The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-17
A MINORITY REPORT.
The Proposed Sugar Bounty Vigorously A.
tacksd-Wool and Ore Duties.

The Proposed Sugar Bounty Vigorously At
tacked-Wool and Ore Duties.
WASHINGTON, April 16.-John G. Carlisle,
Il. O. Mills Benton McMillin, c. P. Breck-
inridge and Roswell P. Flower of the Ways
and Means Committee submitted minority
report on the Tariff Bill On the subject of
sugar and molasses the report says:
No reduction has been made in the amount OF
duues Imposed under any schedule except that
relating To sugar ana fTUi2 ssss az tns other
thirteen schedules of dutiable goods, embracing
almost every Important article the people use
except lea and coffee, which have been free for
many years. increases are made, and in many of
them the increase Is very large.
SUGAR SCHEDULE.
The bill proposes to admit free OF duty all
sugar up TO and including No. l6 Dutch standard
In color, and pay TO tile sugar producers In this
country bounty OF cents per pound each year
until July /, 1908, on all their product. Last
year these grades of sugar, which are now made
free. yielded 10 the Government S54S94ISl all
OF whIch Is now TO be surrendered, and The sugar
INDUSTRY Is 10 become an annual charge upon all
The people who are engaged in other occupations,
some OF which are far more important, and all Of
which are fully as meritorious as this one.
EFFECTS OF THE BOUNTY.
In 1883, which is the last year for which we
have complete returns the sugar product OF this
country was 315,S55,S77 pounds, so that even
II there should be no increased production under
the bounty system the sum which the people are
10 be compelled TO donate each year for the sup
port OF this favored industry will be 81 $40 600
S113,0Oo,00O during the fifteen years. But the
very object of The bounty is to encourage the
production of this article ana its advocates
claim that the domestic supply will soou equal
The whole demand for home consumption.
CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR.
In addition 10 the home product we Imported
and consumed during the last fiscal year 2,7OO,-
42l ,3o2 pounds OF sugar not above No g in
color, making 4 total annual cOnSumptIou In
Guiding domestic ana imported of s, ,O76. .277. .o7e
pounds, and therefore II the system results as its
advocates predict the annual payment OUT of tile
1ieasury VIII De S6l, ,426, even without any
increase IN the amount now consumed.
GROSS FAVORITISM.
We protest against the gross faYoritism and in
justice OF such policy, aud we deny the moral
or constitutional right OF the Government TO tax
the people who grow corn, wheat, cotton, rye.
oats and other agricultural products Tor the pur.
pose Of raising money to be given 10 those who
produce sugar or any other article. The bounty
provisions contained IN this bill are confessions
that the whole system which 1t seeks to
strengthen and extend Is system Of discriml-
nations between the various productive in-
dusties OF the country; system which imposes
charges upon some for the support of others and
disTegards every principle of Justice and equality
In distributing The burdens OF taxation.
DUTIES FOR REVENUE.
Inc duties imposed upon imported sugar even
at the present rates, are mainly Tor revenue aud
about nne-tenths OF the charge upon the people
Oh account of these duties goes into the public
treasury Tor the support OF the Government, and
only about one-teuth can be added 10 the prices
oil the domestic products. Tile tax, therefore is
| Tar more just and equitable than the taxes on
! cotton and wooen goods, linen goods and many
i
and which this bill proposes to make still higher
because IN these cases The conditions are re.
proportion only OF tile total amount the people
are compelled 10 pay.
DUTIES TOO HIGH.
While we believe the duties on sugar are too
nigh and that reduction ought 10 be made we
cannot see lhe justice or propTety of making
THIS revenue article entirely free, aud paving
9ouDtles @ upon % ts production: IN order TO afford
TO The amount of about S65, ,Ooo, 900 on Ihe
necessalles OF lie embraced In the other sched-
uleS.
THE SILK INDUSTRY
Again, there are few persons in the United
States who claim that If they had what they call
proper encouragement they could produce
raw SILK here. and accordingly this bill proposes
10 compel all the people to pay out OF the public
treasury y, Il bounty OF 81 a pound, or S224o a
Ion, on all The raw silk reeled from cOcoons and
ceuts on every pound, S156 so per ton, on
fresh eoeoons, including the worms produced Ia
lhe United states. Raw silk and cOcoons are
now on The free list, and last year we Imported
o,o29,646 pounds Of raw silk aud 1Ul,647
pounds OF eocoons.
AN INJUSTICE.
The object of the proposed bounty IA to dis
courage those lnpOrtatons which cost the
people nothing, unless they saw proper to use
SILK goods, and to encourage the production of
those article here atan expense of 81 a pound
for the silk and cents pound for The cocoons
IN addition to the actual value of the arIicIeS
themselves, aud this expense Is TO be charged TO
all Ihe people whether they use silk goods or
NOT aud TO be paid out OF the public treasury.
ORES AND WOOL.
The bill proposes 10 make Tge increases in the
duties on earpet woods and take silver ores con-
tanning lead from the free list aud subject the
lead contained in the silver ore TO duty of IL
cents per pOund-nOt because we need the rev.
enue, but for The sole purpose of preventing
THESE articles from being imported into thls coun-
try.
IMMENSE nPoRTATIoNs.
Last year we imported direct from the States
and Republics OF Central ana South America and
the Republic of Mexico many million hounds OF
this wool, and still more by way Of London and
other European ports, aud from Mexico silver
ores bearing lead of the value of S6,779,16O.
Our total importaiions Of carpet woods from all
countries amounted 10 90 556, ,466 pounds and
our total lmpoTtatiOns Of this Kind Of ore was
S6,95l,719.
AMERICAN woRKINGMEN BENEFITED.
All this wool has Jeen converted into carpets
and other fabrics and all OF these ores have been
emelled In the United States by American work.
men, and tbelr Importation has been of great
dement, 70 sur people, In addition to the profit
realized from the trade between the different
| countries. The free admission OF fiuxiug ores
from Mexico has enabled our citizens 10 estab-
llsh and maintain large smelting-works at Ell
Iaso lex; Argentine, kans.; Newark, n. j..
Kansas City, NO. and great many other places.
II this bill passes, the tax upon &c 900 tons of
silver ore-the amount imported last year-wiil be
over S672 900, which the Government does not
need, and which Will benefit nobody In this cOun-
try.
THE DEMANDS OF SHEEP OWNERS
The bill in fact increases the rates of duty on
all classes Of wool imported into this country
These increases have been made principally
upon the demand of few large flock masters in
the State of Ohio, and they Will be defended by
the majority upon the alleged ground that they
are beneficial to the farmers Of the country who
Keep sheep on their lands. Ihe fact Is that wool
some OF our least important agricultural products
In point OF actual value, and by comparison with
others, even in the State of Ohio 1t does NOT
amount to more than 3 per cent OF the total
value Of farm products in that State from which
comes the most constant and urgent demand for
high rates Of duty, and this Is still less In other
States.
M'KENNNA OBJECTS.