The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-20
The Majority Report On the NtE Measure
fade PabllC.
TEMPERATE REFORM Is THE SAFEST"
Tho Chairman Explains and Advocates the
reforms Upon Which He Has Ex-
psndcd So Mach Unscldsh Labor.


! and most thorough .bite ever given by
any people to then fiscal policy. have
deliberately ard rir' Y decided that the
existing tarin Is wr0fl In principle. and
grleyously unjust In operation.
'oThey have decided, as free men must
always decide, that u'e power Of taxa
tlon has no lawful or constitutional exer-
else except FOR providing revenue Tor the
supp0rt OF the government. Every de-
narfure from this principle IS de-
! parf,ro from the fundamental princi-
Dlcs Of pODuiar institutions, and inevita-
/ blv works out a gross inequality In the
citizenship Of country. for more thah
thirty vrars we have levied the largest
part of our Federal taxes In violation OF
! this vital TRUTH until we have redcned
the existing tariff, an extreme and vol
luminous system Of class taxation, 10
which history may be challenged 10 luf-
nish any parallel. So many private enter
D,fses have been taken into partnership
/ with the government 50 many pilFa'e
interests now share In the prerOgative OF
taxing seventy millions Of people, that any
affernpt TO dissolve this Illegal union Is
necessarily encountered by an opposi-
tion that rallies behind the intolerance
of monopoly; the power Of concentrated
wealth. the inertia OF fixed habits. and
the honest errors Of a generation OF false
teachings. The bill or which the COM
mlttee has expended nuch patient ana
anxious labor is not Jfered as n COM
plete response TO tho mandate OF the
American people.
Il auctlon OF Duties.
cit no more processes 20 be purged OF
an protection than TO be free Of all error
I'm It's complex and manifold details. HOW
ever we may deny the existence OF any
legislative pledge. or the right OF any
Congress to make such pledge for the
continuance Of duties that carry with
them more or less Acknowledged protec-
ton. we must recognize that great inter-
ests do exist whose existence and pros
peritv il is no part Of our reform either
10 imperil or to Curtail. We believe, ana
we have the warrant of our own past
experience for believing. that reduction
of duties win not injure, but will give
more abundant life TO al. our great manu-
featuring industries. however much they
may fear the change. ln dealing with
the tariff question, as with other long
standing abuses interviewer Itself with
our social or industrial system. the legis-
lat0r must always remember that In the
BEGINNING temperate reform is safest
having in itself the principle Of growth.
"a glance at the tariff legislation Of our
own country ought to- Fausfy every intel
ligent student that projection has always
shown its falsity as Fvstem Of economy
bv ite absolute flilir ~ insure beaithy
and stable prosperity 90 manufactures
10 teaches men 10 depend on artificial
help. on laws staying their countrynen
from prosperity in business out or It's hatu-
raj channels into artificial channels. where
frr.rf ff..Ht frfHh
uncertainty. and IL makes "a tariff system
the football of party politics, and the
stability Of large business interests the
stake OF every popular election Next,
however. recognized the truth more fully
than the wiser men who from time to
time have engaged in the so-called pro-
tocted industries.
"such political economists as Edward
Everett and Amasa Walker are quoted
TO sustain this proposition. and a history
OF tariff legislation fostering the growth
of the protective ideas given down 10
lS72'
No stability in Protection.
The report then says:
Although the demand for tariff reform
and for reduction Of taxes has ever since
been a burning and a growing one IN the
country. the protected industries have eN-
acted and received from the Republican
Congresses elected since 1864 an increase
of their protection occasionally permitting
the reueal or the iessening OF tax that
was paid into the Treasury I'm order TO
keep away from or 10 Increase duties
levied for their benefit. Protection, left
to its natural momentum, never stops
short OF prohibition. and prohibition walls
are always needing to be built higher and
10 be patched and strengthened. 4 pro-
tective tariff never has and never can
give stability and satisfaction 20 it's own
benehciaries.
even if it's victims are too weak or
too scattered to agitate for It's decrease
those benefciaries are sure to agitate Tor
an increase"
owe have already said that public dis
cussion may disclose errors Of minor de-
tail iu the schedules OF our bill TO es-
cape such errors, we required so thorough
and minute a knowledge OF all the divi-
sions. subdivisions. complex and mani
fold razes ard inv0utiOns Of our chemi-
cal textile. metal, and other Industries,
that no committee Of Congress, no mat
ter how extended the range Of their per-
s0nal knowledge or how laborious ana
paiust0king their efforts, could ever nope
10 possess. We have not forgotten that
we represent the people. who are the
many. as well as the protected interests
who are the few and while we have dealt
with the latter in no spirit of unfriendil-
ness. we have felt that Il was our duty,
and not their privilege, 20 make the tariff
schedules. Those who concede the right
OF benenCiaries 10 fix their own boun-
ties must necessarily commit 10 them
the framing and wording OF the laws ny
which those bountles are secured TO them.
a committee Of Congress thus becomes
merely the amar uersis Of the protected
interests IL has been shown so clearly
and so often in the debates OF this House
that nearly every important schedule OF
the existing law was made ~ It's very
word and figures by representatives OF the
interest &c was framed 10 protect. that IL
is unnecessary I'm our report 10 present
the record proof Of this fact. but it may
not De amlss 70 cite further evidence to
show that this is not only the necessary
rule hut the open and avowed method
Of framing protective tariffs
Some examples OF this kind are then
presented by the committee. which then
goes on 20 say:
The Material Industry.
1--WE have believed that the first step to-
wards a reform Of the tariff should be a
release Of taxes IN the material Of INDUS
Try There can be no substantial and
beneficial reduction upon the necessary
clothing and other comforts Of the Ameri- |
can people. nor any substantial and bene-
fetal enlargement Of the field OF Ameri- |
can labor as long as We tax materials
and the process OF production. Every
tax upon the producer In this country IS
a protection to his competitors I'm all
other countries. and so narrow his mar
kets as 10 limit the number and lessen
the wages of those 10 whom he can give |
employment Every cheapening in the
cost or enlargement OF the supply Of his