Telegram-herald., 1890-04-18
BOTH SIDES HEARD.
Ghs Majority snd AIinority Re-
ports On the Tariff BIZ
lRcrsE,Is OF IFS SUPPORTERS
Ax. aeKtnisy Tsiis way Hs T1tak. II
wiu seasns sac Cesstry. snd Mr.
C&rlisls Critlsisss the AsAsszs
Mr. Mehsaass sJsctl0-
- y IL MAgokIrY.

EEF0ET or THK NAJOkIT1
wAsHnsroSs April lT-1ht Hasiority
aud minority reports on the tariff bill
we're reai In the House Oh Weanesc av
by Nessrs, Mckinley TO- aud Carlisle
lLy). respectively.
TIE majority report begins with
statement u the financial situation and
estimates that the surplus st the end Of
the present fiscal year will De s92 Geo.
0o9 and de3netng the sum required
70 make payments on the sinking
| fund. tbs net surplus of re-
ceipts over expenditures will be
s4s,eTs, $50 The estimated surplus
of the next fiscal year will be
/ SIS. SOC, 522, which, with the amount Of
cash nov On hand and available (reaeh-
ing So. o00. 600, will Justify reduction
/ Of the revenue in the sum contemplated
| by the bill reported Of so. ESD, go, and
/ probably more from customs and. say
$40, Sa7, SIS from internal revenue. or
total OF sTl, soi,sli. The majority re-
| port says:
The exact effect upon the revenues of the
! Government q the proposed BAL Is clf1cult Of
sscertainment That there will be a 50 bstzn tial
( reduction. as We viii shOw. admits OF no doubt
I il was the aim Of the committee 20 TX the
4 duties upon thai class OF manufactured goods
ana farm products which can be supplied az
I home 50 ss TO discourage the use Of Ike foreign
I goods aEd products and secure 10 our Own
people sne our own producers the home mar
+ ket, believing that eOnpetitioR auCng our
selves will secure reasonable prices 10 con
suners II the Iuture a. 10 has invariably done
in the past. We seek by the Increased duties
! recommended not only 10 maintain but 10 en-
large eur own manufacturing plants sud check
those supplies from abroad which can be prons-
l ably produced al home. The general policy of
tbs bill 4 20 foster and promote American pro-
duction and diversitcation OF American indus
| try.
I'VE have not been so much concerned about
the prices Of the articles We consume as we
1 have been % encourage a system OF homo pro
/ duction that shall give fair remuneration 20
domestic producers and fair wages 20 Ameri-
/ can WOrkmen and BY increased production and
home competition insure fair prices 10 con-
| sumers."
The COMMITTEES admits that free trade or rev
enae duties would ten poreriiy diminish prices
but argue that IL would be al the expense OF
| the domestic products which would be dis
placed. and then prices would again sdvanee
and the country be left at the mercy Of foreign
| syn5icates and manufacturers. The report
continues
| Cheaper products from abroad 10 the Ameri-
can consumers mean cheaper labor al home
and lower rewards 10 the domestic producer,
with no permanent benefits TO the consumer
Neither condition would prove a blessing 10
The United States That country is the
least prosperous where low prices and
low wages prevail. One OF the chief
complaints now prevalent among our
farmers is that they can get no price for
their crops at all commensurate 20 the labor
and the capital invested IN their production
Those who differ from us must believe that
even further agricultural depre lion is desir-
able for no other consequence can result from
their economic theories. They advocate cheap
prices sas the chief object OF the
Industrial policy they commend 10
the country. This means permanently
low prices for agricultural products as well as
for manufactured goods This bill IS framed
in the interest Of the people Of the United
States. II is for the better defense OF
American homes and American industries
Ample revenues for the wants o! the
Government are provided for by this bill
and every reasonable encouragement IS
given 10 productive enterprises and 10 the
labor employed therein. The committee be-
lieyes that, ina uuch as nC< Iy so 600 600 are
annually required 10 meet the expenses OF the
Government. il is wiser TO tax those foreign
products which seek a market here in com
petition with our own than u tax our comes-
tic products or the non-competing foreign
products.
''The committee, responding as it believes to
the sentiment Of the country and the recon-
nendstlons OF the President. submit what they
consider to be just and equitahl revision OF
the taril which, while preserving that measure
Of protection which is required for our indus.
trial independence, will secure a reduction OF
the revenue both from customs and internal
revenue sources We have not looked alone 70
reduction Of the revenue. but have kept -ad-
fly in view tho interests OF our producing c.ass-
es and have been ever mindful OF that which is
due to our political conditions. our LABOR and
the character Of our citizenship.
I'VE have realized that a reduction OF duties
below the difference between the cost OF labor
and production In compel ting countries and our
own would result either in IN. abandonment o,
much OF our Manufacturing here or e. the de
preston Of our labor. Either result would
bring disaster. the extent Of which no one can
measure.
I'VE have recommended no duty above the
polntof difference between the normal cost Of
production here including labor. and the cost
OF lik. production in the countries which seek
our markets, nor have We neg scted 20 give
this measure OF duty even though Il involved
an increase over present rates and showed ar
advance OF percentages and Cd vslorem eQuiva-
lents. We have not sought TO make q new uni
form rate Of duty upon al imported articles
This would have been msnifestly unjust and IN
equitable"
The committee closes SIS argument upon the
general subject OF the tariff by quotation from
the last annual message OF the = esdeut. and
then proceeds 70 discuss the details Of the bill
In the case OF wool the report cites figures
as 81 evidence OF The alarming decline in pro
duction and says that an advance OF
duties has been recommended which
IL is believed will sGord ample protection
20 wool grovfns farmers While The sen
ate bill Fixed the duty on third class wool 81
cents. the committee places it a. 81 cents act
ing upon TIE belief that with the restric
tioas definitions and olsssiscatlons and ths
addition Of port charges recommended ~ IL,
bin the difference will be fslly compensated
The COMMITTEES believes that the United
States should produce ell the wool Il con
surnes. and that vith adequate defensive
/ legislation 81 will DO so TIE annual oonvuH ?
ton = aaO00nn pounds sni -ith the protec
tcn AFFORDED ~ the bin the farmers - 80
United states -il ~ early dav br able -
4 supply this demand hV the addition ~ 10 pet
. cent. or fp0uQco sheep. 20 The present nun
ber The hGl seeks 70 STOP the frzuGs vbich
have been So shsmelessiy prscticed in The pass
by Import NJ vools ready for the loom undsi
4 rev nzrss sns forms - avoid legal duties
TIE report gives ne Increase ~ the duty or
rooi ard ~ construction given 90 ere Vorsise
1 clause q the existing a. ss rrssru FOR r.
+ Cressfrr enc futfss os voois7 goods - rTofsc
ne manufacturers u sonfingss;
s~Ts4 necessity g thfs iecr.ss- e srrsrsst r
4 viar q tie farf slTsztT ststes has 6g-inF 30
As fiscal vssr there ver. inpoTts q Eanafsct
urss % wooi g the fore n vsivs - "a a. -
e shc~r - a. rB3srvs.8et ia~cicss snt -
rssl valus 10 clr msrksi = ussrly 81 % aoo-