Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-28

I
steam shovels reduces the cost of mining
10 a point where the wages paid natural
labor" are Irrelevant. Pig iron we >re-
duce from s62 per ton, which is from
80 10 80 per cent, to a uniform duty OF
- i-2 per cent-a rate somewhat higher
IN proportion than the resa OF the sched-
ule. because Of cheap freight-rates on for
eisn pig. Il being favorite freight on
westward voyages. Steel rails we reduce
from VISA per ton. as now--75 per cent.
| TO - per cent. AS the pool which has
kept UP prices many years In this coun-
try seems now disorganlzed, the other
producers will soon need protection
more against Mr.. Carnegie, at Plttsburg.
and Mr.. Stirling. at Chicago, than against
foreign producers.
The residue of the schedule varies from
25 TO 30 per cent, wood screws being put
at the latter figure Iron beams and
girders are 50 per cent, because OF the
waste In cutting beams and the variety
OF lengths and sizes and also Of the fire.
quent necessity OF changing the rolls in
making beams and girders because OF
the irregular quantities and lengths and
sizes of orders.
TIN PLATES.
Tin plates are reduced to 20 per cent.
little more than one half of the Nc
/ kinley rate. This is "a revenue duty. and
| at the same time enough TO permit any
/ existing mills TO live and flourish.
| The cheaper grades OF pocket cutlery
| are S5 per cent; the higher grades, IS.
| Table cutlery Is put at 81 per cent. These
| are very substantial reductions from
/ present rates. which, being specific,
/ reach in some grades Of pocket cutlery
ss high as 20 per cent. but with release
l OF taxes on raw materials. especially or
| pearl and ivory for handles, they seem
| ample
| Both copper-ores and pig-copper are
made free. We being large exporters of
| the latter and the duty serving only to
enable the producers TO sell higher to
/ our people than to foreigners.
| Nickel Is free. Lead-ore has a small
| duty of II per cent. Pig-lead. cent a
/ pound Silver-lead ores are restored to
! the free list
Unmanufactured lumber is free. Manu-
4 featured lumber IS put at q per cent.
/ with the proyiso that II any export duties
/ are charged on foreign lumber, 1t shall
\ be admitted only at the rates now eX-
/ listing.
SUGAR.
Sugar has been a difficult subject to
| deal with. Raw sugar was transferred
/ to the free list 10y the Mckinley bill. be-
| cause nearly all the taxes paid on IT
/ went into the public treasury. A strong
| desire among some members of the com
/ mittee was to put an ad valorem duty
| OF 20 or % per cent on II, and to abolish
the bounty at once. After much discus
sion II was decided TO reduce by one half
| the duty on refined sugar and to repeal
! the bounty one eighth each year. leaving
raw sugar vntaXed. as at present.
TOBACCO AND CIGARS.
| In the tobacco schedule those rates
were sought which would bring most
revenue. The present taxes Of 81 and
| S275 "a pound on wrapper leaf have blot
/ ted ont many small establishments. and
actually impaired revenue We make the
rates 81 and $.25 per pound on wrapper
/ leaf. and IS and 50 cents per pound on
/ filler tobacco, unstemmed and stemmed,
respectively. Manufactures of tobacco
/ are put at 50 cents. Cigars are reduced
/ from $3.50 per pound and - per cent. ad
/ Valorem to s. per pound and p per cent,
/ which is believed to be the most produc-
/ tive revenue rate and is higher than the
/ law of 1883.
/ Live animals are put at 20 per cent.
Z Barley is reduced from 30 cents per
/ bushel 90 20 per cent which is about L
cents. Breadstuffs. of which we are i'm
mense exporters, are made free. except
when imported from countries putting
duties on our like products when the
/ duty IS ~ per cent
/ Fresh vegetables, fruits. eggs, and like
! food products are untaXed. for the bene-
/ ht Of our own consumers. largely the
! working people Of the cities.
salt in bulk is free; in packages the
/ salt Is free. but the covering dutiable at
/ rates prescribed for like articles.
SPIRITS.
The tariff on spirits is put at double
| the Internal revenue rates on like spirits.
and some slight reduction is made on
( stlll wines, malt liquors ginger-ale, and
! ike beverages In the interest of increased
| revenue. The duty on sparkling wines is
likewise slightly reduced for the same
reasons. that In champagne being put at
s. per dozen quarts as against s. In the
! Mckinley bill. and s. in the law Of 1883.
/ IN cotton manufactures substantial re-
/ ductions are made, especially on cheap
! cloths and prints. and the existing sys-
tenn OF taxing by count OF threads in the
square inch is retained.
Hemp and fax are made free. dressed
lines Of hemp and fax one cent and one
and Il half cents, respectively. Burlaps
| and cotton and grain bagglng are put at
! Il per cent. but when imported for COW
ering articles to be exported, are duty
| free.
| WOOL.
Wool is made free. This takes the stills
| from under woollcn manufactures and be-
| gets the hope that they may recover from
the languishing condition IN which they
| have been for "A quarter Of a, century,
ard that we may get wooilen goods at
/ reasonable rates, instead of at duties that
| on the common grades frequently reach
100 per cent. and In cases two or three
| times that Inerciless figure. Cloths and
| dress goods are put at ~ per cent; cloth
| INK at g. per cent-rates higher than the
| committee desired. but deemed tempora-
rily necessary because our manufactures
! have SO long been excluded from two
| thirds Of the woods of the world that they
| VIII have to learn the art OF manufacture
| ing with free wool. sliding scale IS
| therefore added by which the rates In
| the Woollen schedule are To come down
/ five points with the lapse Of five years.
! Carpets, an industry IA which we VIII
| soon be independent OF competition, are
| put at - per cent. for Administer Mo-
quctte. and Wilton, and 80 per cent for
| Brussels, while common grades 30 uo"i
| 10 % per cent.
The bin provides that the duties shall
! be removed from wool on March lst, and
| reduced on woOllen goods July lst.
In the silk schedule the reduction OF
| rates is smaller than in cotton or woollen
! fabrics.
Sole-leather is reduced from 10 to
| p-r cent. Leather gloves are classified ac-
| cording to material and length and are
uniformly rated at specific duties. when
! average not over 25 per cent ON the com
! mon varieties and nearly 40 per cent. on
fine lamb and kid gloves In the schedule
Of sundries many articles like hatters
plush are put on the free list.
The duty on cut diamonds. pearls, and
other precious stones is retained.
Works OF art, | am delighted to say,
| are nut back on the free list
REDUCTION OF REVENUE.
The above is rapid summary OF the
chief changes made by the proposed bill
| and Will give satisfactory idea, be-
lieye. of its general structure. 1t is es-
! timated that It VIII reduce the revenue
! on the basis of the importations OF lSyz
! about S5O.OO0000, with an immensely larger
decrease of tax burdens TO the American
people.
The present administrative law Is re-
tained. with few additions suggested by
len hnf a