Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-30

OF these articles; where all or most of
the taxes paid by the people went into
private Golfers; and it was bolstered
about by many defenSeS. chief among
which are swept and garnished treas
ury and swollen and colossal scale
OF permanent expenditures. Such are
the conditions that confronted us at
the threshold of our work. The com
mlttee have welcomed information
and counsel from every trustworthy
source, and While they do not expect
their bill to escape just criticism in all
of its details, they do present it to the
country as the result of months of pa
tIent, anxious toll and of an honest de
sire TO discharge their duty. purged of
all faint of local and personal favor
ltiSm or prejudice. Its main features
are two:
= /. The adoption, wherever it seemed
practicable, Of ad valorem instead of
specific duties.
:. The freeing from taxes of those
great materials of industry that lie at
the basis of production
Specific rates of duty are objection
able for these reasons: They frequent
~ conceal a rate Of taxation too enor-
nous to be submitted to il exposed in
al yalorem terms, as the duty of S
cents hundred pounds on salt in bulk,
which amounts to over so per cent. on
common necessary of life. They al
ways bear heavily on the common arti-
Gle used by the mass and lightly on the
expensive article consumed by the rich
as tax of $50 on all houses would be
little or nothing on the great mansion
and very high on the humble home.
And contrary to common belief, speci-
fic duties lead to greater frauds in ad-
ministration, for counting and weigh
ing at the custom-house are done by
the cheapest and most easily corrupted
labor, while ad valOrem rates are as
seSsed by the best paid and most re-
sponsible appraisers.
i All manufactures of iron and steel
1 have a tariff of % per cent. ad valo-
rem excepting cast hollow ware and
chains which will have 80 per cent.
adj valorem duties. Iron in pig % II
per cent. Bar iron rolled or hammer
ed iron, in coils OF rods, 80 per cent.
Beams, Orders, joists, angles, car
trucks, channels and all other structur-
! al iron or steel 80. All other iron
and steel ranges from % to 30 per cent.
| MuSkets, muzzle loading shot guns
| % per cent (no change). Sporting
+ breech loading shot guns and pistols
and parts thereof so per cent Nails
of most descriptions % per cent
| Sugar bounties shall be reduced one
eighth part of the respective amounts
each year, beginning with July L, 1895,
and extending to July 1, 1902, inclu-
sive and shall thereafter cease The
I Wilson bill also reduces the duty on
all sugars above 16 standard from
80 of Il cent per pound to 800.
On leaf tobacco or such part known
as wrappers, tobacco suitable for cigar
wrappers, if unstemmed the duty is
to be 81 per pound. Ii stemmed, So
and $2.75. All other leaf tobacco. if
Unstemmed, is fixed at 80 cents per
pound; il stemmed 30 (as at present..
kinds, including wrappers, $3 per pound
and % per cent. ad valorem present
: duty So and % per cent?.
Clothing, ready made, and articles Of
wearing apparel of every description,
40 per cent ad valorem present law
5O. Linen material valued at not more
than 80 cents per pound % per cent.
valued at over 80 cents per pound 80
per cent.
Duties are fixed on manufactured
wool as follows: Wooden and worsted
yarns per cent; valued at more than
40 cents per pound 30. Wooden or
Worsted clothes, shawls, knit fabrics
and other manufactures 40 per cent
ad Valorem Other wooden goods 40
and 40 per cent. Carpets of different
: kinds reduced and per cent.
| The bill provides that on all rates of
duties in the wooden schedule, except
carpets, there shall be a reduction Of
one cent hundred on the first of July,
1896, and thereafter of like amount
on the first day Of July 1897, 1899, and
1900. Ropes, cordage and twine ex-
cept binding Irvine, 10 per cent, al
valorem. Leather goods reduced about
} half where any change is made and all
earthen and glassware is reduced from
10 to % per cent.
J The agricultural schedule includes
all farm products and provisions
Many changes are made from specific
duties to ad valorem. Brandy and
other spirits manufactured or distilled
from grain or other materials and not
specially provided for, $1.30 per gal
lon present $3.50. Cordials, liquor,
absinthe and other spirituous beverages
or bitters of all kinds containing spirits
and not especially provided for in the
act, $3.50 per gallon present $3.50.
Champagne and other spiriting wines
in bottles containing not more than a
quart and more than pint, 81 per
dozen, present $50. Ale exported and
beer in bottles or jugs 80 cents per
gallon, (present forty cents.
! Jewelry, precious stones and all arti-
cles not specially provided for in this
act and commercially known as "jewel-
ry" and cameo framed, 80 per cent. ad
valorem, (present 5O). Precious stones
Of all kinds, cut but not set, 10 per cent
ad valorem, (present 10).
I Opium, containing less than per
cent, morphia and opium prepared for
smoking, Sc per pound, (present S12).