Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-20
THE TARIFF REPORT.
MCRinleylSm Wrong in Principle and
Unjust in Operation"
VIEWS OF THE MAJORITY.
Submitted to The House by Representa-
tive Wilson.
POWER OF TAXATION
1t HAS No Lawful Exercise Except for
Revenue "-Democratic Propositions
Explained and Defended.
POWER OF TAXATION

extracts from IL:
"The American people. after the fullest
and most thorough debate ever given
by any people to their fiscal policy,
have deliberately and rightly decided
that the existing tariff is wrong in prin'i-
pie and grievously unjust in operation.
They have decided. as frcemen always
decide. that the power Of taxation has
no lawful or constitutional exercise ex-
cept for providing revenue for the sup
port Of the government.
Every departure from this principle
IS a departure from the fundamental
principles OF popular institutions, and in
cyltably works out a gross inequality In
the citizenship Of a country. For more
than thirty years we have levied the
largest part Of our Federal taxes in vio-
lation Of this vital truth until We have
reached In the existing tariff an extreme
and v0lumnous system Of classification.
to which history may be challenged TO
Furnish any parallel. SO many private
enterprises have been taken into partner
ship with the government; SO many pri-
yate interests now share in the prer0Sa-
tive of taxing 100000 of people, that
any attempt to dissolve this Illegal union
Is necessarily encountered by an opposi-
ton that rallies behind the Intolerance OF
monopoly the power of concentrated
wealth, the inertia Of fixed habits. and
the honest errors OF generation of false
teachings.
THE BILL NOT PERFECT.
"Thc bill, on which the committee has
expended much patient and anxious
labor, is not offered as a complete re-
sponse TO the mandate Of the American
people 1t no more processes to be
purged Of all protection than to be Tree
Of all error in it's complex and manitoba
details However we may deny the exist
encc Of any legislative pledge. or Of the
right OF any Congress TO make such
pledge. for the continuance Of duties that
carry with them more or less ac-
knoWlodged protection. we must recog-
nize that great interests 10 exist whose
existence and prosperity II is no part
Of our reform either 10 imperil or 10 cur
tail We believe and We have the war
rant Of our own past experience Tor De
lieving. that reduction Of duties viii not
iniure but will give more abundant HE
% all our great manufacturing miusule5'
however much they may fear the chans'
In dealing with the tariff question, as
with any other long-standing abuse
which has interviewer Itself win our
social or industrial system. the legislator
must always remember that In the De
rinning temperate reform Is safest, nav
inl-4sn Itself the principle OF growth
- glance at the tariff legislation OF our
own country ought to satisfy every lnt"l-
Iigcnt student ;hat protection has Away
shown it's falsity as q system OF economy
bv its absolute failure 10 insure healthy
and stable prosperity 90 manufactures
II teaches them 10 depend on artlhcla
holm. on laws taxing their couutrymch
for prosperity in business, rather that
upon their own skill and effort u throws
business ont Of It's natural channels lht'
artificial channels. where there must al
WAYS be nuctu1tion and uncertainty ah'
a. makes a tariff system the gotham o
party politics. and the stabih-y OF ars
business interests the stake Of every pop
ular election. None have recognized thi
truth more fully than the wiser men wh'
from time to time have engaged in the 50
called protected industries
such political economists as Edwarr
Everett and Amasd walker are quote'
to sustain this proposition. and history
Of tariff legislation fostering the growti
of the protective idea Is given down t'
1s72.
TYRANNY OF PROTECTION.
The report then says: Although th'
demand for tariff reform and for reduc
ton Of taxes has ever since been burn
ing and a growing one in the country th'
protected Industries have eXacted and re-
ceivcd from every Republican Congres
elected since 1861 an increase Of thei
protection. occasionally permitting the r.
peal or the lessenipg OF tax that wa
paid into the Treasury in order To keei
away from or to increase duties LEVIED
for their benefit. Protection, left to II
natural momentum, never stops snort o
prohibition. and prohibitOry walls are al
WAYS needing to be built higher and t'
be- patched and strengthened. y protec
tive tariff never has given and never cai
give stability and satisfaction 10 us Owl
benehciaries. Even II its victims are to-
weak or too scattered to agitate for ~
decrease, those benenciaries are sure L
agitate for an increase.
I'VE have already said that public dis
cusslon may disclose errors Of minor Dc
d
cape such errors is required so thorough
and minute a knowledge Of all the di
visions subdivisions. complex and mani
fold mazes. and involutions of our chemi
cal. textile, metal. and other industrie
that no committee Of Congress. no mat
ter how extended the range of their per
sonal knowledge or how laborOus an
painstaking their efforts. could ever hop
to possess lt. We have not forgotten tha
We represent the people who are tn
many, as we'll as the protected interests
who are the few, and while we haV
dealt with the latter in no spirit OF un
/ friendllness. we have felt that it was on
| duty and not their privilege to make tn
tariff schedules. Those who concede III
right Of benehciares to fix their owl
| bounties must necessarily commit to then
/ the flaming and wording Of the laws b.
which those bounties are secured 1
/ them. 4 committee Of Congress thus be
comes merely the amanuensis Of the pro
| tected interests. II has been shown s.
| clearly and so often in the debates o
| this House that nearly every importan
/ schedule of the existing law was made
\ I'm it's very words and figures by repre-
| sentatives OF the interests II was frame
| TO protect, that il is unnecessary in ou
report To present the record proof OF thl
fact, but il may not be amiss TO cite fur
| ther evidence TO show that this Is no
only the necessary rule. but the open an
avowed method OF framing protectiy
| tariffs"
FIRST STEP IN REFORM.
Some examples OF this kind are the
presented by the committee. which goe
J on 10 say: I'VE have believed that IN
| first step towards a reform Of the tarii
| should be a release OF taxes on the ma
terials Of industry. There can be no suit
stantial and beneficial reduction upon IN
necessary clothing and other comforts q
| the American people. nor any substantia
| and beneficial enlargement OF the field q
| American labor. as long as we tax mate
| rails and processes Of production. Ever
| tax on a producer In this country IL
protection TO his competitors In all othe
countries. and 80 narrows his market a
| 10 limit the number and lessen the wage
| Of those to whom he can give employ
ment Every cheapening In the cost Q
| enlargement OF the supply of his raw me
| terials, while primarily inuring to IN
| benefit Of the manufacturer himself, passs
under free competition Immediately an
passes entirely to the consumer, who yer
soon gets even more benefit out Of
| than such reductions seem to carry. b.
| c4use with the rapid widening OF h
| market the manufacturer Is able 10 sc
at a smaller profit. II Is, therefore,
| very narrow and sh0rt-sighted view whic
supposes that we release the duties o
iron-ore, and coal. and wool. end otht
like articles for the benefit Of those wh
| manufacture our iron, STEEL woolen, an