Omaha daily bee., 1888-04-04

OF the ways and means committee Is n
much more elaborate discussion Of the
tariff than the report OF the majority.
It shows at least that there is a great
deal that can be said on both sides OF the
question. These reports, however,
really only ~foreshadow what is to come
when the subject is formally before the
house and all of the three hundred and
twenty-five members nave the privilege
OF talking upon it. Nearly half this
number have already signified their in
tention to speak on the tariff. Allowing
three prepared speeches a day, which
with the casual remarks on the sub
ject would probably be all the
house could stand, aud provision is
already made for fully forty days
of tariff oratory. 1t seems inevitable
that the talk must go on until the first
of June, with every likelihood OF being
continued beyond that date. AT all
events the country is assured OF being
deluged with such a flood OF wisdom and
eloquence on this question as it has
never known before. p
The minority report pursues the line
OF discussion that was anticipated. Its
strongest point against the Mills bill is
the sectional discrimination of that meas
ure, which was fully pointed out when
the bill was first made public. 1t is a
very material and serious objection,
bearing conclusive evidence OF the par
tisan considerations which influenced
the democrats OF the ways and means
committee. The report vigorously
combats the proposal to place wool
OF the free list, and insists that
such a policy would be destructive
of the wool industry of this country.
The views of the minority on this feat
ure of the Mills bill will receive more
favorable consideration thar their argu-
men against a reduction of the steel
rail duty. The steel rail syndicate is
now protected by a duty of seventeen
dollars, which the tariff bill proposes TO
reduce to eleven dollars. Profitable
competition by English manufacturers
cannot be carried on until the price of
rails in the American market reaches
forty dollars a ton. This shows hat the
cost of foreign steel rails delivered at
New York is about twenty-three dollars
a ton. Allowing the cost Of producing a
ton OF steel rails in this country to be
from three to five dollars more than
this, which is doubtless a very generous
allowance, and a duty of eleven
dollars would afford a protection
of from five to eight dollars. This
| p,,nht IN ha o,p,1A 70 np,hln tho
steel industry not only to survive but to
prosper. 1t would diminish the vast in
come Of the syndicate, which could not
push the price of rails above thirty-four
dollars without drawing active compe-
tition, but the contracts made this year
show that the steel rail manufacturers
can afford to sell for between two and
three dollars less than the maximum
price they would be held to under the
duty proposed in the new tariff bill.
There can be no question that when
steel rails sold in the American market
last year for forty dollars the syndicate
received not less than ten dollars a ton
in excess of a fair and even liberal
profit. This was no thing less than {
direct tribute to the monopoly, every
dollar of which must ultimately come
out of the pockets of the people, anC
largely out of those of the farmers of the
country. The proposed reduction o.
duty would cut down the tribute here.
after to not less than four dollars, anC
this is quite enough to demand of the
people of the country in behalf of the
opulent steel rail syndicate.
The report expresses the unanimous
opinion of the republican members o
the ways and means committee, and un'
doubtedly has the approval of the large
majority of the republicans of the house
1t does not hold out the promise tina
they will present to the country a plar
Of tariff revision that will meet the pre-
vailing conditions or respond to the Elk
p~ectations of a very large proportion o
the people. 1t is not reassuring of tn,
adoption of any satisfactory polio,
of revenue reform by the present con
gress. 1t does not encourage the hop,
of relief from the burdens of taxation
or OF adequate provision against tn,
dangers of an accommodating surplus. |
very greatly darkens the prospect o
legislation for improving the fiscal sys
TEN of the government and relieving
the financial situation of the countr,
from a strain which it is ~reasonabl,
feared cannot be much longer continue,
without yaru Sarinrs cnpSan,anpac