The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-10-04
WILL Be FOUND PRACTICALLY PERFECT.
Mr.. Sherman's Opinion Of the SEN
ate Tariff Bill.
Its Operation Compared With That
OF the Premier's Production.
Renet's Circular the Text Of Lively
Discussion.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3-Senator Allison,
from the committee on finance, reported
back the House tariff bill with an amend
ment in the nature of substitute which was
placed on the calendar and ordered printed.
He said that the majority and minority re-
ports to accompany the bill would be fled to-
morrow or Friday, and gave notice that he
would call up the bill for consideration Mon
day.
Senator Sherman said he would be COM
PEELED to leave the city this afternoon and
would like to make few remarks on the
tariff bill. Unanimous consent being given,
he complimented the subcommittee on the
work it had DONE They had quickly come
to the conclusion that the House bill was TO-
tally inadequate, that it was not a revision
| OF tariff laws but only an amendment of
them, that it only affected a portion of para
| graphs of tariff laws and did not aim to be a
revision and that it only cut here and there,
| (he was about to say "at random'C at various
provisions of existing laws. When the
| House bill came to be examined in detail ii
was found to be full of incongruities and
inconsistencies. Taxes, for instance, were
the rave materials at Ss6er sG5s rates. fsse than
the finished articles In his judgment there
| would be few defects found In the Senate
| substitute. 1t would be found to be a very
perfect bill. Among other things was a sub
stantlal compendium Of provisions for the
collection OF internal revenue and customs
duties, 1t contained positive and unques-
| tionable reduction of revenues to the extent
| of S73.68 5000.
The reduction was ON a few articles. The
tax on sugar was reduced one half or ST.
10000, and there was an entire removal Of
| the tax on manufactured tobacco, except as
to cigars, the reduction Of revenue there be-
ing 80, $50 600. The tax on alcohol used in
| the arts, S6,420, 900, was repealed, but he
doubted very much whether this project
could be carried out without giving rise to
| extensive frauds, and on other articles there
was reduction Of SS.100,00O. The Senate
bill enlarged the free list by. adding to IL
| certain articles which could not be produced
| In this country. The House bill went on a
different principle and placed on the free list
some OF the most important products of the
United States. such as wool, thus bringing
tnem into Immediate competition with
| item in the Senate bill which Disseminated,
as the House bill did, between sections Of the
country, although 1t did reduce the duty on
sugar from SO per cent to
over 100 per cent to over 30 per cent There
was a slight Increase Of the duty on wool
but he hoped against hope" that the in
crease would be made larger by the Senate.
The duty on tin plate had not been touched
but in his judgment tin plates should be put
on the same footing as other industries.
lie believed that the Senate bill, on the
whole, was the best revenue bill ever intro
duced into Congress, and that, If 1t could be
taken up free from party asperities and
preJudices, and considered and debated, and
amended, 1t might be made the most perfect
revenue measure ever put on the statute
books. The issue was now fairly made be-
fore the people and was to be tried by them.
lt was plain, fair and square issue between
Tariff for reform only" and Tariff for re-
form and protection" 1t was a question
whether the articles necessary for human
lie should be made by American labor or
foreign labor; whether the wages.of Ameri-
can laborerS should depend on the wages of
european laborers or should depend on the
American policy OF protecting all forms of
labor and production
After Mr.. Shermans speech Senator Cock
rell began the discussion .of Senator Hale's
resolution OF inquiry into the Benet circular.
lie referred to the Jay Hubble circular of
1881, as he said, to show the depth of degra-
dation to which the civil service had been
brought by Republican administration, and
President Cleveland.
Senator Hale said that Senator Cockrell.
the thick-and-thin defender Of the admins
tration," had not been able in two hours
speech to say one word in defence Of the
rough order in which the war department
had proclaimed war Of determination on
women and children. The reason was that
nothing could be said in defence of il,
Senator Chandler said that never before In
the history Of the government had the poll.
tics OF female employees or children in the
workshops OF the government been referred
70 as reason either for their employment or
discharge.
Senator Hale moved to amend the resolu-
tlon by adding to it instructions to the Sec
retary OF War to transmit any other similar
documents. The Senate adjourned without
action on the amendment.
The Pension List.
The following Maine pensions have been
granted:
ORIGINAL INVALID.
Knowles Bangs, Freedom.
Furmun w. Annie, Lagrange.
Charles H. Kimball, North Paris.
Ambos f. Lansbern, Atkinson.
INCREASE.
Nathaniel Dudd, Machias.
Notes.
Lorenzo G. Morris was appointed post
master at Limestone, Aroostook county,
Maine, today, vice Sophia Seywood, re-
signed.
Senator Blair was in his seat yesterday ap-
parently less disturbed because of the stale
egg incident at Charlottesville than some
others. He was questioned by Senators of
both sides of the chamber as to the occur
renee, and replied that it was the act Of
drunken man who was irresponsible. Sena-
tor Blair said that he appealed to the mayor
OF the town in behalf of the offender, asking
that he be let off without punishment.
Chlef Justice Fuller will be sworn into
Office next Monday.
The President has approved the sundry
civil appropriation bill.