The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-05
ROBBERY VS.. FAIR TRADE.
THE TWO REPORTS TO THE SENATE
ON THE TARIFF.


Friends of the Trusts Proven by Past
Experiments.
WASHINGTON, Oct. In the Senate to-
day the majority and minority reports on,
the tariff bill las well as Beck's yiews) werel
presented and ordered printed.
The majority report is document Of
fifty printed pages, exclusive of voluminousl
tabular appendices.
The minority report makes twelve printed
pages, or about 5000 words and Mr. Becks
statement embraces about 900 words.
The majority declares that the demand
for careful and thorough revision of our
revenue laws is imperative.
l, To reduce the national revenues.swn are,
now excessive.
9. To protect honest importers and domestic
producers from the disastrous consequences res
sulting from the fraudulent undervaluations Of
imported merchandise on which ad valorem.
rates OF duty are levied
3. To remedy defects anomalesand incons,
gruities which have been from time to time dis-i
covered in the tariff schedules, or which have5
been created by erroneous decisions of thei
treasury department.
4. To secure proper readjustment aud equalid
zation of the tariff rates rendered necessary byl
modified business conditions, improvements inl
the methods OF production, radical changes mi
prices, or by new clements and sources of com-l
petition.
8. To give relief and protection to many in.I
dustries which are now suffering on account OF
Inadequate rates levied on competing products.i
THE DEMAND FOR A REDUCTION.
The majority says:
The public demand for reduction of thet
revenues is more urgent on account of the inex-I
cusabe retention In the national treasury or ortI
deposit in national banas of vast sums of money!
IN excess of the amount required to pay the curl
rent demands upon the treasury and to meetg
the maturing obligations of the government.l
This sum, with the additions which will
accrue within the next four months and beforeI
any legislative action reducing the revenues canl
be etectiVe il declares, will be sufficient to pay
In full the outstanding ~ per oent.b bonds due in,
1891, 1921 100000. This Accumulation could and
should have been profitably avoided. and the
possibility of business disaster avoided by al
prompt return OF the money collected from thel
people to the channels of trade through the plr-
chase of United States bonds that could at ALI
times have been obtained for prices which to.
the government would have been equal to an
investment OF otherwise Improbable funds at a.
rate of interest of not less than per cent. per
annum.
TRIcKERY CHARGED.
TIE report then says:
1t has been the evident purpose Of those who,
have controlled the policy of the party in powerI
to delay action, to magnify the causes for
evils until the people OF the country should del
mand RELIEF and then to assume thatl
the evils and em6arrassments froml
sary incidents of the protective system,
and that relief can only be found in the emas.,
cuation or destruction OF that system. The
known attachment OF the great mass of wage-'
earners OF the country to the system which has
been productive to them of unexampled pros
perity prevented the adoption of policy OF
open attack and made it necessary that some
plausible reason should be found for the
stealthy accomplishment of their destructive
designs.
REFERENCES TO THE MILLS BILL.
Referring to the House bill, the majority
says:
II foreign manufacturers should through
changes made In the cotton and woolen schedJ
ues by the House bill, secure a quarter of the
market now hold by American manufacturers,
and this II thinks very conservative estimateJ
tae additional duty would reach at least Se0,1
OU,OO0. An expansion - imports would also
follow reduction OF th@ rates on china, com5
mon window elass, manufactures of iron and
steel, flax, jute, hemp and many minor manu-
factures, with greatly augmented revenues. ID
declares that the House bill perpetuates the ex1
istng and creates by its obscurties and FAULTY
constru ton, doubts and antiquities, which
must multiply Indefinitely the present confusion.j
The report makes reference for illustration to its
appendices to q large number Of paragraphs OF
the existing law of doubtful meaning, which tho
majority claims the House bill wants TO remedy!
end to paragraphs of the House bill, any prob3
able Interpretation Of which itthinks would IND
crease the existing confusion. The results, howl
ever, wnich would flow from the enactments OF
the bill as O corrective measure, would be mucH
less disastrous to the material interests of the
country than those which must surely follow
the adoption OF its Affirmative propositions
SPECIFIC DUTIES.
The feature which most clearly indicates its
purpose is the proposed su Institution Of specific
duties. This could have no other result than to-
change rates now protective for others which
would not protect. The promoters of this bill
must have been familiar With the testimony
q "
disclosing enormous frauds upon the revenue
and honest merchants through the use OF ad
valorem rates. The frequency and notoriety OF
these frauds, and the widespread demoralizal
tion resulting from them, should have pre-
vented any attempt to extend the system.
AN ILLUSTRATION
In illustration Of the effect Of the House bill
TO increase the importation and break down
domestic products cite the application o6
ad valorem rates TO manufacturers Of fine cotton
cloths. The specific rates now levied uponl
cotton cloths furnished no reasonable
grounds for adverse criticism, either by tho
producers or consumers Of cotton manufacturesi
The inevitable result of the substitution would
be TO largely increase the importation Of all ths
more representative classes Of these goods and
to produce disorganization and depression Ia
this important industry The uniform rate Of
40 per centum proposed would bear very heavy
collected upon an honest valuation, protective
upon the coarser and common hndx
which are largely consumed by all
the importation without restraint OF those nnq
fabrics which may be properly designated AZ
luxurieS.
The proposal to apply this principle to all
manufacturers OF wool would be equally uns
satisfactory and destructive. The rate pro-
posed in the wool schedule would
prevent the importation Of low gradea
OF hannels, blankets, and bats of
WOOL and all low and medium grades OF cassit
meres aud other cloths which enter into tha
clothing Of the great mass OF our people, but
would be insufficient upon all the inner classes
OF dress goods and cloths for mems wear. All
articles in both these schedules, which could bd
classed as necessaries of life. and which ara
worn by our workingmen and women. would
be protected by the rates proposed to an extepa
to exclude the foreign article, while upon All
the finer and more expensive products which
are IN the nature OF luxtiries and are purchased
largely by the rich, the rates would place no
upon Inportatlens. and would furnish
no protection 10 the American producer.
SCHEDULES EvADED.
The majority says that with the exception
of silks, wines, liquors, tobacco and cigarsl
every tariff schedule IL evaded by the alter
ations made with the hostile sbirit which
the House bill, and that nearly All
Of our industries would feel the blighting
effect OF changes which are either incons
siderate, OF purposely destructive.
The report then says;
The trade tendencies which are parflv CON
cealed In these propositions TO cripple or destro,
numerous industries, ere clearly brought ind