The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-23
A NRWsrARIFF BILL.
The Reform Club OF New York the
Father of the Measure.

The Reform Club OF New York the
Father of the Measure.
New York, March 22.-A special com
mittee of the Reform Club Of this city, con-
sisting OF E. EllsrY Anderson, Charles s.
Fairchild Thomas g. Sherman, David A.
Wells, John Dewitt Warner and Everitt P
Wheeler has completed a draft of bill
which, when perfected, will be urged upon
congress as q substitute for the present
tariff laws and fulfillment Of the pledges
under which the democracy has obtained
control of the national government This
special committee was appointed immedi-
ately after the election OF Mr.. Cleveland.
It's report, which Is the product
of much labor, assisted by competent ex
pert knowledge, has been submitted TO the
regular tariff reform committee Of the club
for suggestions aud criticisms After such
further consideration and amendment as
may be thought advisable, bill drawn In
accordance with the recommendation of the
report will be presented TO Secretary Cars
Isle for his information and assistance
in the work OF formulating a measure
which shall constitute the administration
scheme for reforming the tariff. The
general principles upon which the proposed
| tariff has been formed are in the main as
follows: Crude materials to be used Ia
the process of manufacture are generally
made free of duty. In taxing sother arti-
| oles the general object has been to fix
such rates as would produce the largest
amount Of revenue in a series Of years con-
sistent with large importalions. The pur-
pose Of obtaining the largest revenue has,
however, been limited by consideration OF
the welfare and necessities Of the people at
large, and especially the poorer
classes. The purpose Of obtaining
revenue for the government having been
made In good faith the sole reason for levy
ing any Of these duties, IL has not been
| thought necessary and hardly proper to re-
duce rates merely for the purpose of avoid
ing some incidental protection to
domestic producers. All duties have
cept some of those which have
been levied as compensatory for internal
revenue taxes upon similar articles pro-
duced at home. In order to secure honest
administration OF an ad valorem tariff, IL is
essential that the rates of duty upon the
great mass of articles should be kept'Rt very
moderate figures Upon articles of immense
value and small bulk it is absolutely neces-
sary TO impose very low duties, because
otherwise they will be smuggled by whole
sale and no revenue will be obtained. Upon
other articles experience has shown that
duties cannot be raised above 25 per cent.
without offering dangerous incentives to
fraud, while IL It be kept at or
below that rate the inducements 90 fraud
are not often sufficient to compensate for
the risk Of punishment. A few articles Of
luxury may be excepted from the opera
tion of these general rules, in de-
ference to Widespread prejudices on
shat point, although il may vel
be doubted whether a duty Of 25 per
cent. is not as much as can wisely be levied
upon enything whatever. All foreign arti-
cles which If made here would be subject to
internal revenue taxes must, Of course, be
subject to at least an equal tax.