The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-17


tee, after reciting them says, that it has recon-
mended the repeal of all statutes imposing
upon farmers and growers of tobacco, so that
they may sell with freedom.
In conclusion, the report saws that the ad-
vance OF duties on agricultural products would
increase the revenues If imports continue to be
as large as during last year, but as they are for
the most part articles which this country can
produce TO the extent OF our wants, the increased
duty will reduce importations so that revenues
Will not be increased. and our farmers will hold
their own markets. The same result will fol
low in other cases of increase, and where the
revenue is in special cases increases the in
crease will be far less than is indicated by
computation based on the theory that importa-
tions will continue as large as under lower du-
ties.
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The minority report is signed by all Of
the five democratic members of the COM
mittee. 1t begins with the following state
ment:
Upon the question of collecting such revenue
from duties on imported goods as may be nee
essary to pay the whole or part of the cost of
conducting the government, when economically
administered, We are now at the parting of the
ways Whether such taxes shall be imposed
upon the people for the primary purpose OF
raising money for the payment of the ordinary
or be imposed for the
purpose Of increasing the cost of production
and prices of certain articles of domestic con-
sumption, is the question upon which there is
an irreconciable difference Of opinion between
the two great political parties of the country,
and this question in its plainest form is directly
presented for consideration by the bill reported
by the majority.
JUST AND EQUAL TAXATION.
The minority representing for the time being
one of these parts, contends for the principle of
just and equal taxation upon all, according to
their ability to bear the burden, while the major
lty, representing the other party, has, in this BILL
thoroughly committed itself to the policy OF un-
Just and unequal taxation of the many for
the benefit of the few. We are as
anxious as the majority can possibly be
to promote and encourage American industries
and advance the interests of American labor
erS, and those who impute to- us any other
purpose or design either misunderstood or mis-
represent our position. But we believe that
both these objects can be accomplished by re-
ducing the burdens of taxation, and not by in
creasing them, and that the benefits thus secured
will be far more permanent and Ear more salts
factory to those directly concerned than any
supposed advantage that can result from diff
ferent policy.
wEBsTER's FANUEIL HALL PROPHECY.
The minority declare that Daniel Webster's
prophecy in his great Fanueil hall speech
has been verified. His words were pro-
pnetic. The prolonged discussion before
the committee during the present ses-
sion was not between idividuals
and corporations who receive taxes and the
consumers who pay them, for very few of tnes
were heard, but between representatives of
various protected industries, each class con-
tending for higher rates on its own products. or
for lower rates on products Of Others. Except
in cases were combinations were made between
the interested parties, the conflict continued
as long as the bill remained in committee,
and the majority, after months OF patient and
laborous investigation, has been able to satisfy
part only of the demands made upon it. The
only remedy is to remove as far possible
artificial burdens and restrictions, and give 70
all our industries an equal chance in the field
of competition at home and abroad
PROTECTION A FAILURE
According to statements made before the
committee the protected industries of the
country have never been at any time in our his
| tory in such depressed and disc )uraging condi-
| tion as they are now. After nearly thirty years
| of continuous protection by government taxa
| ton for their support, a great many of them
| are reported to be on the very verge OF
| bankruptcy and ruin, while very few of them,
according to the testimony, are yielding fair
profit upon the capital invested. A great many
of parties engaged in these industries have de-
clared in the course of our investigation that
the slightest reduction in the rates of duty now
| imposed upon competing foreign products
would compel them to close their works and
discharge their employees, and others have even
gone so far as to assert that they will be forced
to go out of business if the rates of taxation
are not increased.
CONDITION OF LABOR.
At the same time laborers in those industries
are complaining of insufficient wages, repeated
suspensions of work, and the gen.
eral condition of uncertainty and insecurity
in their relations to those who
gave them employment. These Iaborers,
fully realizing the facts that this system has
wholly failed to increase their earnings or i'm.
prove their condition in any way, have been
compelled to organize trades unions and re-
sort to other methods of combina-
ton and cooperation for self-protec-
now affords the only efficient means at their
command for the preservation even of existing
rates of wages. When capital and labor unite
in declaring that our projected industries are
not prosperous under that system, although it
was designed and has been maintained for their
special benefit, the conclusion is inevitable
that there is vice in it somewhere
that ought to be removed, for there is no reason
to doubt that in a country like this every pro
ductive industry would be reasonably prosper.
GUS if wise and just revenue and financial
policy prevails.
THE MAJoRITY's VIEW ANALYzED.
The report states that the remedy proposed
by the majority is imposition of more taxes
upon every article of foreign origin which the
people OF this country desire TO buy and for
the cotton which they cannot spin, the corn
and wheat which they cannot consume, the oil
and coal which they cannot burn, and many
other products Of our farms, our forests and
our mines. These surplus products
must find market somewhere outside of the
United States. The lmp3rts last year were
$747 13t ,652, paid for mainly in our surplus ag-
rlcuitural products. 1t would be impossible for
the people of the United States to send out of
the country that sum in cash, and every one
knows they did not do it,
THE HONE MARKET soPHIsrRY
1t argued that our money should be spent at
home In fact, it is spent there in the produc-
ton, preparation, and transportation of the ar
ticles we send abroad to pay for importations,
and IL they were not sent abroad, the money
could not be spent here, becanse there would
be no market Under our unwise
system of taxation there is no
market which will pay our industries and to
attempt to remedy the evil by increasing the
cost of production is simply to begin at the
wrong end, and will greatly aggravate the
have the capacity to produce most
of the manufactured staples at less
cost and at the same time
pay higher wages than can be earned In any
other country in the world but in order to do
so we must have some imports from other
countries free of duty.
HIGHER DUTIES THAN EVER BEFORE PROPOSED
At time when it is confessed by all parties
tional revenue, but that there ought
to be a reduction of its receipts, bill is re
ported by the majority which proposes to levy
upon great many articles of absolute neces-
sity higher rates of duty than were ever hereto
fore proposed in any measure reported to con-
gress.
GROW WEAKER WITH AGE.
The original argument in favor Of protective
duties was that they were necessary to foster