The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-10-27
THE MINORITY REPORT.

Senators Harris, Vance, Voorhees, and
Mcpherson ON the sennte TariH Bill.
Commenting on the connection be-
tween the tariff and trusts the minority
of the Senate Committee on Finance
says;
"'The present tariff is the nursing mother Of
trusts. 1t is the wall behind which these com.
binations are formed, by which tho people are
plundered. Tariffs keep out the foreign COM
petition and the combination suppresses the
domestic, and the whole people are at their
mercy and must pay whatever is demanded.
Language is inadequate to describe the iniquity
of these combinations against the rights of the
people, or to depict their disastrous effects
upon the general welfare. As the tariffs,
which render trusts possible, ore estab-
lished and maintained at the special instance
of those who form them, II would seem but
simple justice, as well rs good policy to tear
down us much rs possible of their covert and
refuse to longer aid them in wrong-doing.
They are not "prlvate AFFAIRS" MS has been az
serted, but public evils Of n gravo character
affecting the price OF every article which con-
tributes to the comfort and support OF the
people. The provisions Of tho substitute favor
them greatly and will serve to encourage their
formation in still other branches Of mnnufnct-
ure.
1.-THE absurd accusation that the Mills bill
means free trade the ruin Of industry and
the degradation OF American labor is Us false
as misleading. How the now OF surplus money
into the Treasury can bo stopped without re-
ducinR the taxes which produce it no man can
devise. How these taxes can be- reduced with
out taking of from the top toward the bottom
no imagination can conceive. Therefore, IL
would seem no man can propose to cut of ex-
cessive taxation without subJecting himself to
the charge of free trade because any reduc-
tion whatever 'Ooks toward free trade True,
Government revenues might be reduced by
making duties SO high as to prohibit fnporta-
tions altogether; but that Is the other end Of
the road, which increases the taxes paid to
private persons. II the first method OF reduc-
tion leads to free trade the other leads to free
plumber, which is worse"
The report closes by recommending to the
Senate aud the country the Mills bill as Q
measure for the reduction OF taxes, based alike
upon justice and good policy.
Senator Beck, in his individual report on tho
Tariff BILL says In substance:
"The st-nggie Of tho minority OF the Com
mit.ae on Finance seems to be, and its eject
certainly is, to close our ports as far as possi-
BILE against commerce from abroad, and sur
render to other nations the trade and COM
merce OF the outside world, and subject our
exports to such extortions in freight charges as
combinations OF foreign shp-ownors may see at
to exact"
Continuing, he argues that the attempt Of
the majority of the committee to report spe-
cific instead OF nd valorem rates means that
the goods used by the poor shall be taxed ond
out of nll proportion 10 those used by the rich.
Tho pretenses upon which high torff are now
demanded will be as strong, he says, nifty
years hence MS they IRE Mt present. It Is no
longer infant industries that are clamorlng.
The manufacturers ore stalwart giants now.
"The bills now presented by the respective po-
litical organizations" continues Senator Beck,
''ure infinitely more important in the princi-
pies they represent than IN the amount Of tax
alton they propose to remove, measured mere.
ly by money"
Referring TO the Presidents message he says {:
''If any President ever satisfied the American
people that no subordinated private ends TO
pubic interests and had the courage to OK press
convictions regardless OF personal consc-
quences, President Cleveland in this message
has satisfied them that he has acted with an
eye signnl to the public good. II will be o
striking evidence of the power OF employers
over their workng-mcn II they succeed in
making them believe that their wcltare enters
into the contest to be waged. Tho struggles
made by their leaders, General Harrison In.
cluded, TO Hood the country with Chinese.
sending money to China and importing 10000 OF
them mt time as the managers OF tho Co atr0l
Pacific railroad did give the lie to all their
professions OF sympathy with hlgh-prced
Amerioan labor"
Continuing, he says that tho Presidents
message and the House bill were both eminent.
ly conservative. The Senate bill In tho wool,
cotton and other schedules not only Increased
the ratio OF tax, but did It In the form Of COM
pound and specific duties, so rs to conceal the
increases. The cotton schedules were simply
outrageous. Senator Beck says he is glad the
committee has gone to the extreme OF protec-
tion, restriction and destruction. Concluding,
he condemns the cotton bagging trust % Q
turin crcation.