The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-03-30
THE NEW TARIFF SCHEME
Devised to Fulfn tho Pledges Contsiued
In the Chicago Platform

New YORK, March 22.-A special
committees of the Reform Club Of this
city consisting of e. Ellery Anderson,
Charles S. Fairchild, Thomas G. Shear
man, David A. Wells, John Dewitt
Warner and Everett i. Wheeler, has
completed the draft Of bill, which
when perfected, will be urged upon
Congress as a substitute for the pres
ent tariff laws and the fulfllment OF
the pledges under which the Democracy
has obtained control of the National
Government. This special committee
was appointed immediately after the
election of Mr.. Cleveland. Its report
which Is the product of much labor, as.
sisted by competent expert knowledge,
has been submitted to the regular tariff
reform committee of the club for sug
geStiOns and criticisms. After such
further consideration and amendment
as may be thought advisable, a bill
drawn in accordance with the recon-
lnendatlOns of the report will be pre-
sented to Secretary Carlisle for his in
formation 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 framed
| olC Ill GlC lldill lOllOWS.
| Crude material to be used in process
of manufacture are generally made
free Of duty. In taxing other articles,
the general object has been to fix such
rates as would produce the largest
amount of revenue in a series of years
consistent with large importations
The purpose of obtaining the largest
revenue has, however, been limited by
the consideration of the welfare and
necessities of the people at large, and
especially the poorer classes. The pur-
pose of obtaining revenues for the gov
ernment having been made in good
faith, the sole reason for levying any of
these duties, 1t has not been thought
necessary and hardly proper to reduce
ratio merely for the purpose of avoid
Ing some incidental protection to do
nestle products.
All duties have been made strictly
advalorem, except some of those which
have been levied as compensation for
internal revenue taxes upon similar ar
ticles produced at home. In order to
secure the honest administration of an
advalorem tariff, it is essential that
the rates of duty upon the great mass
OF articles should be kept at very mod
crate figures. Upon articles of i'm
mense value and small bulk, it is alb
solutely necessary to impose very low
duties, because otherwise they will be
smuggled by wholesale and no revenue
will be obtained. Upon other articles
experience has shown that duties can
not be raised above % per cent. with
out offering dangerous incentives to
frauds, while if they are kept at or be-
low that rate, the inducements to fraud
are not often sufficient to compensate
for the risk Of punishment.
| A few articles of luxury may be ex-
cepted from the operation of these gen.
eral rules, in Difference to the wide
spread prejudice on that point, al
though it may we'll be doubted whether
a duty of 25. per cent. is not as much as
can wisely be levied upon anything
whatever. All foreign articles which
If made here, would be subject to IN.
ternal revenue taxes, must, of course
be subject to at least an equal tax.