Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-12-02
THE NEW TARIFF BILL.
In Many Respects Surprise Even to
Democrats.

UeM0CrdtSs
WASHINGTON, November 27.-The
new Democratic tariff bill was given
to the public to-day and its provisions
fulfill every expectation of those who
predicted a radical reform. In many
respects it is surprise even to the
Democratic members of Congress, as
it is unprecedented in many of its
provisions and to great extent doc
trinal in some matters upon which
the party had never given definite
political utterance The free list is
of that liberal scope sufficient to sati-
fy the most radical advocates OF
drastic reform, and reputation OF
the principle of reciprocity is decl.
sive and emphatic. Thus the tariff
bill, in addition to the reform it
makes in the customs laws, will me-
cessitate the immediate reimbursement
of treaties with those South Alnerl-
can countries which enjoy practically
CT theoretically reciprocity with the
great American Republic of the
Northern Hemisphere.
One of the tenets of Democracy
which found such frequent iteration
and was a source of such declama-
tory eloQuence in the last two cam-
paignS, is the subject Of compromise
in the adjustment of the sugar
schedule.-The bounty which was to
be SO promptly repealed is, instead,
to be repealed by easy graduatlonss,
and will not reach its conclusive eff
feet until after the end Of the present
century. 1t is to be z.:reducedtone
quarter of cent each year for eight
years.
The following summary of the bill
has been prepared by Representative
BRYAN, of Nebraska: 1.-The bill just
completed puts wool, coal, lumber,
salt and iron ore on the free list, and
reduces the tariff on sugar from one
half to one quarter of a cent per
pound. 1t also provides for ..the ex
termination of the bounty by de-
crees. AS rule the tariff has been
made lowest upon cheaper goods of
necessary use, and left highest upon
the more expensive articles. The
wool schedule will, perhaps, attract
most attention. We have left no
duty higher than forty-flye per cent,
on manufactures of wool, and that
only on ready made garments. the
average being less than forty per
cent. The cheaper quality of blank
cts and flannels are only taxed
twenty-five per cent, and lower
grades carpets only twenty. We
have also applied 81 gradual reduction
to the wooden schedule, so that ut
the end of five years the highest
duty will be forty and the average
near thirty per cent. Very material
reductions have been made in tie
cotton schedule.-We have placed
iron ore on the free list and made a
large cut all along the metal schedule.
The duty on steel rails is reduced
more than fifty per cent. Free lum
Der will be q great benefit to the peo-
pie of the Prairie States, and free
salt will give to those who need salt
for their cattle or for curing meats
the same advantage which has been
secured heretofore by means OF re-
bate to those who cured fish. Agri-
cultural implements have been pla-
ced upon the free list in order to
enable the farmer to better complete
in foreign markets, and because
many OF our agricultural implements
are being sold abroad to-day cheaper
than at home"
Among the principal additions to
the free list are the following: Ba-
con and hams, beef, mutton, pork
and meats of all kinds not specially
provided for in this act, binding
Irvine, borax, camphor, bituminus
coal, coke, copper in all its crude
forms, cotton ties, iron ore, cotton
seed oil, agricultural implements
cotton gins specifically named), salt,
soap, building materials excepting
marble, lumber, timber and wood in
all but afew conditions which are
named, and wool. The metal sche.
dule of the bill levies almost wholly
ad valorem duties, while the present
law levies specific duties. Burlaps
and cotton bagging are taxed fifteen
per cent, but when imported for
covering articles to be exported are
duty free. The bill covers customs
and administrative features only.
Internal revenue matters are left in
allegiance.