The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-05

Ex-Speaker Reed, one OF the promi-
nent minority members Of the Ways
and Means committee. when asked
for his views on the new Tariff bill,
sald ..ss.
''In the first place. the country
ought TO understand that there has
been certain degree of unfalrness
about the preparation OF this blum
fairness to the country rather than to
individuals, arising from the COM
position OF the committee. The De.
mocracy Gave taken the lions share
of the committee. and they have done
this for a purpose, for, while the
Northern DEMOCRATS are represented
on the committee. they are represent
ed In such way that the youth holds
q strange and very unfortunate pre-
dominance. As their Industrial status
10 very much different from the aver
ago of the whole country, 1t neces-
earily follows. and absolutely, In fact,
has followed. that the bill is about as
Tad as could be reasona iy imagined.
This may not be true with regard to
every Item, but 1t is certainly true
with regard to tho most important
matters In the bill.
In the first place, one of the most
striking things to be objected to is
from specific duties to ad valorem
duties. Probably any man who had
actual business in the United States
knows that even II the al valorem
duties were calculated upon the sumo
basis aB the specific duties, in actual
practice, owing 10 the way In which
undervaluatlOnS are made and ap
praisementa are made, It would be a
reduction OF at least 10 per cent. In
the tariff on this basis.
In the wooden schedule the rates
arc not only too low generally. but
they are 80 uneven in their reduction
/ that the lowering Of wages will not
by any possibility save some indus,
tries, 30 thntthe workingmen in some
parts OF this industry will not save
the comparative good fortune only to
save their wages reduced, but arc
quite likely to lose them altogether
! This is true To some extent, as IL
seems. In the cotton schedule.
Coal has been placed upon tho free
list for the advantage of the Nova
Scotia mines which havo been pur.
chased by gentlemen who have been
interested In the tariff, and West Nir.
gina IL likely thereby, according to
| the Democratic Governor OF the state,
to suffer irreparable damage and be
ulLo6lcu III liz Wv blOpIltlbs
Iron ore Is quito free, which will
cause lowering of wages In the iron
mlneb, and will repress the extension
of tho fields OF effort which had al
ready got to be very large and which
were tending to the reduction of
prices.
New England seems to have been
very severely treated In many ways.
Our fishermen on tha coast OF Maine
have been specially considered to
their very great disadvantage. In put.
Ing fresh fish on the FREQ list, without
even the saving clause for immediate
consumption lnasmuch as great
deal OF fish is bought in on ice. this
practically opens our fresh fish mar
ket 10 the Canadians, who have OBJ
tained, without the disadvantages of
a treaty, oil thnt the former Admins.
tration OF President Cleveland tried to
give them by the rejected treaty.
Among other things that arc admit
ted free is building stone. and cut ,
stone 10 only 20 per cent. al valorem: !
that is, the labor on building stone is
only balanced by simple duty OF 70
Ter cent, Wills 1t Is to he hoped that
this country will wait long before II
sees proportionate decrease of the
wages Of the workingmen engaged in
that occupation"