The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-05
A RINGING REPLY.
The Senate Democrats Speak Out.
Report of the Minority on the
Mills Tariff Bill.
The Majority's Substitute Exposed
in All Its Rascality.
It Means, Says Beck, Protection
Restriction, Destruction.
How 1t 10 Proposed to Rob the Planters
and Farmers for the Benefit
OF Corporal's Guard
OF Monopolists.


Democratic minority OF the Senate finance
committee on the tariff bill makes doc
ument of twelve printed pages. II begins
with the statement that in the preparation
Of the substitute for the House bill, no
member Of the minority OF the committee
was consulted, or informed rs TO its pro-
visions until it was reported to the full
committee on September 20.
The minority rccites the work Of the
subcommittee in hearing the statements,
Arguments and appeals OF manufacturers
and others who demand that the present
high rate OF tariff taxation shall be main
tanned. and in most instances prompted,
not alone by any revenue necessities, but
alone for the purpose Of increasing their
own profits at the expense OF OO,OOO,OOO
oil taNpayers.'
Continuing, they say: at is safe to say
that all the interests benefited by high
protective tariff have been fully heard and
have had much influence in shaping this
substitute, while the great body OF the
people, the taxpayers aud victims OF this
policy. have not appeared and have not
been heard.
IL is then said that the short time that
the substitute has been in the hands Of
the minority has made IL difficult to ascer-
tain its effect, but the essential difference
between the House bill and the Senate
substitute is apparent and radical ut tho
outset in the matter Of revenue. The one
is framed in the interests Of the public
treasury, the other interest OF private
pockets. Tho one is framed In the inter
est OF the whole people, the other in the
interest OF 10000 manufacturers. Tho
one is designed To reduce both govern
mcnt revenue and taxation, the taxation
especially which bears heaviest on the
noccssaries OF life the other IL intended to
raise public revenue indeed, but Ia main
tain private revenues by increasing and
retaining taxation on all thc neccssarics OF
life.
The minority continue. "Tho adyo-
Gates OF tho substitute freely propose 10
reduce duties or abolish them ON those
things which yield only government rcyc-
nue., but refuse 10 reduce or abolish duties
ON those things which produce private
revenue.
But the minority thinks Il safe 90 say
that the chief reductions in tariff taxation.
ms provided 10y the substitute, are ccnRncd
90 the articles Of sugar and rice, with iuie
and few other unimportant articles put
upon the free list, while there is an increase
oi du,ies imposed upon tho mululurm
manufactures Of cotton, WOOL iron and
steel -articles that the whole people. and
especially the poor and most needy classes,
are compelled TO Use. The substitute ~.
lievcs the non-ncccssary, tobacco. in all
iis Terms except ciEaS. chcrOotS and Gig
arcitcs from internal taxation, and gives
Rec alcohol To- the arts. Practically, the
substitute oilers To the people free whisky
ANA free tobacco, leaving all the expensive
machinery tot the collection oi the revenue
and enforcement Of the law in full force,
while u increases taxation upon the actual
and Indispensable ncccssarics oi life"
To illustrate their point, the minority
cites the cuse Of railroad iron, whcrc IL I,
said the burlcn Of tax rs laid upon the On
urc trade Of tho country, ultimately to cal
with crushing force upon the agricultural
In this case, they say, the House hill mad
great stride Tor thc inrmcts relief Whc
II reduced this tax TO sli per ton.
The minority continues "lhc rulsot
81 which the farmers wire fence IN mad
an not apparently changed la m,c. but 4
various changes IN classification actual an
important additional hurluns arr impnsc,
A reduction IN the duiiahlr value from .
10 3 cents per pound weight acc1mpiishp
this An additional size, number NJ,
added without an apparent change IT rat.
docs adruitiy Increase the rate paid on VIII
rods Of ihis size from o. per cent a. abot
~ per cent, AMI H an increased tax q
ihlr one sizU ul wire ruls ul nearly 800
On upon thr lasIs 0i the importaiions
lNN1, aud there h added a pro,iso 4
which rods smaller than number six al
classified as vim. and thus elect u thin
distinct increase 1T tax in this one section
and this iH called part ut a 'EyFicm," ar
rightly IN called Steel ius8ts. billet
bars, etc, now pay % per cent duty
valued ~ les than iuuf cents per puun
hy tho substitute, Il valued
one cent ~ lHs, they au duti
Die ~ uurhalt cent per pound, anu
t"wr "i ihrsr urms vvru valued at soypI
lrulha "i a cent Zee pound In the impol
ul lnri, ihr rate Ui uur.hlli yuniF IL AN
cnasr Of from o. Iyr cent. to % Tor rrn
anu nearly q million dollars tax added
this one section.
Cotton ties also received their can.
consideration. II be- not enough tlii /
most formidable and irsplyrni trust mi
ever laid its hands upon the throat pi Il,
Get labor. threatening every class. from
poor coloWd cotton yigkcr whose
pounds Of crop b. could not CT 10 mar
Tor Lack oi mean, a. wrap ID, o. the m
chant and capitalist who had advanced
ncccfsnrl's ul lI.p tu sustain that Ial
through the Husuu 60 these comes
proposed revision, not with hpIpiug hli
but other burdens, aud thp cotton
which then own friends bad reduced
pOr cent. in ihc iauH II ISIS .ouc of
bright eases IN % desert ui uiuuit,I u
omit 10y name. but include Ia n new ella
ncation, ~ that Instead uf &c. 10 must 1
according 10 the valuation OF l.s, over
FER cent, adding nearly a quarter mill
dollars ~ tax on the imported ties aba
oil Of which j lu.s totho cotton prolu,
Even with this they nr not content.
still further tax The struggling agfIyullu
IN this schedule by m sing the duties
trace chains. and lll other kinds les. q
thrcc-ciChths Of nm inch thick. from
cents, which II equivalent tp AlB1
cent. 10 3 cents per pound. equivalent /
rate Of $500 per cent Can ingenuity
further
That tagget iron should be raised Il
30 per cent 10 % per cent; that table
lcry for the poor should be raised by
cihc rates 10 al yalorem that knives
the poor should bo heavier taxed
made cheaper for the rich, that bfcl
loading shot guns should bc made chea
for the $500 grade and doarer i1r the
grade, 10y making each pay $40 aud
NaUl 0fHF A. NF.Ns. Iii a A. 4