Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-17
'elation to those who give them

curity in their relation to those who give them
employment"
The report discusses the protection argu-
ments. The original argument in favor of pro-
| tective duties, says the report, that they
were necessary to foster infant industries
But the present bill is based upon the precisely
opposite view 1t is framed upon the as
sumption that as our industries grow older
they grow weaker and more dependent upon
the bounty of the government
WOOL
The silk bounty proposed is severely criti-
cized. In regard to wool the report says the
bill will increase the taxes on wool and woolens
sl5,oOO,O 900 per annum, according to last year 9
lmportations, but really to a much greater sum-
while taxes on tobacco to the amount of
IS, 500, 994 are abolished The minority cannot
agree TO do this at the price of an increase ON
necessaries. The only substantial reason al
legged for the repeal Of the tobacco tax is the
relief from governmental supervision. but a
mere reduction of the tax from cents to
cents does not dispense with this supervision
or reduce the cost OF collection. The report
then attacks some of the details Of the bill, as
follows:
The report argues that the bill will DESTROY
our trade with Central and South Amer lea and
Mexico and will be breach of faith with these
nations.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
In regard to agricultural products the report
says: 1T is impossible to protect the farmer
against foreign competition in his home mar
ket, for he has no such competition and the
insertion or retention of these articles in a
tariff bill is device which win deceive no one
who gives moments thought to the subject.
during the last fiscal year we exported Co.
592. 929 bushels OF corn and imported only 2. 38S
bushels, not more than can be produced on
$50 acres of good land in this country We ex-
ported 3l2,lS6 barrels of cornmeal and I'M
ported 1886 bushels. Our exports of wheat
amounted to 46, Ala ,l29 bushels and our imports
amounted to ,94G bushels"
The report criticises the sugar bounty and
protests against the gross favoritism and in
justice OF such policy.
THE NET INCREASE
The report says: 1.-The minority find it i'm
possible to state with accuracy the effect Of the
increases. They express the opinion that the
increases of the tobacco dnty will be SIC 3O5 925
anu that other items will show an increase of
over ss.OOO,000 Adding these amounts to the
$4O,O55, l52 shown by the committees tables to
have been added to the duties of articles re-
manning on the dutiable list, shows total
increase OF duties ON articles still dutable,
outside of the sugar schedule. of about
S6o, OOO,OoO, and we are satisfied that it is more
than that. We do not mean to assert that the
bill actually increases the customs revenue
$4,000 900 over what it is under existing law,
Az PiOpoots upOu tHe trtl-
cles it leaves upon the dutisble list. except
sugar and molasses that sum in excess of the
amount collected on the same schedules last
year. 1t places upon the free list articles
which yielded revenue of sc, G39, 969 during
the last fiscal year, and it makes q deduction of
S54, 922, ITO. SO on sugar and moasses. and these
TWO sums, amounting to so, 962, 079.63, being
deducted from the S65, 200 900 leave a net in
crease of more than 1000, 900 in tariff taxa
ton under this bill"
In conclusion the report says: ''While we
would gladly cooperate with the majority in
the passage of any measure which would re-
leve the people from unnecessary taxation.
promote the prosperity of our various indus
tries and secure ample wages and steady en-
ployment to the labOrers engaged in them, we
feel constrained to make earnest protest
against this bill, because in our opinion it will
not accomplish any of these desirable results"
Mr.. M'KENNAs PROTEST.
Mr.. McKenna of California also presented
report protesting against the bounty on sugar
and silk cocoons and raw silk