The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-20

prevailed. Ine country entered on a
protective policy, with the unfailing re-
suit that the government help begot q
violent demand for more government
help.
The report goes ON to give history of
the tariff legislation since 1915, and con-
inues:
The history of American industry
shows that during no other period has
there been more healthy and rapid
development of our manufacturing in
austry than during the Is years of low
tariff from 1S46 to 1861, nor a more
healty and harmonious igrowth of agri-
culture and all the otheS industries of
the country.
A salutary Lesson.
No chapter in our political experience
carries with it a more salutary lesson
than this, and none could appeal more
strongly to lawmakers to establish just
and rational system of public revenues,
neither exhausting agriculture by con-
slant blood letting, nor keeping manu-
sacturers alternating between chills and
levers by artificial pampering. In this
direction alone lies stability, con-
cord of sections and of great
industries. We have already said
that the public discussion may
disclose errors of minor detail in
the schedules of the bill. To escape
such errors would require. so thorough
and minute knowledge of all the divis-
ions, subdivisions, complex and mani
fold mazes and involution of our chemi-
cal, textile, metal and other industries,
that no committee Of congress, no mat
ter how extended the range of their per-
sonal knowledge, or how lAborious and
painstaking their efforts, could ever hope
TO. possess. We have not forgotten
that we
Represent the People
who are the many, as well as the pro-
tected interests, who are the few, and
while we have dealt with the latter i'm no
spirit of unfriendliness, we have felt
that it was our duty and not their priv
ilege to make the tariff schedules. Those
who concede the right of beneficiaries to
fx their bounties. must necessarily COM
init to them the framing and wording of
laws by which those bounties are Sc
cured to them. A>committee of congress
thus becomes merely the amanuensis of
the protected interests.
Instances are next cited in which it is
claimed schedules have been framed in
the words of the men representing the
interests to be protected, and then the
report continues:
Every Tax Upon the Producer
falls with increased force ON tn con-
sumner. Every tax on the producer in
this country is protection to his COM
petitors in all other countries, and SO
narrows his market as to limit the num-
Der, and lessen the wages of those to
whom he can give employment.
Repeal Reciprocity.
1t is the purpose of the present bill to
repeal in toto, section of the tariff act
of Oct. /, 1890, commonly, but most er-
roneously called its reciprocity provision.
That act placed sugar, molasses, coffee,
tea and hides on the free list, but au-
thorized the president, should he be salts
fed that the government of any other
country producing such articles imposed
duties upon the agricultural or other
products of the United States, which he
might deem reciprocally unequal and nm
reasonable. to suspend the provision
under which these articles were admit
ted into this country free. This section
has brought no appreciable advantage
to American exporters, is not in inten-
ton or effect provision for reciprocity
but for retaliation.
The ssate of the treasury is touched
upon and the statement made that some
schedules are left higher ON that account
than they otherwise would be.
The change from specific to ad
valorem duties is commended and the
reciprocity clause of the Mckinley bill
condemned.
Considerable space is also used in
commenting upon change in certain
schedules, such as iron, tin and sugar.
The majority report is signed by the
Democratic members of the committee.
The Republican members will hereafter
submit a minority report attacking the
Wilson bill and majority report.