Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-12
RANDALL'S BILL.
Propositions Regarding
Tariff Reform.
SOME SENSIBLE SUGGESTIONS.
A Big Difference to the Nations s
IncOme-Syn0psis of the
Measure.
5Associa.ca Press Dispatches to the HERALD.

lAssociatcd Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, March 11.--Randall
has completed his tariff bill and will
introduce it in the House to morrow
In explanation OF its terms and scope
he makes the following statement:
The bill repeals the internal tax or
tobacco and on fruit brandies, and
also repeals the license tax on whole.
sale and retail liquor dealers, leaving
these as recommended by Jefferson
80 that "the State authorities might
adopt Them" 1t makes alcohol used
in the arts free, and reduces the tax
on whisky to so cents a gallon. On
the tariff, the, bill is a careful and
complete revision OF the whole tariff
system. 1t carries to the free list a
large number of articles now
pa, ing duties and which enter
into consumption either as raw
material or otherwise, and in the pro-
duction of which there is injurious
competition between this and other
countries. In the revision of the
tariff the aim has been intelligently
to ap! ly consistent principles to all
branches Of industry, and in SO doing
our industrial system has been con-
sidered as whole, and differing from
other industrial systems in the i'm
portant fact that labor in this country
receives q larger share of the annual
products of labor and capital COM
bined than in any other county. This
important advantage to the labor in
terests of the United States the bill
aims to preserve throughout, while at
the same time it tries in fairness to
all interests, az stated in the Chicago
platform, to reduce and equalize the
duties ON imports. The principles ap-
piled to the
REVISION OF THE TARIFF
In this bill are,
First: that the difference in the
cost of producing commodities in this
and other countries, where there is
no climatic or other natural causes
why they cannot be produced
abundantly in this country, has been
studied and everywhere adhered to as
the cardinal principle to be enforced
in any revision of the tariffs. In such
a scheme all industries of course
should stand on an equal footing and
in no instance should the powers of
the Government be used to elevate
one above another. In other words,
our industrial system must be consid-
cred as whole in which all who parti-
cipate in it, share it's benefits whether
they are engaged in one industry or in
another. A principle of great i'm
portance has been kept constantly in
view and that is that the line which
marks the difference in the cost Of
producing commodities here and
abroad; in other words the line Of
fair competition is always and neces
sarily above the point OF the maxi
mum revenue. Consequently, to re-
duce the duties on any commodity
below the line of difference in cost
which, as stated, is the line OF even
competition, until the line of maxi
mum revenue is passed, necessarily
increases the revenues. On the con-
trary, to raise duties from the line Of
maximum revenue by
LEssENING THE IMPoRTATIoNs
Reduces the revenue, and this prin-
ciple has been kept in view through
out the bill in the adjustment of du-
ties. To determine just where the
line OF difference in cost falls, is, of
course, in many instances difficult |;
but it may be- safely assumed, when
importations in any line of commo-
dities is large and increasing, AID no
good reason appearing why things
cannot as we'll be produced here, that
such duties are below the cost line,
and that the a Vantage is with the
foreign purchaser. If the production
in the same line is diminished or
suspended altogether in this country,
it becomes proof positive that The ad-
vantage is too great to be overcome
without readjnstment of duties In
such cases embracing, however, but
few articles, there has been no hesi-
fancy in preparing this bill to raise
the duties so as to permit these indus
tries to take their place abreast with
others in the country. Where the i'm
portations are light and increasing it
NAV consistently be assumed that the
duties are quite high enough and in
many cases may be safely reduced,
and in case the industry is OF such d
nature as to permit
TRUSTS AND COMBINATIONS
OF any kind to raise the prices above
ha ~ TO 0tI
industries, then it becomes important
that the cost line should be closely
adhered to, and that has been the
aim in this bill in industries where
trusts or combinations are supposed
to have such power. 1t is less impor-
tant, Of course, to apply this rule
rigidly where prices are regu-
lated through free compe-
tition, as such cases come un-
der we'll known economic principles
The tendency is always to a general
level in profits, wages and prices in
any industrial system. In working
out the details of the bill under these
principles, the aim has been to pare
closely and adjust the different sche.
dulles, with the object always in view
to lower the duties wherever possible
and reduce the revenues, being care
full at tire same time to hurt no estab-
lished industry.
THE ESTIMATED REDUCTION
Under this bill will be: On internal
taxation repealed, $40, 200 900; esti-
mated reduction on tariff schedules.
$25, ,000, 900. The rates will not suit
many engaged in manufacture, but
are deemed fair and a proper res.
ponse to the demand for reduced rates
in our tariff laws. The bill is fully
twice as long as Mills bill and relates
to many subjects. The following are
some of
rHE MORE IMPORTANT PROVISIONS.
Taxes on manufactured tobacco,
snuff, cigars, cheroots and cigarettes,
and special taxes required by law to