of being a free
trader by the opposition.
The minority deny that tariff revision will
reduce wages, and conclude their report with
NE following remarks concerning free wool !:
1.-THE minority are firmly convinced that be-
sides the incalculable advantage to the whole
country which would result from the placing
OF wool upon the free list, it is easily demon.
strated that no class will suffer, but that each
will reap his share Of the benefit. With q
consumpt ion of 600 OOO. 600 pounds OF raw wool
in 1887 and population of 60 200, 600 the
average per capita consumption is easily reck-
oned at eighteen pounds, or fifty pounds to the
average family OF five persons, and the North
ern farmer constantly exposed to the rigors Of
our winters, consumes something more than
the average. 1t requires from three to four
pounds to make pound of cloths so that
twelve to sixteen pounds of wool in clothing
Tor the family will be seen to be a low average.
This is now taxed from SIS to nearly
80 per cent. The manufacturer is not benefited.
because his finished product comes into COM
petition with the foreign product made not only
from untaxed wool but cheaper WOOL II the tax
be taken OH wool we will import more WOOL of
course, and in no other way can our great
factories prosper, because their capacity is be-
yond our own wool production. When the
factories are turning out more product the
employees have steadier work and better wages
and indirectly, OF course, the whole country il
benefited. Under the House bill the
even higher competitive advantage
over the foreign than under tho
present law OF the substitute. The manufac-
turers will export wooden goods as we now ex
port cOttOn ana leatner, ana the demand Tor tho
wool will better the wool market and encourage
an increased production, while the average
wool grower himself will reap from cheapened
clothing more benefits than he ever did from q
tax OF his product, which he must pay himself.
The minority, therefore, dissenting from the
report OF the majority, commend to the Senate
and the country the bill of the House OF Repre-
sentatives No. 9,051, as message for the re-
duction Of taxes based alike upon justice and
good policy
The minority report is signed by Harris,
Vance and Voorhees,. Mcpherson concurs in
respect to the articles upon the free list, but
wants some notifications In the dutiable list
Beck has a supplemental and individual report
in which he indorses the Mills bill and eulogizes
the President.
DakOtans in Distress.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Oct. 5.-Mayor Smith
to-day received an appeal for aid from the