The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-20
THE SENATE TARIFF BILL.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE MEASURE BY
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.
The Substitute for the Mills Bill Framed
in the Interest of Privileged Glasses
The Positive Injury Its Adoption
Would Infct.


the Mills tariff bill opens with the state
ment that the Senate Committee on III
nance reported back the House bill with
the recommendation that all after the en-
acting clause be stricken out and an en-,
tirely new bill substituted 1t goes on tC
recte that the House bill was never read
in the Senate except by title; that the
original bill contained sxty-seven pages,
and the Senate substitute 170 pages; that
the House bill embraces certain specified
items OF revenue while the substitute pro
poses an original revision Of the entire
revenue system, and that the Senate in.
formed the House that it had passed the
House bill with an amendment" not.
outstanding the fact that only the title
and enacting clause remained intact. The
report continues:
This brief sketch brings us face 10 face
with most important constitutional ques-
ton. The first clause OF the seventh sec
ton OF the Constitution provides that all
bills for raising revenue shall originate in
the House Of Representatives, but the
Senate may propose or concur with amend
mcnts as ON other bills"
Here follows historical review Of the
events which led up to the adoption Of the
provision requiring revenue bills TO orig
mate IN the House, and citation OF dit.
lcrcnt occasions (as in the case when the
| Senate amended House bill TO repeal the
tea and coffee tax by substilutinga general
tariff bill when the House successfully
maintained its constitutional right. The
committee says IL NAV be safely assumed
that substitute such rs ~ the Senate pro-
posed Is not an amendment in the cOnsti-
| tutiOnal sense. and therefore reports the
resolution, directing its return 10 the SEN
| ate. Continuing, the report SAYS.
THE Finance Committee OF the Senate
very properly characterize the difference
between the House aud Senate bisas fun.
damental. The House bill was framed
| upon the principle that taxes are burdens
| borne by the people for the necessary sup.
| port Oi the Government; that they should
at all times he limited by the Just rcquirc-
ncnts Ut an honest aud efficient s-fIninislra-
iion; that in sclectlna- tiIe articles upon
which duties are 10 be- imposed and fixing
the nate which each il 10 bear, regard
SHOULD always be had Ia the pgcuniary
ability Of the consumer that Injuries and
articles consumed 10y the wealthy should
bear higher rate ol duty than the neccs-
sarics OF lie which are consumed by the
poorer people, that when the exisliugraIcs
oi taxation bring 10 the public treasury
more revenue than is required Tor nm ctH.
cicnt administration, the rates should be
reduced, the burdens lighlcncd aud thc
distractions Ia commerce and the iutcrlcr-
oncc with the business, and cmpl0ymcnis
OF the people should be removed a- lar ~
possible.
THE principle upon which the senate
substitute is framed h that dulcsarc levied
primarily Ia raise revenue for certain
favored classes Of ctiz ms. aud incidentally
for revenue iir The Government: that in
imposing duties Congress should select
such articles ~ will bring the largest rcvc.
nuc To thc favored classes while they bring
Ia the Government the amount required
lot annual expenditure; that when exist
lng rates hrc bringing surplus revenue to
the Government the excess should first be-
| expended aud new channels Ut apprupril-
| ton should be- found aud reduction post.
puncd ~ long rs possible, and when ID
must he made Il should bc on those arti-
clcs that bring the least amount OF rrve-
nuc Ia the pockets Of thc favored claS,rs.
and at the same time make the LARGEST re-.
ducilon In the surplus revenue of the
Government"
II IS lor this rason. snys the report. that
the Finance Committee has reduced the
duties On sugar. as it asserted, s3s.,5g..NI
anu u argues that niuc.trnths ui this tax
goes into the treasury and the remainder
into the pockets IT the sugar owners.
Ia the case ol wool, cotton. iron aud steel
II h argued that the taxes hiring Ia the
government 80, OoO.OOO aud Ia the packets
Of the manufacturers SjOl. OU.ODD. because
ninc'lcnths of the manufactures are pro.
ducrd at home.
Referring 10 tho senate Finance Com.
! miIlcc, the report saws
They no longer contend ~ IN former
years, that Congress. In LAYING duties.
should discriminate IN favor at the home
prodnccr 10 an extent sufficient a. cover
the difference In the cost ui production.
hut they now demand that the tax shall
Ice -O high as 30 prohibit the importation
ui foreign goods, in order that the nDue
market shall be- Kept Tor the home pro.
ducct-, Whcrc they may combine and all
to the home consumer at prices a. hirh "a.
Tie iutii will bear Aud this they are
pleased a. call protection 10 American in
du,irv The industry they arr pnnirrtinu
y the industry oi ruhbiug the nxrayrrs.
limiting production, locking out, disrhars-
ing aud starving labor
The policy Of the party represented by
the Finance Committee is u policy uf ~.
riHcunn, not only against impOrtaiions II
products, but restriction against the dis
tubuiion ut wealth among the miss,s. by
permitting them o. bus whore they can
buy cheapest, aud sell Whcrc they can sril
highest 10 is u restriction against the rm.
rloNmcnt Ul lHhur, restriction against
demand lurcmplpymrnt and better wages
" u commended by them that II wcrXrlude
invign imports our own manuilriur.
crn aud their wofkmcn will supply Thorn.
nnd that will give employment 10 our own
people,
The vpori then adducrs figures and sta.
iislics ui thO operation of the iarin Law In
past years 90 meet the Srnntc's contention.
anl drclnrvs That those years which showed
decreasing impurniiuns wvrr among tho
darkest in uur industrial history. ID i'll
commended that induced duties mean larypr
import'i,1us, nnl thlt increased imp1ria.
Toms n'ln iucrawi prosperity. ana that
ul prr cent ul thv goods consumed bal tho
lhiici states ERE produced at lower c1rt
lhau in iuvign countries. which iaa suui.
'ivnl answer ~ ihu srlrUCfuW that fr1p inn.
pprlailous would result Zoe uiuiuf nur in.
dns'rivs aud lnhur u b. said that rsIur.
Ton 100 rates viii increase ihu importation.
ul ihc articles nov imported. ruu.tiIuiin,
Jess Than D per cent oI the c1usumpiiHn.
hut % would not bring tu ihis rbuutr, 1py
"i lho articles now produced 10 homo. h,'.
,lu'e ihrN can and arc produced aud