The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-05
The Republicans and the Tariff.
Majority Report of the Finance
Committee of the Senate.
They Confess to the Necessity OF
Tariff Revision,
But. Make the Cut Solely in the
Interests of Monopoly.
A Show of Honesty TO Conceal a Vast
Amount of Deviltry-The South
Given the Heavy End of
the Log.
The Republicans and the Tariff

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.--Following is n
synopsis OF the report Of the Republican
majority of the Senate finance committee
accompanying the substitute for the Mills
tariff bill:
The majority declares that the demand
for careful and thorough revision Of our
revenue laws is imperative.
|. To reduce the national revenues
which are now excessive.
2 To protect honest importers and
domestic producers from the disastrous
consequences resulting from fraudulent
underyaluations Of imported merchandise
on which al valorem rates OF duty are
levied.
3. TO remedy the defects, anomalies and
incongruities which have been from time
TO time discovered in the tariff schedules
or which have been created by erroneous
decisions of the treasury department.
1. To secure the proper rcadjustment
aud equalization OF tariff rates rendered
necessary by modified business conditions,
improvements in methods oi production,
radical changes in prices or by new cle-
mcuts or sources Of competition.
.. To give relief and protection to many
industries which are now suffering on ac-
count OF the inadequate rates levied on
competing products.
The public demand for q reduction of
Ahc revenue, the majority say, is more
urgent on account OF the incNcuSble re-
tcnton in the national treasury, or ON de.
post in national banks. OF vast sums OF
money in excess Of the amount required
TO pay the current demands upon the
treasury and To meet the maturing Obliga.
tons OF the government This sum, with
the additions which will accrue within
the next four months, aud before any leg
lslauye action reducing the revenues can
he effective, II declares. will bo sufficient
10 pay In full the outstanding ~ per cent
bonds due IN 1891, S22l 100000. This nc.
cumulation, II insists, could and should
have been probably avoided, aud the pos.
sbility Of business disaster uyCrlrd hy
prompt return Of tn money collected
from the people 10 the channels ul trade
through the purchase OF United States
bonds, that coald 1T AL times have bccn
obtained for prices which, to the govern
mcnt, would have hVn equal 10 an in
Vystment OF oihurwisH Improbable funds,
at a rate Of interest ul not less than per
cent per annum.
1T has lccn the evident purpose" the
report says, 'Ot those who have controlled
the policy Of the rarly ia power TO delay
action, 10 magnify cause Tor unclsincss,
and To multiply aud intensity evils until
the people OF the country should impcri-
lively demand relief and then to assume
that the evils aud cmhlrassmrnis from
which We are suffering arc the necessary
incidents Of the protective system, and
that relief can only be- found iu the cmls.
culation and destruction Ol that system.
The known attachment VI the great mgss
OF the wagc.cancs OF the country 10
system which has boon productive 10
them OF uncXampled prosperity prevented
the adoption Oi policy Oi open attack,
and made Il necessary that some plausible
reason should bc found ipr the strnlthy nr.
OF thcirdesiruciivcdc designs"
The majority express iis conyicliun Of the
inadcquacy Of the HOUSE bill as a remedial
measure for the reasons
/. That il would probably increase In.
stead Of reducing the revenue
?. That Il provides no remedy Tor un.
dcryaluations, but, on the contrary, in.
yitcs and gives immunity 10 fraud by sub.
al yalorcm iUr specific duties,
aud,
D. That Il does not remedy any Of the
inequalities or anomalir-, or cure any u
the defects Of existing law.
The report criticiscs the Mills hill for
the substitution Of al Naloncm for specific
duties, aud charges that the whole lcn-
dcncy Of the bill is toward free tndc.
OF free wool, the majority say eve
have been recently advised by tho Prcs.
dent 81 the United States that in any tar
III revision, such reliance upon present
tariff arrangements "a has been Invited
oi course should be- fairly aud Justly
regarded, and assured that In tho reforms
inaugumlcd by his party friends, abrupt
aud radical changes, which might cndan.
ger enterprise aud injunoully affect the
interests ol labor dependent upon their
success aud continuance, are not COnlcm.
plated ur Intended
There can be- no better test oi the sim
ccrty oi these high sounding declarations
than the proposition a. put wool on the
FREQ list. Wool has been dutinbc since
1910, and, through all the tariff mutations
which have taken plnce since, no sugy,H-
ton has been made by ans political party
up a. the Inauguration ol the present ad-
Tor the removal Of duties.
The wool growers oi The country produce
annually JD,OJ0,OO0 pounds Of wool val.
ucd NJ $4,000, 900. They supply nine
touihs Of the clothing wool used by Amer.
lean manufacturers, and they have raised
the United States 10 the tint rank among
the wool producing countries Oi the world.
Those Who have, by their patient labor
aud intelligent effort built up this great
industry, relying Tor security upDn the pro-
lection Of present tariff WmngCmcnis'
are certainly entitled 10 inir treatment and
reasonable consideration. ThCy arc ~
fused either by this puprsal.
In selecting these branches 81 Industry
for the radical changes Which free trade
theories enforce. the President and his
party have made II perfectly understood,
Ia this country aud abroad, that Their nc.
ccplance Of these thconrs s complete, and
that they intend 10 put lhe az 10 the root
OF the protective system
II will be- noticed that IN 1850, after
fourteen years OF revenue iurIH the total
production Of domestic WOOL WIS NJ. 20lUl3
pounds, or ~ pounds per capita, while IN
1884, after twenty-iouf years Ut protection,
the total production bal Increased 10 8Qs,-
600 900 pounds, VI % pounds per capita.
This increase jusiiGes lha policy Of aiiord-
ing this important agricultural product
adequate protection. IHr Development Of