The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-28
TARIFF BILL EXPLAINED.
Chairman Wilson Gives the Reasons
That Guided the Committee
Framing It.
Ad Valorem Duties We're Adopted
Wherever Practicable In
stead OF Specific.

Great Materials 81 Industry That Lie ~
the Bass Of Production Are
Made Free.
WASHINGTON. Nov. N.-Chsirman vii
son. of the committee On ways and means.
issued stAtsmsnt In regard 10 ths tsrih
bill, the Qist Of which 10 contained In the
following Introductory paragraphs: The
democratic members Of the committee
momontous responsibility resting upon
them. and ths magnitude. difficulty and
delisaoy Of the duty assigned them OF
framing tariff bill for nation Of seventy
millions Of people. The bill they arc
callel ON 10 reform il . vast labyrinth sys-
tom Of class taxation, she elimination Of
thirty years Of control Of the taxing power
by . few Interests, gathering into their
train a host Of petty toll gathsrers. II was
carefully framed to prevent ss loag ~ pos
sible what its author calls ANY monksyinR
with the tariff" by which hs meant any
suoosssful effort OF Vie people 10 lessen the
boanties which the benshoiaSies were per-
mittsd to write therein in their own words
and own 6Ru'e %.
II transferred TO the free list proper and
fruitful revenue articles whore most Of the
taxes paid by the people were received BY
the government and greatly increased the
rates on those articles, all or most of the
taxes ON which paid hy the people went into
private Golfers. and II was bolstsred
H. 5>R> q
are . swept and garnishsd treasury and a
swollen and colossal scale of permanent
expenditures. Such arc the conditions
that confronted rs at the outsst Of our
work The committee have welcomed in
formation and counsel from every trust
worthy sourcs. and while they do not ex-
poot their bill TO escA % Just criticism In II
| its details they do present II 10 the country
| a. the result Of months Of atisnt. anxious
toll. and of an honest desire to discharge
their duty. purgsd of all tsint OF local and
person al favoritisin or prejudice.
| Its main features are two: First, the
| adoption, wherever IL seems practicable, of
ad valorem instead Of specific duties; SEQ
end, the freeing from taxes OF those great
materials of industry that lie st the basis
| Of production.
The abatement continues by saying spe-
oifio duties are Questionable. because they
| can be used to conceal enormously large
and inequitable taxation, and hecsuse thsy
lead more readily to frauds. Moreover. ths
ad valorem daty has worked we'll In prae-
tios, and Is essentially fair.
Mr.. Wilson defends she large free list of
raw material ON the ground that taxes on
production are double VI ona oumulatinR &
on consume 9. and hurting labor by mar
rowing the market. They are made free
can supply them ~ sheaply as VIC can. Nc
competition can interfere with as in them,
and freedom from taxation must immensely y
stimulate the production of ores, coal, lum-
bsr, wool and other things in certain parts
of the country. The thin edge of Americ IN
and With free raw materials there is no
limit to the growth of our foreign trade.
with inosleulsbls advantage to labor.
The statement continues by saying: In
every great line of manufacture We san
produce enough for homo consumption IN
six TO n ne months, and We can get rid OF
our surplus only By export; that trade can
not be built ~ as long a. Jaw ma to isls
arc taxed, hence the formation Of trusts to
keep down production, to the great detri-
mont of labor." The statement then oiata
ont the various items of reduction in the
schedule inc. udinR sulphurie acid 10 The
FREQ list, because of its general use; oastor
oil from IS to 35 cents per gallon; linssed
oil from 36 to 10 cents per gallon; pig lead
from two esnts TO ono per pound, thus re-
ducinG Shs pflce OF pelnNse
II declares that the increase Of duty on
opium to $l2 YER found BY the Mckinley
bill amply put the busine ss into the Landi
OF smugelsis on the Pacific coast. Th.
present. bill puts 1t where II 10 thought il
can be collected. The daty on common
window glass Is reduced more than half
which will stimulate homo production, bs
cause il has been produced under trus
conditions. There 10 also marked rsdue
ton in plate glass.
In the iron and steel schedule there II
, free orssS because the discovery OF Besss
. ores in Alabama will awe US su
premsoy in this great line o
Manufacture. Pig iron is reduee'
from 81 u per ton. the equivalent of 80 =
30 per cent, TO uniform duty Of 22h
4 Der cent; steel rails from $l3.44 Yer ton
residue varies from % to 80 per cent. beam
and airdsrs U per cent. Tin plates reduc
. nearly half. to 40 per cent. which shoul
allow existing mills TO live and flourish
: the cheaper grades Of pocket cutlery 30 pe
cent, the higher grades IL. table cutlery ~
Copper ores and pig copper are mad
free. We are lstgs exporters Of the lstte
and the duty has served only TO allow sh
producers to sell higher to One people thai
/ TO foreigners. Nickel 10 made free. lea,
!, ore only Is par cent pig lead one cent pei
. pound, silvsr-lead ores free. UnmRnufac
| bVtou kOAAOo' - esSSs see~AoS"A~S 80 -
> cent.
On the subject Of sugar the statsmen
says: "SuRar has been difficult matte y
deal with. Raw sugar was transferred T.
the FREQ list by the Eokinley bill, bscsus
nearly all taxes paid ON IL went 10 the pub
! lio txsasury There was . strong desir
= among The msmbsrs of the committee &
\ | puS an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on
q and abolish tho bounty ut once. Afte
r much consideration II was decided TO re-
I duoe TO enc. half the duty on refine,
sugars, aud repeal the bounty one eight
each yssr. leaving raw ssuar unsouehsd q
present."
In the tobacco schedule rates were souah
Q which would brins the most revenue. Vh
present tax Of $275 Per POUND ON wrap
= and leaf blotsed out many small sstsblish
ments and impaired the revenue. Wo max
u rate OF 81 aud 81. Is on wrapper leaf, An
q 35 aud 80 osnts ON lille unstsmnsd. Man
ufasturss Of tobacco 10 cents. Cigars ~
+. reduced from $4.50 per pound and 20 ps
cent ad vxlo EN- 10 q per pound and % pc
Q cent. II 10 believed this will bs moss pro
daOsivs Of revenue rates.
;, Live animals 70 psr cont Barley 10 II
duced from 30 cents per bushsl 10 ~ Do
/, | cont or about IL cents. Brsadstuds, G
: : which We ars immense exporters, are mad
frss. except TO soants.ss which put dutis
on our like products, In which sass 10 10
. por cent Flesh vegetables. fguits. eRa
: and like food products are untexsd, for th
bsnshs Of shs working people OF oisis