The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-12-30
TARIFF BILL READY.
DEMOCRATIC REPORT PRE-
SCENTED TO COMMITTEE.


In presenting the report Mr.. Wilson
said it had already been given to the
| press. whcreupon the republicans said
that they would see it in the afternoon
| papers The reading of the report was
therefore dispensed with. The repub-
| lican members of the committee will
meet tonight and perfect their report,
and it will be made public Thursday.
Chairman Wilson will call up the
tariff bill on the first day Of the session
after the holiday recess. He hopes to
limit the debate to two weeks, and If
necessary night sessions will be held.
The following is n synopsis of the
majority report
The report declares that protection
has never given satisfaction, and a
protective tariff never has and never
can give stability and satisfaction to
its own benefciaries The history of
American industry shows that during
no other period has there been n more
healthy and rapid development of our
manufacturing industry than during
tie fifteen years Of low tariff from 1916
TO lsGl, nor more healthy and har-
monious growth Of agriculture and all
the other great industries of the coun-
try. No chapter in our political eX-
pcrience carries with il more salutary
lesson than this, and none could APP
peal more strongly TO the lawmakers
TO establish just and rational system
Of public revenues. neither eNhausting
agriculture by constant bloodlctting,
nor keeping manufactures alternating
between chills and fcvcrs by artificial
pampering. In this direction alone
lies stability. concord of sections and
of great industries
I'VE have believed that the first step
toward reform of the tariff should be
a release OF taxes on the materials OF
industry. Every tax upon the pro-
Queer falls with increased force on the
consumer. Every tax on the producer
in this country is protection to his
competitors in all other countries, and
so narrows his market as to limit the
number and lessen the wages of those
TO whom he can give employment 1t
is, therefore, 4 very narrow and short
sighted view which supposes that we
release the duties on iron ore and coal
and wool and other like articles for
the benefit Of those who manufacture
our iron, steel, wooden and other fab
RIGS. We are legislating for the
great millions of consumers beyond
them and the scores of thousands of
laborers to whom they may thus give
steady and well paid employment 1t
is no less narrow and short-sighted
view that supposes that a removal OF
the tariff duties on such necessaries of
industry will infict any real loss upon
those who produce them in our own
The enlargement Of markets |
for our products in other countries, the !
increase in the internal commerce and
in the carrying trade of our own coun-
try. will insure growing home mar
ket for all these things that will |
quickly outstrip anything they could
have under the protective system.
Iron and coal are the basis of modern
industry. The abundance and cheap
ness of their supply offers us in many
lines of productions the manufactur-
ing supremacy of the world. While |
mines Of other countries arc becoming
exhausted and the cost of mining in
is increasing, we are con-
stantly discovering and developing
new resources of supply. The coal
area of the United States. as stated by I
Mr.. Saward in the Coal Trade, for 1899 |
is estimated at l92, 900 square miles, of |
which 10000 can be comfortably |
worked at present This coal area is
over three times larger than that of |
the rest of the world com bined.
The existing duty of IS cents a ton
on iron Gre and on bituminous coal |
cannot be justified either as a protec-
tive or revenue duty. The importa-
tions into this country are too small to |
add materially to our revenue while |
no one contends that the cost of min
ing is higher in the United States than |
in the countries that might seek our
market. This house. in two congresses
in recent years. having after full de-
ba,e passed laws putting wool on the |
free list, il is not deemed necessary in
this report to attempt n restatement Of |
the reasons for doing so. II is enough !
to say that the tariff upon wool, while
bringing no real benefit to the
wool grower. least of all to the
American farmer, who in any balancing
of accounts must see that he yearly pays
out good dollar for every doubtful
dime he may receive under its opera
ton. has disastrously hampered our
manufacturing industry and made
cruel and relentless war upon the
health, the comfort and the produc-
tive energy of the American people.
Logs are already on the free list.
We have gone a step further and put
undressed lumber generally on that
list This may serve to cheaper and i'm
prove the dwelling-houses of some of
our people, but it is justified If it shall
accomplish nothing more than to de-
lay the rapid destruction of American
forests. We have also placed hemp
and fax unhackled on the free list for
the reasons stated above, that we may
give to the American workingmen un-
taxed material to work with and that