Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-29
THE TARIFF BILL AT LAST.
TO BE PRESENTED TO THE FULL
 COMMITTEE TOMORROW.

Salient Features of the Measure-Raw
 Materials to be Made Free-A Cut on
 Steel Rails-Fifty Per Cent. Reduction.
 MT. Randalps Opposition.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 29.-The Democratic members of the ways and means committee are understood to have closed their labors yesterday The bill will be presented to the full committee for consideration tomorrow. It has already been sent to the public printer, and will probably be in type to-day.
 It is impossible to give the full details of the bill at this hour. The members of the com mittee concerned in its preparation have shown unusual discretion. It is said the bill will be conservative one. Raw materials of every kind and nature utilized in our manu- featuring industries are placed the free list It is understood that the duty on coal and iron ore has not been changed. The southern states rich in iron ore protested against any reduction.
 There will undoubtedly be a cut of not less than 8 and not more than s7 in steel rails Even if the reduction is only S6 per ton no foreign rails could be imported into the United States to-day in competition with home steel mills, as the price of American rails is less to-day by S2 s per ton than the price in London with freight and duties added. A general but moderate reduction will be made in the iron and steel schedule, but so moderate that the iron mill men of the country ought not, it is said, and cannot con- plain.
 The free list contains jute, hemp, flax, wool, lumber, salt and building stone. There is long list of other articles, but these are the most important. The reduction pig iron is very slight. It will simply be drop from S6 72 to S6 per ton. A reduction of 20 per cent. will be made on plate glass and 30 per cent. on common window glass Earthen- ware will be reduced about 12 1-2 per cent. ad vaorem. The duty on metals is reduced practically from 37 I0-100 per cent. to B 1-2 per cent
 The most important schedule in the bill is the wool schedule. The framers of the bill, it is understood, believe that ill the event the bill becomes law wool manufacturers will be placed upon basis of prosperity which they have not and do not enjoy under the present tariff. IL is claimed that the bill if passed as drawn will give to the manufact- urer of worsted and woOlen goods at least % per cent. ad valorem more protection on their products than they now have. It will practically, too, open up the markets of the world to them.
 The sugar schedule is reduced 22 per cent in ali a gross reduction of S12, ,0G0, O00 The main object of this reduction is prima- ri.y to reduce the revenue. Al the same time it strikes at the sugar trust whiIe protecting tine Louisiana sugar planter as far as it was practical
 It is not belived that the members of the committee know exactly what the aggregate reduction on imports will amount to. The general impression, however, is that it will aggregate from $50, COG, eco to S55, ,0O0, GOO l The administrative features of previous tariff ] bills is ill the one to be reported, such as ex- tending the bonded period, etc. The reduc- 1 tion on internal revenue will amount to from $2O. .0OO 900 to $50, GOO OOO This will be princi- | pally upon tobacco and the licenses and taxes | on distiilers It is very improbable that any reduction will be made on whisky, beer oI | spirits distilled from fruit.
 1 It may be said in a general way that the average gross reduction on all articles, incud ing the free lst will be about 30 per cent. It | is more than probable that whatever the con- mi tee proposes to do in connection with the reduction of internal taxation win be imme- diately followed by the introduction of bill into the committee before the bill for the re- vision of the tariff is introduced into the house, or as least if not, it will follow the in- troduction of the tariff bill into the house at a very early date.
 The statement or rumor that fish is to be | placed on the free list is absolutely false. The | proposition was never seriously considered, and will form no part of the bill.
 It is said that MT. Randall is already pre-
 ared to launch tariff bill so ultra in its character that it re-establishes the duty on many articles which existed under the tariff prior to 1883, and many others which were reduced by that tariff, that MT. Randalrs bill will probably never become factor in the contest on the floor.