The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-04-07
The Republican Side Presented.

The Republican Side Preserved
WASHINGTON, April .ss.1es -.
port of the minority of the Jomhit-
tee on Ways and Means onthe tariff
bill was prepared by Mr.. Mckinley,
and is signed by all the Rpublican
members Of the committee. The
opening paragraphs are as SLOWS:
The extraordinary panner in
which this bill came to tie commit
tee and the total lack 0 considera.
ton given to so grave q measure by
those charged with it's Investigation,
demand notice and Comment. 1t
was fashioned outside If the commit,
tee and reached it notify the refer
ence of the House, which is the usual
channel through With committees
obtain jurisdiction of subject. 1t
was presented readymade by the
chairman of the committee was
framed. completed AMI printed with
out the knowledge Of the minority
and without consideration or discus
sion in the full committee. If any
consultation were he'd the minority
were excluded.
The Representatives on the floor of
the House were not permitted to
to voice the wants Of their constitu-
ents. Proposing a grave measure
which would affect all of the people
in their employments, their labor,
and their incomes, the majority per-
sistently refused the people the
right of hearing and discussing de-
MED them the simple privilege of
presenting reasons AID arguments
against their proposed action.
But as the bill. as avowe ed, is d p.
litical one, believed to present n Pc
as it does the views of the President
and his party associates. bill which,
with the Presidents free trade mes.
sage, Is to constitute the issue, and be
the platform of the party, it may &C.
count for. but will not justify this
extraordinary course of procedure.
The DILL is radical reversal of the
tariff policy of the country. If enact
ed into law it will disturb every
branch of business, retard manufac-
turing and agricultural prosperity,
and seriously impair our industrial
independence. 1t undertakes to re-
wise our entire revenue system sub
stantially all of the tariff schedules
are affected both classification and
rates are changed. Specific duties
are in many cases changed to adyal-
orem. which all the experience has
shown is productive of frauds and
underyaluations. 1t does not correct
the irregularities of the present tariff;
it only aggravates lthem. 1t intro
duces uncertainties in Interpretation.
which will embarrass its administra-
tion, promote contention and Iitiga-
ton. and give to the customs officers
latitude of construction which will
produce endless controversy and con-
fusion. 1t is marked with a section
alism which every patriotic citizen
must deplore.
If the majority desire to insure the
handing of our steel rail market to
our English rivals, the proposed duty
of Sill will accomplish this purpose
unless the workingmen who are en-
ployed in producing the rail mater
ials are willing to accept still lower
wages than they are now receiving
and the railroad companies which
transport the raw materials are will.
ling to greatly reduce their freight
rates. Have the majority any assur.
ance that the working-men and the
railroad companies are willing to ac.
cept these conditions? Neither were
heard before the committee.
The supply of steel rails to the Pa.
cific coast is now in the hands of for.
eigners, because of the cheap trans
portation by water from foreign
ports. the existing duty of SIT not be-
ing sufficient to enable our maniac
turars to compete for that trade.
1t should be remembered that our
manufacturers of steel rails consume
almost one half of all the pig iron
that the country produces. If this
great market for American iron ores
and pig iron is to be destroyed the
country need not be told of the dis
tress which will come to labor and
the bankruptcy which will come to
producers.