The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-20
TIE Rates in the Various Schedules Would


bill:
1.-The American people have decided, as
freemen must always decide, that the
power of taxation has no lawful or con-
sttutional exercise except for providing
revenue for the support of the government.
The bill on which the committee has en-
pended much patient and anxious labor
no more processes to be purged of all pro-
lection than to be free from all error In lts
complex aud manifold details. However
we may deny the existence OF any ieglsia-
tive pl, dye, or right Of congress 10 make
such pledge, for the continuance OF duties
that carry with them more or less ac-
knowledged protestation, we must
recognize that great interests do exist
whose existence and prosperity 1t Is no
part of our reform ell her TO lmperii or 10
cur.ail In tn. beginning temperate re
form is the safest, having in Itself lne
principle of growth. We have not for
gotten that We represent the people, VINO
are the many. as well as tue protected ih-
lerests who are the few, and while we
have dealt with the latter In 10 spirit OF
unfrIendliness, we have felt that IT was
our duty TO reduce the tariff schedules.
1T has been clearly shown In the debates
in this house thai nearly every important
schedule in the existing law WAS made, IN
its very words aud figures, by representa-
tives of the interests IL was framed to pro-
tect. 1t has also been shown that this Is
the open and avOWed method OF framing
protective tariffs"
The report goes into detail TO estapisn
this claim, and then continues:
1--WE have believed that the first step TO-
ward reform of he tariff should be II re
lease from taxes of the materials OF indus
try There can be no substantial and
beneficial reduction upon the necessary
clothing and other comforts o. the Ameri-
can people, nor any substantial and beue-
fetal enlargement of the field of American
labor, so long AS we tax the materials and
processes of production. Every tax upon
the producer falls with increased force on
the consumer. Every tax on the producer
in this country is protection TO his compet-
itors in all other countries, ana so narrows
his market AS to limit the number and
lessen the wages of those to whom he can
give employment
1--WE have been compelled to retain some
articles on the dutiable list ana to leave
some duties higher than we desired. be-
cause OF the present necessity OF the treas
ury; but We have not felt that any temper
ary shrinknge of revenue should deter us
from carrying out as effectually as we
could the work assigned us, Oar own eX-
perience aud that of other countries has
shown that decrease of iaiitf duties inn
mediGtely operates for such enlarge
meut of commerce. of productioa and con.
sumption, MS raj idly To make up any ap-
parent loss OF revenue threatened by those
reductions.
The most important change in the bill
proposed from the present law Will be
found in the general substitution of ad
valorem for specific duties.
1T is The purpose OF the present bill to
repeal in toto section 3 of the tariff act of
De |. 1890, commonly, but most errone-
Dusly, called lis reciproci provision. This
section has brought DO advantage to
American exporters. IL Is not the inten-
tio0 or effect of the provision 10 promote
reciprocity but retaliation.
Upon the larger sizes of plate glass,
where the duties were even higher, we
have made reduction of about one-third.
In The iron and steel schedule. beginning
with free ore aud n duty of 2lj5 per cent
on pig iron, We have II ported scale of
duties considerably below those of the ex-
listing law, graduated according to the de-
gree OF manufacture, which should bring
benefit o the consumer without calliug
for any halt in the imperial progress OF
that great industry in our country Tire
duty on steel rails has been put at % per
cent, which, according TO the reports of
our d+parrme of labor, quite compen-
safes for all the difference III cost of pro-
ductiou in this country and abroad Upon
Tin plate the duty has been gauged with
reference to the revenue it VIII bring TO
the treasury, aud the difference between
his duty aud that upon black plate has
been les>ened, with IA view to discourage
what may not uuiastiy be calico The in
dnstry of making tin plate by the mere
dipping IN Tins country OF imported black
plate.
In the sugar schedule we have reported
provision for lis repeal by such stages MS
shall gradually oblterate il from our laws.
while permitting those engaged in the in
uusJry reasonable time in which they
may prepare TO take their stand with
ofher lndusi ries OF the country.
The duties upon IMPORT d leaf tobacco.
suitable for cigar wrappers. which We're
enormously advanced by the act of 1890
have been placed at such figures rs, after
careful investigation, were deemed likely
30 produce the most revenue 90 the treas
hry, hut this object has alone decided the
gates.
"Of the staple agricultural products.
including meats aud provisions We are
such large exporters, aud must continue
TO lie such large exporters. that anv dut les
upon them are useless for protection and
iruitiesS COR revenue Oar great exuo-t
staples, having fully supplied the home
% Fket, must overflow and seek larger
pa cha>ers elsewhere The daily effect of
protective tariff is 10 take AWAY from th,
producers OF these articles from one
louri TO one-half OF the pruducts for
which they could exchange their surplu.
In the open market. should they yrniurs
TO buy I'D ;he market where tb.v A..
obliged 10 sell, or compel them TO ,,iv,. -
Ike portion of the results of their Ia So
wien turned into money, by the lucre.s-i
cost OF what they buy in the home marker
10 the farmers oi The couutry we H,,-a
ven untaNVd agricultural Implement. /.
Id binding twine aud untaxed cott,u
as, for the reason in the latter case thar
f'on IS the largest export crop of tba
'untry sold abroad In coppetii ion WI !,
iue cheap labor of in,ia aud Ey.ot ba-
iie'inS that II was sufficient for the pr
Vaie taxgatherer 10 follow the farmer in
tie markets OF hl, own country. aud not T.
pursue him into all the markets o! TIN.
world. A. cottnn baggiug can be used hat
once, we have tEougut il best 10 eXttu,i
The drawoNch system 10 such bng.,iu.,
made OF lute hut 5 when used upon oot ~
ports oi cotton, privilege witch the ex-
porters OF meat IN cans already rs.ioy.
coupled WITH which Is the further adyan
se that The same bags may be used for
ccessise expectations OF grain.
In the schedule o! ils.swiues am
other beverages the chauge. made ar.
slight, and with View To The producti a,
oI incieased revenue from thesa very prom
er sources or revenue taxation
1he majority report is si.ned by the