Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-08-09
The Tar,ff Commission.

The Mills bill makes q reduction in the aver.
age rate Of duties Of less than 5 per cent. As
stated by Mr.. Mills in his closing speech the bill
as originally introduced reduced the average
duty from Az. .10per cent. to 40 per cent, but
changes in the committee of the whole had
raised the average Of the bill to 42.4 per cent,
the net reduction being less than s per cent.
But this Ii proclaimed by the Republicans to be
"a free trade bill
In 1882 President Arthur and his secretary Of
the treasury having called attention to the nec-
essity of Q revision of the tariff and reduction
Of the revenues, congress took up the matter and
provided for the formation of atariff commission
to investgate the whole subject and report i
bill. President Arthur appointed the commits
sioners, Messrs. Hayes, Oliver, Garland, Ann
klsr, Porter, Underwood, Boteler, Kenner and
Mcmahon. The whole nine were fully under
stood to be in sympathy with the protection idea
and several Of them had large business interests
affected by the tariff. The commissioners were
appointed early in June, 1882, and spent six
months in travelling all over the country and
taking testimony from manufacturers and busi-
ness men an to the changes, If any, that ought to
be made in the tariff. Intheir report they found
their work made more dificuit by the evident
determination among the interested industries
to resist all reform in their own particular line,
while agreeing In the opinion that reform In the
ether lines was to be desired.
But the commissioners had their eyes open to
the fact that reform and reduction wsre ahso-
lutsly necessary, though anxious that it should
bsdone in the most conservative spirit. early
In its deliberations the commissioners say In
their report, "the commission became convinced
that substantial reduction of tariff duties is de.
manded, not by q mere indiscriminate popular
olamor but by the best conservative opinion Of
the country, Including that which has in former
times been most strenuous for the preservation
of cur national industrial defenses. Such Q re-
dnction Of the existing tariff the commission re-
CARDS not only az q due recognition of public
sentiment and measure Of Justice to consum-
ers, but one conducive to the general industrial
prosperity, and which, though IL may be tenn
porariiy inconyenient, will be ultimately bene-
icial to the special interests affected by such re.
duction.n In presenting the results Of their
Iabors in the form Of bill the commissioner
said they s'sought to present q scheme of tariff
dnties In which substantial reduction should be
. the distinguishing feature. The average reduce
tion In rates, including that from the enlarge.
ment Of the free Inst aud the abolition Of the dn,
ties on charges aud commissions, at which the
commission has aimed, Is not less ON theaverage
than 20 per cent.,, and it ID the opinion OF tho
commission that the reduction will reach 20 per
cent. The reduction, slight In some cases, in
others not attempted. Ii In many cases from 40
to 80 per cent. The benefit Of tho consumers
/ in the reduction Of prices the commission esEis
mated would be ito the extent Of hundreds Of
millions ef dollars
Here was nst reduction proposed Of from 10
I 70 % per cent. whilst the reduction under the
l Mills bill ID less than 8 per cent The rednc-
tion Of 20 tD % per cent proposed by the Repub-
linan tariff commission aas not 50 great az many
Rspublieanslnoo congress thought necessary, and
Avet the DenOcrato reduction of less than g. nAr
cent. IL denounced by the Republican howlers
- afree trade" and ''rainous 70 American in.
I dnstry."