Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-22
WILSON TARIFF BILL.
WAYS AND MEANS MINORITY REPORT
THEREON.
Hep"phc"n Views OF Democratic PROPOSE
tions-The New Measure Condemned
as Sectional.

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. December 21.--
The report OF the minority OF the Ways
and Means Committee upon the tariff bill
was made public this evening.
In discussing the woollen schedule the
| minority says: This schedule. as proposed
in the committees bill is in some respects
the most reprehensible. 1t proposes to
destroy at a blow the great industry OF
wool-growing. Nothing short of the total
destruction OF this important Industry
| can be counted upon as the consequence
of placing both wool and mutton on the
free list
THE bill deals with wool manufactures
In terms scarcely less radical and disas-
trous than those accorded the wool grow
Ing industry, upon which II so largely de
pends.
'The metal schedule presents some fea-
lures that illustrate in a significant way
the illogical character OF the bill. Among
these may be mentioned the substitution
In almost all cases OF ad valorem for
specific duties; the making free a number
Of articles called raw Materials; the dis
regard of the relations that exist between
more and less finished products, and the
totally inadequate duties named upon GER
tain leading articles"
IRON-ORE AND COAL.
The placing of iron-ore and bituminous
coal upon the free list is especially con-
demned.
There are two provisions In the bill
which when brought side by side disclose
in significant way its sectional charac-
ter. Hoop-ron and iron and steel bars
bear an ad valorem duty of per cent,
except as otherwise provided for The
otherwise provided for has reference to
ties of iron or steel for balng cotton,
which are placed on the free list
Under the existing law the duty on tin
plates is % cents per pound. The duty
at first proposed by the committee was
80 per centum. ad valOrem, but this has
been changed to a specific duty Of 1.2
cents per pound. II will be observed that
the proposed duty IS / cent per pound
less than that of the present law. This
means severe blow to an enterprise,
which. under existing conditions, has
grown 20 immense proportions, and which
promises. under proper protection. TO be
one Of the great Industries Of the coun-
try"
\ defence is made of the
sugar-bounty and the cotton-manu-
facturcs schedule. which the mi
nority says. shows the same inconsist-
onces and lack OF knowledge on the part
OF the trainers Of the bill Of the intrica-
cies of the industry that have marked the
preparation OF the other schedules in the
bill.
COAL AS RAW MATERIAL.
AS to bitumnous coal the minority says:
zone OF the most amazing propositions Of
the bill Is that bituminOus coal shall be
put upon the free list and the millions Of
dollars per annum (almosO that we re-
ceivc from its importation by way of
revenue be absolutely thrown away. Coal
has little value save as II gets II from
labor. il Is worth almost nothing in the
hill: would be worth absolutely nothing
were 1t not for the prospect Of being
mined. II Is not a raw material for It
Is not worked into any further shape.
but is consumed and done for al once.
Call It raw material in the hill, if you
please: it then cuts no figure In n tariff
bill Except for a short period. II has al
ways borne a duty. Under the revenue
tariff Of 1886 it bore a duty Of 80 per cent,
ad valorcm. No change has been made
in the duty on 1t since 1872. The Mills
bill provided the same rate as the pres
ent law-7j cents per ton. Now 1t is pro-
posed to make II free. 1t is difficult to
imagine why II is the most universally
prevalent Of all the subjects Of American
industry There are few States or Terri
tories that an interference with it will
not affect"