The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-08

Inc CAr1n Dill OF the democratic ma
jority of the Ways and Means Committee
was reported on the LIST instant to the
full Committee, which Immediately ad-
journed to Tuesday, the 9Th, to give time
for the republican members to examine
the details of the bill. Mr.. Mills, chair
man Of the Committee, prepared for the
New York Herald statement of the
changes the bill proposes, from which we
extract:
Mr.. MILLS CONFIDENT.
Chairman Mills is much pleased with the out
come of his work and tina: of his democratic
colleagues Mr. Mills said to-day to your cor
respondent that he believed the bill was 80 con-
sentative and fair in character that 1t would CON-
mand a majority in the House of Representa-
tives. He admits that fourteen democrats of the
Randall school will probably vote against the
measure-two from Pennsylvania, two from
New Jersey, four from Ohio, four from Louisiana
and two from California. He expects, however,
that their votes will be Offset by those Of at least
eight or ten republicans, mostly from the North
west. Dir. Mills continued
i think the bill will pass by slender ma
jority. In my judgment, when a measure so
moderate and conservative as this gets before
the country and the people have an opportunity
10 read the debates upon ii and to study its pro-
visions at their leisure 80 strong sentiment
will be created in its favor as TO compel men of
both parties who honestly mean to represent
their constituents 10 support it
FIFTY MILLIONS OFF.
The bill reported to-day" Mr.. Mills went
on, does not contain any provision for a modi-
fcation of the internal revenue laws. We had
completed the tariff sections and on account of
the general IN terest In the matter thought best to
report them at once. The reductions in revenue
proposed by this bill aggregate about $50 OO0,-
OOO according TO the methods of computation
which We adopted. That is, taking the imports
Of each article in the last fiscal year on which
We propose change Of duty, we compute the
receipts from duties on the same Quantities or
values of goods at the new rate, aud deduct 1t
from the actual receipts from imports on those
articles during the last fiscal year.
81 recognize fully that such method of COM
putaton cannot disclose absolutely the ef
feci upon the revenue of new tariff legislation,
but think the result will come much nearer the
actual figures based upon purely theoretical COM
putatiOns OF increase or decrease of imports with
changed rates.
The trouble with such computation Is that
there is no data for the premises. Such compu-
tatons have been attempted in previous cases
when tariff bills have been reported, but they
have almost always proved exceedingly mis-
leading We have presented figures, which are
substantial as Tar as they 90.
ESTIMATED REDUCTIONS.
"Of course where additions are made to the
free list, "a is the case with many Of the changes
we propose, our computations of decrease of
duty are absolutely correct, for there can be
duty collected no matter how many times i'm
portations are multiplied.
" l think it is the opinion of the majority OF
our committee that the revenue Of the govern
ment should be reduced not less than 100000
OO0 Wehave therefore Jeff $25, 900, 900 to be
disposed Of by changes in internal revenue taxa
ton"
REDUCTIONS IN DETAIL.
What are the reductions of revenue proposed
by your bill in detail?' asked the Herald CORES.
pondeut.
I'VE have not" replied Mr. Mills, completed
the computation down to the last figure, but
can give them 10 you in round numbers AID
ditons to the free list comprise the largest item
and they aggregate $22, 25O0oO The other re-
auctions are sugar sll 100000; woolleu manu-
features, $120O00OO; china and glassware,
chemicals mic nso $3.50 o SSttoos and
dries, $4,000. Total $5O, 300 GEO. There are
some small items which I have omitted but
the receipts from them are Insignificant in
amount"
EFFECT ON MANUFACTURED
"What do you think, Mr. Mills" asked the
Herald correspondent, will be the effect OF your
bill upon the manufacturing industries OF the
country?'
I'm my opinion the effect Of the bill If passed
will be exceedingly beneficial to our leading
manufacturing industries, and will be harmful
to none which are possible of healthy develop
ment In this country. l will explain this more
fully when l come to the woollen schedule, for
l want to say word as to the effects upon each
important class of dutiable articles
&" You will find when you examine it In detail
that the reductions OF duty upon manufactured
articles are comparatively few and so made
up in number Of cases as to no more than of
set corresponding reductions upon the materials
entering into the manufactures. We have in
some few cases made a slight increase of duty in
order to correct discrepancies or modify the ef-
fects OF rulings made under the present law by
the Treasury Department. We have corrected
what is called the schedule but there is a rcduc.
ton of duties in that schedule which partially
offsets it.
AID vALOREM DUTIES.
I'VE have where it was practicable substituted
I'D valorem for specific duties, with a view to a
more just distribution of the tariff burdens A
specific duty falls just as heavily upon the
cheaper as upon the more costly articles, and
operates to tax the poor man As much for poor
article as the rich man is taxed tor much bet
ter one.
THE FREE LIST.
1.-THE chief additions to the free lis. are lum
Der, salt tin plates and wool In the case of lum-
Der We have incorporated into the bill prov
sion that if any export duty is laid upon any
kind Of il by the country whence it is imported
all kinds imported from that country shall be
subject TO the same duty as al present. This
provision WAS asked for by some of the Michi.
gan people as an Offset to the policy OF the Ca
nsdans. We have enumerated logs on the free
list and in order to get any kind Of their lumber
into this country free the Canadians must repeal
their export duty on logs
We have pu, books and pamphlets 10 any
other than the English language on the free list
and also works OF art. The revenue derived
from these articles is not large, and The removal
OF the duty Will be great convenience to peo-
pie who receive books through the mails and
will assist the spread of culture and good taste
RAW MATERIALS FREE.
" We have added about all the articles COM
monty called raw materials to the free list in the
belief that such . policy will assist our manu-
factures.
We have put all kinds of wool on the free
list and thus done away with any classification
for tariff purposes. Elannels, yarns and cloths
are made forty per cent. and ready made cloth
ing forty-fve. They now pay specific duty
with al valorem duties added The specific
duty 10 taken off because the duty on wool being
removed the manufacturer is now more fully
protected than before and can make his goods
with greater profit"