Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-16
But Not Prepared to Give a Final Opinion
on the Bill
CONGRESSMAN HOGG'S OPINION,
Mr. Wilson Explains the Free Wool Provis
ion in a Convincing Manner-A Bens-
itto Both Wool Growers and Man
ufaetureS-Mr. COTS Ad-
verse Opinion.
So,aa, Ts,sgum 10 ne RsoL4e-.

posed tariff legislation, but find that they
are all loath TO talk on the subject in de-
tail Senator Faulkner preferred not to be
interviewed. He said that it was subject
which required thorough study before he
could give an opinion, and as far as he was
concerned he had not yet been able to read
the bill, nor bad he heard it discussed.
Senator Kenna, in his response to lhy re-
quest for an interview. said:
Il cannot give for publication my views
OF o bill revising the entire tariff, more es-
pecislly one have not had time TO exam
in detail the measure of its reductions or
the scope of their reach.
az want reduction of taxes. want il
bad. l think the exactions from our peo-
pie through the medium Of the present
tariff are exhorbitant, wholly upjustitied
and mean inevitably the widening Of the
ehasm between the few who own the
money and product of the country and the
masses who make its products and create
| its food and raiment. No decent excuse
can be offered for imposing upon the farm
/ er aud The laborers and the masses OF our
people, twenty odd long years after the
/ war has ended, burdens as great as they
had to bear when they supported and
maintained more than two millions Of
men, armed, equipped and fed in the field.
''I want reduction of the public burden,
and shall support it sgAinst all comers,
bu. want the treatment of the subject to
be adjusted to q scale Of fairness and OF
/ decent consideration to all concerned. This
general suggestion will give you an idea OF
my position, and, however, of course l
cannot speak a. 10 details until l know
and understand what the details are as
presented. "
OUR REPRESENTATIVE ES' VIEWS.
Mr.. Snyder says that he has been too
busily occupied 10 give the bill any atten-
ton. The River aud Harbor Committee
meets every day and the Committee on
Bankiog and Currency twice a week. He
has been so engaged with the business be-
! fore these committee, both of which he is
/ a member. he has been unable to read the
bill, aud at present he prefers not to be in
teryiewed on the proposed tariff legisla-
/ tion.
Congressman Hogg expressed himself
"a follows:
"In the main I consider il very con-
serystive measure. The tariff reductions
will not exceed pToDsbly $45, 600, 600, and
as the removal of most, fnot quite all, the
| internal revenue tax upon tobacco will he
| effected this session, il will reduce the sur
Plus at least So, 600, 900 or $500 900.
'I shall move to amend the bill so far
as it provides for free raw wool. As a
matter of Isquity 10 the agricultural in
tsrest / think we shOuld not place this ar
/ ticle entirely On the free list. As to salt,
| I should like to see this undisturbed, as
the amount paid into the treasury is
merely nominal, amounting to but about
one cent to every inhabitRnt. However,
| if the amendments desire to see adopted
are not fayorably clnsideIed, | shal; vote
for the bill as proposed by tha great lead
ers of the party.
II have thus far accepted the judgment
of my party on nearly every, if not quite,
every important measure upon which l
have cast q vote -
! CONGRESSMAN NllESON.
! Congressman W. L. Wilson was asked
| if he could tell the exact reduction in rev.
enue expected from the Mills bill If
passed. He said the question could only
| be answered on the basis of last years re-
turns On that basis the free list would
reduce twenty-five million, other reduc-
tious thirty-one millions, making ffty-
three millions on the tariff; add TO this
twenty two and one half millions from the
| internal revenue, and the entire reduction
foots up over seventy five millions.
! There are one OF two schedules rs to
which | would like TO have information
for the REGISTER, and first of all the wool
rates"
1.-The present tariff" said Mr. Wilson,
begins with a duty of 10 cents pound
on wool in the grease, 90 cents on washed
wool and 80 cents on secured. ] am not
now speaking of the cheap carpet woods,
nor of the highest priced wools, Of which
we import very little, or of manufactures
of wool We have there two duties. For
example, blanket valued at not more
than 50 cents a pound pays 10 cents a
pound and IS per cent. ad valorem, making
& tax Of 50 per cent. in all. This 10 cents
is the manu- uiacturer's compensation for
his tax on wool and the 80 per cent. ls his
protection. We put wool on the free list,
and reduce tn tariff on woolens about the
equivalent OF this ccmpsnsating duty"
Now tell me in few words why you
put wool on the free list?'
my answer in few words would be TO
help the American wool grower and save
the American manufacturers.
"What do you mean by that 2"
"I mean this, with tax Of so cents on
a dollar blanket, with a tax Of $1.O5 on a
ward of common cheyiot that costs 81, 2o,
and with q tax of 20 per cent on the
cheaper dress goods of our women and
children, could any man ask for increase Of
taxes? / think not. Hence We were met
by two alternatives, eilher to see our
woolen manufacturers die out as they are
rapidly doing or give them free wool.
LOOK to-day at the condition Of our
voolen mills; their machinery is steadily
decreasing. / visited in the holidays the
great Pacific mills at Lawrence, Mass
The cotton print works were running to
their full capacity. The great woOlen
mills adjoining, with yearly capacity OF
81, ,OOO. 600 pounds, more than our entire
West Virginia clip, had one-tbird Of It's
machinery idle, One-third making cotton
prints and the other third running at a
heavy loss. ] asked the manager how
much American wool he would buy next
yeAr with the tariff unchanged. BE said:
I,Half . million pounds" How much
with free wool?'' A million and hall
hounds" Other mill owners have told
me substantially the came. Look at Our
imports and you gee the reason we brought
in last year S45, ,OOO,OOO worth oI
woolen manufactures, as against 5000
900 two years ago, this represents 1S5, 600,
600 pounds Of wool, and this importation
will increase unless we put our marutae'
turers on the same footing with their com
petitors, with freedom to get their wool
from all parts Of the world.
1--WE do not produce more than half th'