Arizona republican., 1893-12-22
THE OTHER SIDE.
Minority Report on the
Wilson Bill.
Described as a CoWardly
Makeshift.
Neither Measure for Revenue
or Protection.
The Deficiency Created by 1t Looms
Up Terrible Specter to
Tariff Reformers.

By the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2l.-The report OF
the minority members of the ways and
means committee on the tariff bill was
submitted to the house this afternoon
That portion of the report discussing
the bill generally was prepared by
Reed. The other mem bers of the mi
nority. Burrows, Payne, Dalzell, Hop
kins and Gear, prepared the portions
dealing with special features.
The report says: The most surprising
thing about this bill is the fact thatit
is proposition to raise revenues over
those of 1898, which are only $4,000, 900
above the expenses of the government.
This fact and the fact that by this bill
the larger part of the burden OF taxa
tion is transferred from foreigners and
brought to our own citizens should al
ways be kept in mind. Had the COM
mittee followed the uncompromising
declaration of the Democratic party and
abolished protection, giving US a tariff
for revenue only, our task in comment
ing upon the results of the committees
work would have been much more
simple. So far, however, have the COM
mittee departed from the demands of
their national convention that we are
much tempted to borrow phrase from
their own platform and designate the
bill as a "cowardly makeshift," were
not the result already too serious for
mere epithets.
The committee has presented another
tinkering tariff bill the like of which
has disturbed business go many times
in the last thirty years. Had the bin
been for revenue only the people of the
country might have seen at glance
whether they desired the one policy or
the other and the question might have
been settled once for all and the coun-
try would have attained that repose
and stability on which our prosperity
so much depends.
Going into detail generally: Although
lum ber passes through the same plant
as boards, workmen who manage saws
are unprotected while the workmen
who run planes are shielded by pro-
tective tariff. The plan also involves. "a
method of encouraging manufacturers
by giving them what is called ''free raw
materials" so that what goes into a
mill pays no tax and what goes into
consumption pays all the taxes. 1t
unfortunately happens also that tree
raw material is another mans finished
product.
This bill pretends to be a revenue for
tariff and does not raise the revenue; it
pretends to give protection, but destroys
it in every way; it says to the manu-
facturer, for you we furnish free coal.
iron ore, wool and the markets OF the
world )" instead it furnishes new crop
Of enemies, men who dig in mines and
raise sheep. 1t really creates what its
. advocates falsely charge against Repub-
lican protection, privileged class.
The exact effect the proposed duties
would have on the general rate of wages
of the country can only be determined
by an actual test but it is not difficult to
see it would be very depressing. An
ad valorem duty, if pricss could be ex-
actly determined, would be the fairest
but unfortunately prices are very much
matters of opinion and inasmuch as the
duty depends upon the price, cheat
in price is cheat induty and not only
is the government cheated but the
manufacturer is cheated out of the
protection promised him.
How the great deficit in our re-
sources as nation is to be filled no one
knows unless tho president anticipat-
ing in his message to. congress, the re-
port of the committee on ways and
means shall afford to the committee It
self the wished for clue. Against the
consideration of such bill creating q
deficit and leaving it unaccounted for
the minority vainly protested when the
bill was laid before the committee.
We make the same protest to the house
and country. The bill ought not to
have been reported without the inter-
nal revenue bill which is to make up
the deficiency. When a scheme for
raising taxes by methods used in time
of war ia presented in addition to those
now imposed there may be such a
further revulsion of feeling as will &C.
complIsh the defeat of this bill.
There is no need for US to present
this to the county. 1t is presenting
itself. In a hundred representative
cities where the number employed ex-
ceeds two million and a half of people,
fully one third are without employ
ment. These are engaged in protected
industries. We will not strive in any
way to increase the turmoil which this
bill has already created. An end can
be put to all this by the defeat of the
bill and to accomplish this every energy
should be bent.
The wooden schedule is destructive
to the wool growers industry, the sew
enth in value of products among the
branches of agriculture. At prices now
prevailing in foreign markets our far
mers cannot produce wool without ab-
solute loss. During the past year the
threat of free wool has deprecated the
value of sheer. and wool in the United