The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-12-15
A DISASTROUS REFORM"
What the Wilson Bill Would DO for Amer
lean Industry.

What the Wilson Bill Would DO for Amer
lean Industry.
The new tariff bill is an anacronism,
which would have appeared less alb
surd if it had been offered at any time
before the late elections. Even to DEM
ocrats who had supposed their leaders
could be taught something by phe-
nomenal defeat it is surprising. Pre-
pared by democrats only and in secret,
under the constant direction of the
president, it betravs the absence of the
SOLDERING influence of frank comparison
of opposing convictions. In parts it 10
clearly out of harmony vii self,
where political considerations he
recent election seem to have prompted
departure from it's theories. but in the
main it justifies the claim that the
committee has gone straight on, as if
the wishes of the people deserved no
attention
Its most characteristic feature is the
general substitution of ad valorem for
specific duties. This is in contempt of
the judgment of competent econo-
mists. including some eminent demo-
Gratis, and Secretary Manning. Presi-
dent Clevelands first choice for the
treasury. who strongly urged specific
duties on the ground that by them only
could fraud be effectually checked.
But the extreme free trade theorists
have always been anxious for ad
valorem duties only. as if because these
are most easily evaded and practically
least efficacious The committee could
hardly have decided to open wide the
doors to fraud had it not been anxious
to deprive American industries of de-
Tense more completely than the people
could discover from a mere comparison
of rates Besides all its open blows it
wished to deliver a stab in the dark.
1t should be fatal objection TO this
bill that unlike any other ever proposed
by either party it deliberately and inten-
tlonally creates deficit Its advocates
say that the deficit will be about fifty
million dollars, which they intend to
make good by later euactments, per-
no certainty about the passage of a
future measure, especially OF such a
character. No other party has VEN
tured to cut down revenues beyond the
needs of government without providing
in the same act for corresponding in
crease from other sources. The reduc-
ton of revenues will probably be found
even greater than the committee repre-
sents. The additions to the free list
alone, including wool. iron ore, copper,
lumber, sulphurie acid, salt and coal,
with many other articles which protec-
ton only has enabled the country to
produce will take more than ten mil
lion dollars from the customs receipts.
Some of these changes have met opposi-
ton so strong that it seemed hardly
possible. the committee would disre-
gard it. Wool growers of the south
protested against destruction of their
industry as earnestly as the growers of
Ohio or Michigan, but without avail
Coal and iron miners of southern states
protested, not willing to accept the de-
struction of their industries as the first
choice fruit of thirty years struggle
fer democracy, and similar protests
came from copper and lumber produc
ers. But with the committee of demo-
Gratis a grain of theory seems 70 have
outweighed q ton of experience. The
change in these articles will not mere
ly take millions from the revenue but
will deprive several hundred thousand
American workers of their power to
purchase foreign or domestic products
The duties on manufactured prod
ucts are reduced, apparently, rather
more than 40 per cent in the aggre-
gate. But the proposed reductions do
telligent rule, and the change from
specific to ad valorem duties makes it
q task of some days labor to deter
mine even approximately how far the
reduction in some schedules extends
In the woolens schedule more than
half the duty would be taken off, evil
IDENTIFY. even if the goods should be
honestly invoiced without undervalua-
ton, and the change to ad valorem
duties viii, make the practical effect
still greater. In the iron schedule the
reduction on pig from S6.72 per ton to
22H per cent, which means at present
prices $3.50 to 81 25 per ton, must shut
up many eastern and southern fur
naces Rails are reduced from s13. A
per ton to % per cent, which means at
latest quotations about $3.50. and on
most finished products the duties are
heavily cut On glass the reduction is
over one-half, and on linens from 40
per cent. upward 1t is an added inju
~ to industry that the duties on wool
ems, being deemed too high as fixed in
the bill, are to be further reduced FIVE
points in five years on slidin e scale,
which would compel makers to fight
all that time against falling markets, if
they should venture to contend at all
In abolishing the duties on eggs and
vegetables the committee not only
throws away about 81. 800, 900 revenue,
but this change with abolition or re-
duction of duties on breadstuffs and
other farm products is calculated to in
crease the serious depression of agrf-
culture in eastern and border states
Even the sugsr-growers. though the
committee did not. venture to repeal at
once the bounty so often denounced by
democrats as robbery" are to see it |
cut away by fractions in eight years, q
process eminently calculated to dis
courage any industry. In short, nearly |
all classes must share the blessings of |
this democratic change, farmers and !
miners, wool-growers and weavers, |
cotton spinners, furnace men and. lum |
Der men. 1t Is not an American bill, !
but is distinctively for the benefit of !
other countries and their industries 1t |
is hauling down the American flag in
this country as well as in Hawaii-N. |