Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-28

75AsH1SeToS, d. C., November 81
Chairman Wilson has issued the follow
log statement 10 regard to the new tariff
bul
The Democratic members Of the Com
see on Ways and Means have felt, as
none others could feel. the momentous
responsibility resting upon them, and
che magnitude, difficulty and the deli
cacy Of the duty assigned them; prepar-
ing tariff bill for 10000, 600 people.
The bill they were called Oh toreform is
q vast and labyrinthan system Of class
taxation, the elimination Of thirty
years control Of the taxing powers by
q few crest interests, gathering into
their train q host OF petty toll gather
ing. It was carefully framed 70 pre-
vent, as long as possible, what its au-
thors called "any mOnkeying with the
tariff by which be meant any success
ful effort Of the people 20 undo or to
lessen the bOunties which it's benehca-
ries we're permitted TO write therein, 10
their own words and their own figures.
IT TRANSFERRED TO THE FREE LIST
proper and fruitful articles, where most
Of the taxes paid by the people were re-
ceived by the government and greatly
increased the rates Of those articles,
where an or most Of the taxes paid by
she people went into private Golfers,
snd 70 was bolstered about by many de-
~fenSes. chief among which are q swept
and garniShed treasury and swollen
aud colossal scale OF permanent eX-
penditurss; such are the conditions
shat confronted as at the threshold Of
our work.
The committee have welcomed in
formation and counsel FROM every trust
worthy source, and while they do not
EXPECT their bill to escape just criti-
cism, they present it TO the country as
the result OF months of patient, anxious
labor and an honest desire 20 discharge
their duty, purged Of all faint Of local
and personal favoritism or prejudice.
ITS MAIN FEATURES ARE TWO:
First - The adoption wherever it
seemed practicable OF adyaiOrem In
stead of specific duties.
blythe freeing from taxes or
these great materials Of industry that
lie at the basis of production. SPECIFIC
rates of industry are Objectionable for
these reasons: They frequently conceal
rate OF taxation too enormous 20 be
submitted TO, II expressed 10 advalorem
terms, as the duty Of eight cents a
hundred pounds on salt in bulk, which
amounts TO over eighty per cent, on a
common necessary Of life. They always
bear heavily on the common article
used by the masses and lightly on the
expensive article consumed by the rich,
as a tax OF $50 on all houses would be
little or nothing on the great man
sion, and very high on the humble
home. And contrary &c com mon BELIEF
specific duties lead 20 greater frauds in
administration 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
sesss5 - the best paid and most re-
as5oRsiUis appraisers.
THE AID yALOBEaI SYSTEM
has worked well in practice, is essen
TALLY the fair system, because it is
tax upon the actual value of an article,
and was declared by Mr.. Clay himself
10 be in theory and according to every
sound principle of justice entitled 20
the preference aud indicated by long
trial. The bOldest innovation Of
the bill is its large free list OF
the raw materials. Taxes upon pro-
ductiOu are double wrongs. They
gather and cumulate on the customers
OF the finished product. They hurt
labor by narrowing the market for
what it produces. Coal aud iron are
the foundations Of modern industry.
Material progress is measured by the
amount of their consumption. No other
country can supply them as abundantly
or cheaply as we can. No possible com
petition can interfere with our own pro-
ducers few miles in the interior OF the
country. RemOteness from the sources
of sppDlv is in itself enough disadvant-
are 30 any section Of the country with
out further burdens In tariff. Ontaxed
ores, coal, lumber, wool and other things
must immensely stimulate production IN
certain parts of our country. The thin
edge of American manufactures mas en-
tered every country.
WITH RELEASES FROM TAXES
on their materials there is no Limit to
the growth of our fereign trade. This
will more than compensate the pro-
ducers Of raw material who, tariff or no
tariff, control ali the interior OF the
country from any apprehended loss OF
markets anywhere along the seaboard.
It's incalculable advantage 20 labor is
apparent in every great line Of man
ufacturers we can produce Ia six months
TO nine months enough for our home
market We can get rid Of our surplus
only bv foreign trade. AS long as we
have taxes on the materials or Industry,
'tge cannot build up that trade, hence
the other alternative trusts 20 Keep
down production % the home market.
The working man can see whether
his interest is with system that re-
presses production and rOOs him OF en-
ployment or with a system that gives
natural and healthy play to production
and emancipateS him from trusts ana
like combinations OF capital.
As tO,details of the bin / will briefly
Fpcapituiate the salient changes or the
reveral schedules. In the chemistry
schedule, We have transferred 20 the
free list quite q number OF articles used
IN manufacturing, the most important
of which is sui Jhuric acid, one OF the
commodities OF all Chemicai industry.
The duty on castor oil Is reduced from
S. to 35c per gallon, and the duty on
Inseed oil which was reVlSd
~ 35c in conference committee Of
THE M'KINLEY BILL
after each House had openly voted for
1ouvar dufv We mt at fifteen cents q