The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-17
TARIFF BILL REPORTED.
rzE WAYS AND MEANS COMMIT
TEE PRESENTS ITS ABORTION.

Conmittee-Hides and Sugar Put on
the Free List at the Last Moment
McKenna Opposes the Sugar Bounty
Scheme in a Minority Report-A
Mastery Exposition of the Defects
of the Bill by the Minority.
WASHINGTON, April 16-The ways and
means republicans came out of the woods
to-day with a broken column, an almost
unprecedented break having occurred, SO
that Mr. McKenna, the young Californian
appointed by Mr.. Reed, who has given Mr..
Mckinley and the rest so much trouble,
actually filed a minority report opposing
the free sugar bounty scheme finally agreed
upon by the rest of the committee. No
ways and means majority was ever SO
demoralized as this one. 1t brings out its
little bill half dead to face an opposition
encouraged from its own ranks. Its bewild-
erment is only equalled by its bedevilmenr.
Mr.. McKenna's action shows how wide
the committee differences are. for ne. like
all the rest, had agreed to abide by the de-
cision of the majority, but the time came,
he thought, when he could no longer do SO
without misrepresenting his constituents.
Unlike inc NEW EuBlduueTS, ne cOulU QOt
sacrifice his constituents to party necessi-
ties.
BID FOR THE FARMER VOTE.
The bill as amended finally is more than
ever bid for tine western farmer vote.
Free sugar is what all the western men, ex-
cept the few having sugar in their dis
tricts, have been working for. To get it
they were willing to promise a fif.
teen years bounty, which they can't
guarantee They were even willing to con-
cede free hides to the eastern leather men,
especially after the western leather men
had Joined in asking for them, but they
drove hard bargain in this matter. Be-
sides free sugar they exacted also 10 per
cent duty on leather and 10 per cent. duty
on boots and shoes in exchange for free
hides.
CARPET MANUFACTURERS IN THE MIRE.
To the carpet manufacturers they made
no concessions at all. They are vaguely
told that if they will wait and be good some
attempt will be made by and by by Chair
man Mckinley to get the Ohio wool growers
to agree to some modification which can be
introduced in the House as a committee
amendment.
AS result of the delay and vacillating,
reused more intense opposition than they
met at first. Speaker Reed says that a
tariff bill will be passed because it must be
passed. But it will not be the bill reported
to-day. Even caucus would not save it,
and yet it is difficult to see how Mckinley,
as things are in the party, could do much
better than he has, in that one of his repub-
lican colleagues calls it a tariff gerry
mander."
CHANGED THEIR MINDS AGAIN.
by associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, April 16-Just as the
tariff bill was to be reported to the House
the republican members again changed
their minds, and at IL o'clock this morning
completely changed two of the most inn
portant items in the bill. Again hides have
been placed on the free list, and so has
sugar, but in the latter case the COM
mittee has adopted a provision look
ing to the payment of q bounty of
2 cents pound on the domestic product.
These changes have been communicated to
the democratic minority members, and as
corrections are necessary in the reports
these documents it is said, will be delayed
in their preseatat in the House until late
this afternoon. 1t is understood that the
sugar men have little confidence in the con-
tinuity of the bounty, and they bave there
fore protested against the change.
The duty on sugars above and including
160 Dutch standard, it is said, is fixed at
two-ffths of a cent pound, grades below
that to be admitted free. This satisfies
neither the sugar cane nor the beet sugar
producing states.
SUBSTANCE OF THE REPORT.
The majority report of the ways and
means committee accompanying the tariff
bill begins with a statement of the financial
situation, and estimates that the surplus at
the end of the present fiscal year will be
$92,000000. and deducting the sum
required to make payments on the
sinking fund, the net surplus
be $43, ,678, ,SS3 The estimated surplus of
the next fiscal year will be S43, ,569. .522,
which, with the amount of cash now on
hand and available (reaching 800, ,000,0 ,0OO,
will justify the estimate of reduction of
revenue in the sum contemplated by the bill
reported-$60, 1886, 1856, and probably more
from customs, and say S10,327,S ,S7S from
internal revenue, total OF S7l 1864, Ala.
EFFECT UPON THE REVENUES.
The majority report says:
The exact effect upon the revenues of the
government of the proposed bill is difficult of
&scertaiument. That there will he substan-
tial reduction, as we shall show, admits of no
doubt. 1t is not believed that the increase of
duties upon woods and wooden goods, and upon
glassware will have the effect of increasing
revenues That would, of course, follow if the
after to be maintained. which, however, is alto
gether improbable. The result will be that
lmportations will be decreased, and therefore
the amount of revenue collected from these
sources will be diminished. In every case of
increased duty except that imposed upon tin
plate (Which does not go into effect until July l,
lS9ll, and upon linen fabrics, the effect will be
10 reduce rather than enlarge revenues, because
hnportations will fall off.
TO PROHIBIT IMPoRTATIoNs.
1t was the aim OF the committee to fix duties
upon that class of manufactured goods and
tarm products which can be supplied at home
SO as to discourage the use of like foreign goods
ana products, and secure to our own people and
our own producers the home market, believing
onaC competition among ourselves Will
secure reasonable prices to consumers
IN the future, as it has invara-
pY done in the past, We seek
oy Che increased duties recommended not only
20 20 maintain but to enlarge our own manufac-
oqIrlhg plant, and check those supplies from
%%oroau which can be proftably produced at
O.ne, t The general policy of the bill is to fos-
diran., aa.1 promote American production and the
no. Silcatlon of American industry. We have
nricos oeen SO much concerned about
bloeS OF articles we consume as we
boroo ueen TO encourage the system of
t;o o,nt pro luction that shall give fair remunera
1nnariodo NJ ouoInestic producers and fair wages to
tfon an5 Workmen, and by increased produc-
consnoo n nome competition, insure fair prices to
r, LOOKING TOWARD PROTECTION
the uso.iinmittee, responding as it believes to
Inendotia.lent OF the country and the recon-