The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-10-11
sssFssss An On SIZE TARrEF HEEL.
The Mo- Peri ct Revenue MEASURE Eve
sstss ON the AlafUta HANKS

The Mos PERI. ct Revenue Measure Ever
rat the Atatute Dooks.
In his speech on the Senate taiil bill Mr..
Sherman com pimehted the sub committee on
the work which it had done. 1t had quickly
come 10 the conclusion, he said that the House
bill totally inadequate that it wos not
a revision of the tariff laws but only an amend
ment of them thai it only affected portion
| of the paragraphs of the tariff laws, and did not
aim to be revision, and that it only cut here
and there Che was about to say at random) at
the various provisions of the existing laws
When the House bill came to be examined in
detail it was found to be full of incongruities
| and Inconsistencies. Taxes, for instance. were
to be levied, in some cases, on raw materials at
higher) ates than ON the finished articles. In
his judgment there would be few defects found
in the Senate substitute. 1t would be found to
be very perfect bill. Among other things 1T
was a subs 'antial compendium of the provis-
ions for the collection of internal revenue and
IF custom duties. 1t contained a positive, un-
questionable reduction of evennes to the eX-
tent of $73 .683, 00C. The reduction was few
aftlcles. ne ta1 on sugar was feouceu one
hall or S27,U0a,D00 There was entire
moval of the tax on manufactured tobacco ex-
eett as to cigafs-the reduction OF revenue
there being $2i 5000. The tax on alcohol used
in the arts (S5,42S00O) was repealed, but he
doubted very much whether this project could
be carried out without giving rise to extensive
frauds. Ard on other articles there
ducIion of Sc, OOU05. The Senate bill enlarged
the tree list by adding to it certain articles
which could not be produced in this country.
The House bill went on different principle,
and placed on the tree list some of the
important products of the Unit ed States, such
as wool, thus bringing the into immediate
com pet rton with the foreign PROD ucts.
There was not single item In the senate bill
which Disseminated, as the House bill did, be-
tween sections OF the country, although it did
reduce the duty on sugar from So per cent. to
Il per cent, and rice from over 100 per cent, to
over So per cent. There slight increase Of
the duty on wool but he hoped against hope
that The increase would be made larger by the
senate. The duty TN plate had not been
touch, d, but in his judgment tin plate should
be put the same footing as any other indus
try. He heiIev-d that the senate bill was on
the whole he be st revenue bill ever intro
duced in Congress auu that if it could be taken
up free from party aSper1t1eS and prejudtces,
and considered and debated, and amended, it
might be made the most perfect revenue meas
uIe ever put on the statute BOOKS. The issue
was now fairly made before the people, and
square lssua between tariff for revenue
only "tnd ii tariff Tor revenue and Proteo-
ton.' 1t was question whether the articles
necessary for htIiilan lie si-Ould be made by
Amellt an labor or by foreign labor: whether
the wages IF American laborers should depend
on the wages OF European laborers Or should
Deepen she America. policy of protecting
all forms of labor and production.