Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-10-11

Of the substitute eported b the Repnb-1
lican majority until it was reported TO
the full committee on the 18th OF last
month"; Criticising the substitute the MI
nority says:
The essential difference between the Houss
bill AMI the Senate substitute is apparent and
radical at the outset in the mater of revenue.
The one is framed in the interest of the public
treasury. the other in the interest of private
pockets The one is framed in the interest of
the whole people, the other in the interest of
three hundred thousand manufacturers. The
one is designed to reduce both Government rev
enue and taxation, the taxation especially
which bears heaviest on the necessaries OF life.
the other is intended. to raise public revenue.
indeed but to maintain private revenues by in
creasng and retaining taxation on all the neces-
sarses of life Practically, the substitute Of
fers to the people free whisky and tobacco.
leaving all the expensive machinery for the
collection of the revenue and enforce
ment OF the law in full force. while 1t Increases
taxation upon the actual and indispensable
necessafies of life. and this, too when there is
large surplus in the treasury, and under
existing laws that surplus is being increased ut
the rate of over ten million dollars per month;
thus Withdrawing and withholding from the
channels of trade commerce and business OF
the country money absolutely necessary to
their successful operations. The substitute,
the majority say, not only retains duty on
raw wool. but increases the duty from ten to
eleven cents q pound on clothing and combing
wool. and the existing duty is retained on car
pet woods, which all parties agree are not pro-
duced in this country, and the changes made in
the manu- features of wool increases the taxa
ton. and to that extent increases the cost OF
the manufactured article, and especially the
cheaper grades-the clothing of the poor.
In the cotton schedule, they say. the great
process of .'leveling up is called into reQuisi-
ton. BY changes in classification and by new
subdivisions still further complicating the ad
min stration, and by changes in rates. in effect
principally increasing taxes, most glazing in
cons stencies and determinations are perpe-
trated in this so-called revision.
The present tariff is the nursing mother OF
trusts. It is the wall behind which these COM
binations are formed, by which the people are
plundered. Tariffs keep out foreign compittion,
and the combination suppresses the domestic,
and the whole people at their mercy, and
must pay whatever is demanded. Language is
inadequate to describe the lniquity Of these
corporations against the rights of the people.
or to depict their disastrous effects upon the
general welfare. AS the tariffs, which render
trusts possible are established and maintained
at the special instance of those who form them,
1t would seem but simple justice as we'll as
good policy TO tear down as much as possible
of their cover and refuse to longer aid them in
wrong doing. They are not private affairs
has been asserted, but public evils of the
gravest character. affecting the price OF every
article which contributes to the comfort and
support of the people. The provisions OF the
substitute favor them greatly and will serve to
encourage their formation in still other
branches of manufacture. Many of those be-
longing to trusts appeared before the
finance committee clamorous for such
legislation as would promote their
interests They are all opposed to
the House bill. which should commend 1t to all
who condemn their methods. 1t is bad enough
to permit those who are most interested-the
manufacturers-to appear before our commit
tees and suggest the legislation they wish, but
surely we should not listen TO the trusts and
aid them to rob with both hands The absurd
accusation that the Mills bill means free
trade" the ruin of Industry and the 'degra-
dation of American labor is false
and misleading. How the flow Of sur
plus money into the treasury can be
stopped without reducing the taxes which
produce it no man can devise: how these taxes
can be reduced without taking off from the top
toward the bottom imagination can con-
cefve. Therefore it would seem no man can
propose to cut off excessive taxation without
suojecting himself to the charge of "free
trade because any reduction whatever '.looks
toward free trade True, Government revenues
might be reduced by making duties so high as
to prohibit importations altogether: but that
is the other end of the road. which increases
the taxes paid to private persons If the first
method leads to free trade the other leads to
free plumber, which is worse.
Free wool is di scussed, and the minority
are firmly convinced that besides the in-
calcu able advantage to the whole coun.
try which would result from the placing
of wool upon the free list, it is easily
demonstrable that r. class will suffer,
but that each will reap his share of the
benefit.
It the tax be taken of of woods. our manufact-
urers at once become bidders for wool against
the foreign manufacturer, and as certain con.
sequence the prIce will rise, and this will oper
ate doubly against the foreign manufacturer.
He will buy his woods dearer and meet untaxed
in our markets, corresponding grades. We
would import more woods, OF course. and in no
other way can great factories prosper. be-
eau Sc their capacity is beyond our own WOO
production.
The minority close their report by rec.
Dunn ending to the Senate and the coun-
try the Mills bill as measure for the re-
duction of taxes, based alike upon justice
and good policy.
The minority re port is signed by SEN
ators Harris, Vance, Voorhees, and Nc
Pherson. the last-named qualifying his
Endorsement Of tho report with this state
ment:
concur in the above report indorsing the
House bill in respect to articles placed upon
the free list, but desire some notifications 10
the dutiable list.
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