The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-09
WORKING ON A TARIFF BILL
The House Committee in Favor Of
Letting Garden Truck in Free.

They Claim That the Market Garden
ers Won't Suffer Much and the Con-
sumner VIII Get the Benefit of the Re-
dueed Price-Coal Very Apt to Be
Put on the Free List-The Tax on
Whisky and the Duty on Sugar Apt
to Be Raised.
Washington, Oct. S.-Work on the tariff
bill by the democratic members Of the
ways and means committee continues on
the line of making the raising of revenue
the object Of the bill and protection the in
cident. That, according to one of the
members, is the direction all the proceed
ings are taking at present.. There seems
to have been considerable talk about en-
larging the free list, as there are many
articles now subject to duty which would
bring but little revenue to the govern
ment.
This points toward many agricultural
products where competition with Amer
lean producers is impossible to any con-
siderable extent The tax on wheat and
other grains may be abandoned, with the
exception of barley, as there is a consid
cradle demand for protection against the
Canadian barley.
1t seems that the protest of the market
gardeners of the Atlantic coast, who did
not want the duty removed from vegeta-
bles, will not have much weight, as there
seems to be an impression prevailing in
the committee that the Bermuda prod
ucts will not cut much of a figure as COM
peting against those grown on Long
Island, and at other places along the
coast 1t is claimed that Bermuda prod
ucts are shipped in at time when the
products of the home gardens can not be
planted.
The market gardeners in the vicinity of
Buffalo, Detroit and other large cities
along the Canadian border have been dis
turbed by the anticipated competition of
the Canadians, but the members of the
committee say that the consumers will
receive the benefits of the reduction in
price if any follow.
THE COAL SCHEDULE.
1t was supposed that after the state
ment of the governor of West Virginia be-
fore the committee that, perhaps, Chair
man Wilson might be inclined to oppose a
change in the coal schedule. But it is es-
timated, at least, that coal il very likely
to go on the free list. 1t has been ar
gued that the West Virginia coal fields
are benefited only where
tide water can be reached by
rail and canal routes, and that it
is a small matter when the entire con-
sumption of coal is considered, while 1t is
claimed that the benefits to be derived by
free coal to the New England manufac-
turers is an item of great Importance. 1t
has also been claimed that the interior
coal fields cannot be affected materially
by free coal.
IRON AND STEEL.
There has been considerable talk over
the iron and steel schedules, and there are
intimations that this is the most difficult
problem that has yet confronted the COM
mittee, and which is still far from settle
ment. Members of the committee have
talked about reduction of duty on pig
iron and scrap iron from S6.72 to g. 80 or
50 per ton with the view that there would
be large revenue derived from importa-
tions under such reduction.
AS to the manufactured products Of
Connecticut, there is yet nothing that
can be called an agreement. That there
would be reductions is beyond doubt, but
the fixing of the duties is considered one
of the most difficult matters before the
committee.
IRON ORE A STUMBLING BLOCK.
The iron ore schedule is another stumb-
ling block. The pressure from the regions
along the great lakes is for retention of
q considerable duty. The Lake Superior
coal mines, which have a large output
have been urging their members of con-
gress to maintain, if possible, protection
on iron ore. But this part of the bill has
not been generally discussed by the men,
bers of the committee.
Some members say there will be diff
Guilty in raising sufficient revenue and
that they need not fear making reduc-
tions on that ground, but on the other
hand it is intimated that whisky will
stand an increased tax of 25 or 30 cents a
gallon very easily; also that the tax of 81
a barrel on beer is very light, especially
as the brewers are expecting a reduction
on barley and hops.
There are also intimations of evening
up the duties so that refined sugar will
have no advantage over raw sugar. AS a
means of raising revenue, some members
of the committee say that half or quar-
ter of cent might be placed on sugar
without any i'll effects