The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-16
SENATOR'S IN THE HOLE.
ruErR TARIFF BILL DECLARED
NOT AN AMENDMENT.

,.r Mr. Mills of Texas, from the committee
-, vavs and means, reported back the Mills
+arifT bill with the Senate amendment, aud
~, direction of the speaker it was referred
- committee of the whole. Mr.. Mills also
reDorted the following resolution, which
ba said presented a question
Of privilege, the consideration of
which he said, he would ask the House
70 enter upon on Tuesday next;
J,ssol,,ed. That the substitution by the Senate,
,,1dar tbe form of an amendment for the bill of
tbs House No 90j1 (the Mills bil), of another
and different bill containing general revision of
the laws imposing impost duties and internal
tavas il in conflict with the true intent and
nurDose of section Z, article l, of the constitu-
Hon and tEat said bill be returned to the
Senate with the respectful suggestion that said
section vests in the House of Representatives
tine sole power to originate such measure.
To FILE A MINORITY REPORT.
Mr.. Mckinley of Ohio said that the con-
stitutional objection raised by the majority
of the committee to reduction of the reve-
nue. had been called to the attention of the
committee only this morning He therefore
reserved to the minority the right to file
their views.
Mr. Reed of Maine raised point of
order against the resolution. The speaker
said that the resolution would remain upon
the speakers table with the point Of order
reserved against it.
The report of the committee opens with
statement that the Senate committee on
finance reported back the House bill, with
recommendation that all after the enact
ing clause, an entirely new bill, be substi-
tuted 1t goes on to recte that the House
bill was never read in the Senate except by
its title; that the original bill contained
e. and the substitute 179 pages; that the
House bill embraces certain specified items
,F- ba 1l1Efit t11ta
original revision of the entire revenue sys-
tenn, and that the Senate informed the
House that it had passed the House bill
with IAN amendment notwithstanding
tie fact that only the title and enacting
clause remained intact
THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.
The report continues:
This brief sketch brings us face to face with
auOsu important constitutional question TIE
first clause Of the seventh section Of the consti-
tuition provides that ali bills for raising the
revenue shall originate in the House of Repre-
seutatiyes but the Senate may propose or con
cur with amendments as other bills.
Here follows historical review of the
events which led up to the adoption of the
provision that revenue bills shall originate
in the House, and citation of different oc-
c3siOns las i'll the case when the Senate
amended the House bill to repeal the tea
and coffee tax by subs ituting q general
tariff bilD when the House successfully
maintained its constitutional right. The
committee says it may be safely assumed
that substitute such as the Senate pro-
posed is not an amendment in the constitu-
tional sense, and therefore it reports the
resolution directing its return to the mate.
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES.
Continuing the report says:
The finance committee of the Senate very
properly charaCterizes the difference between
the House and Senate bills as fundamental The
House biz was framed upon the principle that
taxes are burdens borne by the people for the
Necessary support of the government that they
Il should at all times be limited by the Just re-
qIiremeuts Of an honest and efficient aImns-
q irarion; that in selecting articles upon which
duties are to be imposed and fixing the rate
a which each is TO bear, regard should always be
Fl had TO the peculiary ability OF the consumer;
that uxur'es aud articles CONSUMED by the
wealthy should bear higher rate OF duty than
necessare1 OF life which are consumed by the
# poorer people; that when the existing rates of
taxation bring to the public treasury more
revenue than is required for an efficient admin
k iS,ralion rates should be reduced burdens
igltened and obstructions to commerce and
Interference with business and the employ
men'S Of the people should be removed as far
THE SENATE PRINCIPLE.
Inc principle upon which the Senate substi-
tute IS framed is that duties are levied primarily
U ralse revenue for certain favored classes OF
citlzrns and incidentally for revenue for the gov
erhment; that in imposing duties congress should
select such articles that will bring the largast
revenue 10 the favored classes while they bring
toln7 government the amount required for its an
l-a' expenditures; that when existing rates are
ul"g Ag surplus revenue to the government,
lhe excess should first be expended, and new
ClalueIs of appropriation should be found, and
tLiu1lou postponed as long as possible, and,
"ueu 10 must be made, it should be on those
Wut'o' that bring the least amount or revenue
~ lhe pockets of the favored classes and at
e we same time, make the largest reduction in
'ne surplus revenue Of the government.
u Is lor this reason, says the report, that
Ile nnAnce committee has reduced the
uuy'eS On sugar, as it asserts, $27, ,759, 1888
ana IL argues that nlne-tenths of this tax
sos !Ht the treasury and the remainder
.t.' Ihe pockets Of the sugar owners. In
a-o case oi wool, cotton, iron and steel, it is
aslel that taxes bring to the government
So-,Vo' goo and to the pockets Of manufact-
.tg'a F9Oo0JO,OOO because nine-tenths of
'10 manufactures are produced at home
AN OLD CLAIM ABANDONED.
7'errlng to the Senate finance commit
'e, The report saws:
They no longer conterded os in f,r,,or ,,oo,.s
rsI. ttrtss 10 laying duties should dscrimi-
A sIte l t''or OF the home producer TO an extent
I.-.'.,,'o 10 cover the difference in the cost Of
a.I..'ol Dut they now demand that the tax
NJ T o5 SD nigh AS to prohibit the importation
sbTH 'lkn goods in order that the home market
nav r",nt 'e hept Tor home producers, where they
r.g5 .oIulhe and sell TO tho home consumer at
t5' aH uigh as the traffic will bear Aud this
a rt Pg4Sed TO call protection to American
4 tnii5 Ihe industry they are protecting is
r.- t.l,"'fy OF robbng the tax payers limiting
hy 'u Gching out, dischargng and starv-
hg na me policy Of the party represented
gi-cii.'t'' .'''1u.e u.e committee is the policy Of re
r-.lI.,,,.' not only against the importation Of
o.,e,..t' wi restriction against the distribution
d. bl, ID, t,' uHonS the masses by permitting them
sel were they can buy the cheapest and
4 but ""eIt ihey can sell the highest,
hl.r. q" rt"rction against the emrloyment Of
plor,', ''uIcton against the demand for en-
4 iy ytf, ana better wages. II is contended
own w. tuNI II we exclude foreign imports our
sunni .4NuIactures and their workiuen will
our .urm and that will give employment to
r FACTS FROM THE RECORDS.
So. report then adduces figures and
Nm r"'t .cs of The operation Of the tariff law
ti. Years TO meet tho Senate conten-
s..,,,"I9 "I9 declares that those years which
tl.I eefeasing mportations were among
cont" c"' aesJ sJ IN our industrial history. IL is
4 e,,u.d That reduced duties mean larger
Il tP.llauons and that increased importa-
NJ cert ,''' s M increased prosperity; that 30 per
~ stato VA 'he goods consumed In the United
81 than are produced at lower cost
81 aD.,,aa n 'oTolgn countries, which is sufficient
8 to, 80 10 the scarecrow tnat free importa-
agd Iioulu result in running our industries
ratas 'ao9r' 1t is said that a reduction in
III ti.t- wiz increase the ifnportation Of mr.