Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
CRITlCIsING THE MILLS BILL.
Report OF the Minority Of the Commit
tee Of " avs and Means.

Mr McKinley-s minority report on the tarin bill,
which Is signed by all the republican members OF
the ways and means COMMITTEES, deals with tins
Nils bill In detail and enticises 10 az every point.
The report starts out BY sharply commenting on
the .'extraordinary manner In which this bill
came to the committee and the total lack OF con-
sideration given It." The bill Is spoken OF as
radical reversal Of the tariff policy OF the country
II enacted into a law, the report says it viii dis
t1ro every branch OF business, retard manuiactur-
ing and agricultural prosperity and seriously I'm
pair our Industrial Independence. IL does not
correct the Irregularities OF the present tar1, it
only sgyravates them. It's construction takes no
account OF the element OF labor.
'THk PooE MANS BLANKET"
which the majority has made a burning issue for
80 many years Is made to bear the same rate OF
duty as the rich mana More than one-third OF
The free list is made up from the products OF the
farm, the forest and the mine: from products
which are now dutlable at the minimum rates,
ranging from TO % per cent, and even this slight
protection, 50 essential, l. to BE- taken from the
farmers, the lumbermen and the quarrymen. The
American farmer will appreciate the vicious char
acter Of the bal as applied him. when be Is APP
pissed OF the fact that while the products OF his
land and labor are shut out from Canada by pro-
tectiye tarir imposed by the Canadian govern
ment, the Canadian farmer can send many OF his
products here without the payment OF duty under
The proposed BILL
the report says: II places this production upon
the free list and exposes our hooks and ieeces TO
merciless competition from abroad. In tn s re-
spect the bill IL but the echo Of the Presidents
message, and gives emphasis TO thu settled pur-
pose Of the majority 20 break down one OF the
most valuable Industries OF the country. II Is
puzzle proclamation that the America policy OF
protection, SO long adhered to and under which
has been secured unprecedented prosperity in
every department. Of human effort, Is to ne aoan-
dOns1 The purpose Il 10 bring down the price OF
WOOL II this should be the result we inquire at
whose expense and loss: IL must be at the ex-
peuSe " tue American grower and 10 his loss. who
"A IL
being forced out OF the business Dy rulnous for
elgn composition The INJURY, by the confession
II the majority. VIII fall upon The American wool
grower. lie - 10 be tue first victim He can ind
no profitable foreign market II he is unable TO hold
his own. and IL Is absurd TO talk about enlarQing
the market for his product at home with the wool
81 the world crowding our shores unchecked by
eustom-hcuse duties The report quotes figures
our own production ANY reduction must come
from the farmer and the labOrer. The report con-
tends that unier the low tarii OF lS47 laborers
were paid starvation wages and clothes were no
cheaper. The report argues TINT the passage OF
the BIN would transfer the readv-Inade clothing
business TO Europe: IL would reIard the raising OF
lax and hemp and destroy the manufacture OF
linen threads, linen and hemp yarns and Irvine.
1he manufacturing OF Jute requires substantial
protection
RAW MATERIALS.
The grave injustice which a majority OF the CON-
mittee have done the laborers employed In indus
tries producing crude articles by placing them on
the free list on the claim that they are ''raw
upon the chemical Industry. Earthenware and
glass are mentioned as industries that VIII De Sc
rtOusly crippled Plate-glass factories must either
close OF wages must 90 down.
the METAL SCHEDULE.
The report next takes up the metal schedule and
contends that the duty on tin plate ought TO be
increased Free Tin plates. &C, means annlhiia-
ton OF the manufacturing OF the finer grades OF
sheet iron- Cotton ties fare as badly as tin plates
and II the ajOrity desire 20 insure the handing
over OF our steelrail market TO our English rivals
the proposed duty OF slI viii accomplish this pur-
pose. unless the workiDgnlcn who are employed ia
producing the raw Iaate.idls and finished prOducts
Ol our stee-rsil works are willing 10 accept stil
lower wages than they now receiving and the
railroad companies which transport the raw ma
rrrials are willing 10 greatly reduce their freight
rates
lKGUISG THAT REDUCED TARIFF DUTIES WILL IN
CREASE THS SURPLUS.
IL Is further eontended that Il !, he the purpose
n the majority To reduce the income OF the Gov
ernment from customs sources It win not be &c
cOmphshed By the scaling Gown OF duties as pro-
posed Ia the bill. IL T. well known aud supported
~ almost universal experience that mere dimi-
nutina OF duties tends stimulate foreign impor-
tatioas and thereby Increase the revenue. This IA
shown BY the reports OF import atiOns since lSS; OF
those articles upon which reductions were made
D. the law OF that year. As examples Il says that
the duty on plate glass by the tariff OF 1883 was
reduced % per cent and the increased revenue In
1885, was s.2O0,OO0. The duty on wool was reduced
m lss3 In that year the resultant revenue was
SSs5l.653 and IN 1SS1 s5s9eSI6 II business is in
penl from the surplus the President has the
power TO purchase outstanding bonds To have
thus used tie surplus would have been business
Ike. The President failed To DO this. but the
House, had 10 appreciated the situation, might
nave abolished the tobacco tax. amounting TO
200, the 1rst Week in December and the
tax on alcohol used IA the arts. So 0OO, 900 more.
COMPARISON
Of the reduction Of taxation made by each political
party Is thus stated: During the eleven years OF
republican control the revenues were reduced es- !
timated s}62 5o4 500; during the eleven years OF
democratic control the revenues were reduced |
s6,36s,935; difference In favor OF the present |
minority party in the House OF s:l56, l35, 634.
NAY OFFER SUBSTITUTE.
The report declares that II disaster results from
the failure OF the President TO use the surplus
and II the majority In the House. which alone can
originate bill 10 reduce the revenue falls to send
10 the senate bill Of that character the respon-
-loihty VIII rest with them. The minority are
pOweresS; they are neither IN control OF the House
nor the committees; they are in no parliamentary
position 10 report bill give direction to legis-
latiOn which shall sur ly accomplish results 30
much desired They sought by amendments In the
committee on ways and means 70 make tnis bill
reasonable. Just and practical: falling there they
Will seek 10 amend and modify IL IN the committee
OF the whole House, and If their efforts there are
Unayalling, they VIII seek a last resort an on
portunity 10 O1er substitute, which will as
sUredly diminish the revenues without any in-
pairnent OF The American system OF protection
The minority regard this bill not as a revenue
reduction measure but as a direct attempt TO
f1strn upon this country the British policy or free
foreign Trade.
tnsSeicOme Tramps.
WY POLICEMEN DISLIKE TO HAvE THEM As NIGHT.