The morning call., 1893-12-20
COTTON is KING.
Arguments for the New
Tariff Bill.
THE REPORT SUBMITTED.
Democratic Reasoning Against the
Policy of Protection.
RECIPROCITY A FLAT FAILURE.
Why II Was Deemed Expedient Not
TO Make the Reforms Too
Sweeping.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-Ihe majority
report of the Ways and Means Committee
on the tariff was submitted TO The House
at the opening to-day. The report says:
The American people, after a full and
the most thorough debate ever given by
people TO their fiscal policy, have deliber-
ately decided the existing tariff 70 be
wrong in principal and previously unjust
IN operation. They have decided. as free
men must always decide, that the power
CT taxation has no lawful or constitutional
exercise except for providing revenue for
the support OF the Government. Every
departure from this principle Is departure
from the fundamental principles Of free in
stltuuons and inevitably WORKS out gross
Inequality In the citizenship OF the
country.
For Eore than thirty years we have
levied the largest part of our Federal taxes
IN violation of this vital Truth, until We
have reached the existing tariff and an
extreme and voluminous system Of class
taxation 10 which history may be chal-
lenged TO furnish a parallel. So many pri-
yate enterprises have been taken into part
nersbip which the Government, so many
private interests now share in the rich
pTerogatiye of taxing 10000, 900 people,
tina, any attempt 10 dissolve this Illegal
union is necessarily encountered by the
opposition that rallies behind the intoler-
ance of monopoly. the power of cOncentra-
ted wealth, the Inertia of fixed habits and
the dishonest errors OF a generation of
false teaching.
This bill. on which the committee has
! expended much patient and anxious labor.
is not offered as a complete response to
the mandate of the American people. II
no more processes to be purged of all pro-
lection than to De free of all error in its
complex and manifold details. However
We may deny the existence of any legisla-
/ tive pledge or of the right of any Congress
/ to make such pledge for the continuance
Of duties that carry with them more or
/ less Acknowledged protection, We must
recognZ Zs that great interests do exist
Z wbose existence aud prosperity IT is no
! part Of cur reform either TO imperil or TO
curtail. We believe, and have warrant in
| our own past experience for believing that
! the reduction of duties will not lnjuIe. but
! give more abundant life 10 all our great
manufacturing industries, however much
they may dread The change.
In dealing with the tariff question, as
with every other long standing abuse that
| has interviewer itself with our social or
/ industrial system. Legislators must always
remenl Der that. N the beginning, temper
ale reform is the safest, having in itssl If
the principle of growth. 4 glance at The
/ tariff legislation OF our own country ough;
TO satisfy every intelligent student that
protection has always shown its falslty as
a system of economy by its absolute
/ failure 10 secure healthy ana stable pros
4 periiy 10 manufacturers. Ii teaches men
10 depend on artificial help, on the laws of
/ taxing their countTymen for prosperity in
! business. rather than upon their skill and
effort. 1t throws business out OF its natu-
raj channels into artificial channels, in
which there must always be fluctuatiOn and
uncertainty. and makes the tariff system
( q football for party politics aud establishes
large business interests as the stake OF
every popular election. None have recog-
| nized this more fully than the wiser men
who have from time to time engaged in
the so-called protected industries"
The repor: then deals at length with the
tariff history of the country. showing that
when first proposed the manufacturers
opposed it and desired to be lei alone.
Once in. huwever. protected industries
asked for more and more protection
Finally came the reyulslon Of 1886 when
the tariff was reduced against the protests
by man ufscturers that it would ruin them,
and against the solid vote of the represen-
tatives of manufacturing States in Con-
| gress. The result was that low tariff
was the development of great vigor in
manufactures, with steady employment
and increasing wages for labor. After
eleven years trial the Representatives of
those same States. with practical unanim-
| ity, voted for further reduction of 20
per cent, and by two-thirds vote sus-
| tanned 25 per cent reduction under the
tariff OF 1857. The people were so well
satisfied with it that there was a protest
against the Morrill, bill of 1861. increasing
the duties"
The report quotes from q number of
sp.e eches in Congress against the Morrill,
bill, among them one by Sherman Of Ohio.
Under Republican auspices" it says,
"theTe has been a constant increase Ia
/ duties st the demand of manufacturers.
! The present bill, while framed in no spirit
| Of uDfrieDdliness TO manufacturers, is
framed on the thsory that it is the duty of
Congress. not the right of manufacturers,
! to fix its terms"
In answer to a criticism ABOUT reducing
| revenues in a time when The Government
is in financial straits, the report says:
",rhe COMMITTEES was compelled, in defer
ence to that fact 10 not put on the free
| list some articles which they would have
been glad TO make free, and not TO cut
other rates as low as desirable; bnt the
committee did not feel justified in ignoring
the instructions of the American people on
account of the temporary shrinkage of the
revenues. Experience shows the increase
OF business will largely make up the loss
from decreased rates"
The report declares: "The reciprocity
clause Of the tariff act Of 1890 has brought
no appreciable benefits. and the present
bill aims, therefore. to repeal it entirely" :"
1--WE believe the sugar bounty system. !"
says the report. contrary to the spirit of
| our institutions, and can conceive no cir
| cumstanees under which we should have
advocated or approved its introduction
! into our laws. We have reported the pro-