The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-12-02
THE WILSON TARIFF BILL.

~ I'LL W1DSUN 1Ahltf DILL
|The sensation of the week has
Been the publication of the new
Tariff Bill reported by the Demo
cratic majority OF the committee on
Ways and Means, and properly
known as the Wilson Bill.
1t is a radical party measure,
framed ostensibly in the interest OF
American manufacturers, yet IN
reality is a deadly blow at American
industries.
The bill increases largely the tree
list, on which coal, wool. iron ore,
lumber, and other less important
commodities are placed. and makes
sweeping reductions OF duties on
manufactured articles.
Oae of the most Objectionable
features OF the bill is It's discrimina-
ton in favor OF the South Indeed,
hostility toward the Northern and
Eastern States seems to have been
the principal motive Of its trainers.
Iron and steel are marked for slaugh
ter, while South Carolina rice and
Souisana sugar are protected by
high duties.
OF the effect Of the bill upon Mary
land industries should it become a
law, there cannot be the slightest
doubt. The coal production of the
Western sections of this State is a
principal source OF our local industry.
Il coal is put upon the Tree list as
provided in this bill, Nova Scotia
coal will drive it out of the market
The miners of Maryland are now
paid sixty six per cent more wages
than when there was no duty on
coal. With the present duty OF
seventy five cents ton removed,
the result must be disastrous to this
important Maryland industry.
We know of no better source from
which reasonable criticism can be
expected than from that conservative
Democratic journal. the Philadelphia
LEDGER. That this bill, SAYS that jour
nal, which in its present form so ser
ious]y threatens our Industries. will
ever become law is simply incredible.
1t is so sweeping in its scope as to
tend to defeat itself. A part of COM
mittee of Congress may be radical to
excess, but Congress itself, in passing
upon those great questions in which
not only the welfare OF the country,
but of parties is involved, Is invariably
conservative. There has never been
tariff measure formulated by com
mittee which did not undergo revision
and modification, almost always for the
better in both House and Senate.
That this one will be an exception to
that rule is more than unlikely. On
the contrary, it is most likely to be
materially modified, and in the direct
ion in which it should be-in that of
affordIpg necessary protection to Amer
lean capital and labor. 1t may fairly
be assumed that the Democratic faction
of the Ways and Means Committee
have gone as far as they dared to along
the lines OF the Chicago tariff plank,
and it may be reasonably assumed that
when their work comes TO be reviewed,
considered and acted upon by the
House and Senate 1t will be shorn of
its most Objectionable provisions. But
it is the general principle of it which
is TO be feared and resisted. Resist
ance to it should assume definite
form and force at once. Capital and
labor should through their regular
organizations and by Individual appeals
unite to influence Senators and
Representatives TO oppose so long as
opposition can be successfully exertcd
the principle of free trade, as ser forth
in the free raw materials schedules
and the tariff for revenue only policy
as set forth in the great reduction of
duties on manufactured products. Pro-
lection for our industries is with
American capital and labor the law of
self preservation and any attempt to
set it aside should be strenuously con-
tended against. 1t is for our manu-.
facturers, farmers, merchants, whether
employers or employed, to promptly
earnestly appeal to Congress against
I!he passage OF the Wilson bill,