Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-12-29

report Of the ways and means COM
mittee on the tariff bill was submit
ted 10 the full committee today.
The report says:
The American people, after the fullest
and the most thorough debate ever
given by u people to their fiscal policy,
deliberately and rightly decided that
the existing tariff was wrong III prin-
ciple and grieVOusly unjust i'll opera
ton. They have decided, as freemen
always decide, that the power Of tax
alton has no lawful or constitutional
exercise except for providing revenue
fol- the support Of the government.
Every departure from this principle is
IL departure from the fundamental
principles of free institutions, and
inevitably works out Il gross inc
quality i'll the citizenship Of the country.
For more than thirty years we
have levied the largest part OF our
federal taxes i'll violation of this vital
truth, until we have reached the exist
ny tariff and an extreme and vOlum-
inous system of class taxation, TO
which history may be challenged to
furnish u parallel. SO many private
enterprises have been taken into part
nCrship with the government and SO
many private interests now share in
the rich prerOgatiye Of taxing seventy
millions Of people, that any attempt
to dissolve this illegal union is of
necessity encountered by opposition
that rallies behind intolerance of the
monopoly power of concentrated
wealth. the inertia of Il generation Of
fixed habits and the honest errors Of
il gelC ration Of false teaching
This bill Oh which the committee
hts expended much patient and
anxious labor, is not offered as Il com
Piete response to the mandate Of the
American people. 1t no more pro
fcsses to be purged Of all protection
than To be free Of Ill error in its com
pick and manifold details. However
we may deny the existence of any leg
iolalivc pledge or Of the right of any
congress t. make such Il pledge for Il
continuance Of duties that carry with
tiIen i more or less acknowledged
protection, we must recognize that
great interests do exist whose existence
and prosperity it is no part Of our
reform either TO imperiI or curtail.
We believe, and have warrant in
our past experience for believing, that
il reduction i'll duties will not njurc
but give more abundant life to all our
great manufacturing industries, how
~ f4r oh
In dealing with the tariff question, us
with every other long standing abuse
that has interviewer itself with our so
cial industrial system, the legislator
must always remember that, i'll begin
ming temperate reform is safest, hay
ing i'll itself, the principle of growth.
"A glance al the tariff legiSla ton OF
or own country ought to satisfy every
intelligent student that protection has
Showu its falsity as Il system by its
absolute failure To give healthy and
stable prosperity to manufacturers
1t teaches men 10 depend on artificial
help. on laws taxing their country
men. tor EroSperit., in business, rather
han upon their own skill aud cifor.
III throws business out of its natui'-
II channels into artificial channels i'll
which there must be always fluctil>
alton and uncertainty and makes the
tariff system the football Of party poll
ties, and the stability of large bust
ness interests the stake of every popu-
lar election. None have recognized
this more fully than the wise men who
from time to time engaged III so-c;tllcd
protected industries
I'VE believe that the sugar bounty
system is contrary to the spirit of our
institutions. We reported Il provision
FOR its repeal by such stages as shall
permit those who invested large sums
under the expectation of its continu-
ance time in which to take their stand
with the other industries of the coun-
try.
The duties upon imported tobacco
leaf suitable for cigar wrappers we
have placed 1T such figures rs are
deemed likely to produce the most
revenue. OF the staple agricultural
products. including meats and pro
visions. we are such large exporters
and must continue TO be that any dll-
ties are useless. La the iron and steel
schedule we reported a scale of duties
considerably below those of the eA
listing law. graduated according to the
degree of manufacture The duty up
on steel rails is put 1T - per cent
AS III shippers are vitality inter
eSted i'll cheapening the cost of trans
portation, the rates of duty upon steel
rails should be adjusted so as TO pro-
tect them from monopoly of prices
and monopoly of combinations. Upon
tin plate the duty is gagged with refer
ence to the revenue it will bring into
the treasury, and the difference be-
tween this duty and that upon black
plate has been leSsened with Il view
to discourage what may not unjustly
be called the bogus industry of making
American tin plate by mere dipping
in this country of imported black
plates.
ITO the farmers of the country we
have given untaxed agricultural I'M
Elements and binding Irvine and uu-
taxed cotton ties In the schedule of
spirits. wines and other beverages
the changes made are slight and with
IL view to an increased revenue from
these very proper sources of revenue
taxation.
The report then deals at length with
the tariff history of the country. show
ing that when first proposed, manufac-
turers opposed it and desired to be let
alone. Once in, however, the protect
L.. - e.