The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-27
FOR REVENUE ONLY.
THE TARIFF BILL REPORTED TO THE
HOUSE.

The Existing Law, Which Is Wrong in
Principle aud Greviously Unjust in OPP
Grafton, Populated by tho American
People.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-The MAORI
ty report Of the ways and means COM
mittee on the tariff bill, presented in
the House today, was written by Chair
man Wilson. Following are extracts
from it:
"The American people, after the full
est and most thorough debate ever
given by any people to their fiscal pol
ICY, have deliberately and rightfully
decided that the existing tariff Is
wrong in principle and previously un-
just in operation.
"They have decided, as free men
must always decide, that the power Of
taxation has no lawful or constitution
al exercise except for providing reve-
nue. for the support of the government.
Every departure from this fundament-
al principles of popular institutions,
and inevitably works out gross ine-
quality in citizenship of the country.
For more than thirty years we have
levied the largest part Of our Federal
taxes in violation of this vital truth
until we have reached in the existing
tariff, an extreme and volumlnous sys-
tenn of class taxation to which history
may be challenged to furnish any par.
ellel.
$50 many private enterprises have
been taken into partnership with the
government; so many private interests
now share in the prerogative Of taxing
100000 Of people, that any attempt
to dissolve this illegal union Is neces.
sarily encountered by opposition that
rallies behind it the intolerance of
monopoly, power Of concentrated
wealth, inertia of fixed habits, and the
honest errors Of a generation OF false
teaching"
The bill on which the committee has
expended much patient and anxious
labor, is not offered as complete res
ponse to the mandate of the American
people. It no more processes to be
purged of all protection than to be free
of ali error in its complex and mani
fold details. However we may deny
the existence of any legislative pledge,
or the right of any Congress to make
such pledge, for the continuance of
duties that carry with them more or
less acknowledged protection, we must
recognize that great interests do exist
whose existence and prosperity Is no
part of our reform either to lmperil or
TO curtail. We believe, and We have
the warrant of our past experience for
believing, that a reduction Of duties
will not injure but give more abundant
life to all our great manufacturing In
dustries. however much they may
dread the change. In dealing with the
tariff question, as with every other
long standing abuse that has tnterwoV.
en- itself with our social or industrial
system, the legislator must always re-
member that in the beginning temper
ate reform is safest having itself the
principle of growth.
"a glance at the tariff legislation of
our own country ought to satisfy every
intelligent student that protection has
always shown its falsity as system OF
economy by it's absolute failure 10 In
sure healthy and stable prosperity to
manufactures. 1t teaches men to. de.
pend on artificial help, on laws taxing
their countrymen for prosperity In
business. rather than upon their own
skill and efforts. 1t throws business
out of Its natural channels, where
there must always be fuctuatton and
uncertainty, and it makes tariff sys.
tenn the football of party politics and
the stability of large business interests
the stake of every popular election.
awe have believed that the first
step toward a reform of the tariff
should be release Of taxes on the ma
terials of industry. There can be no
substantial and beneficial reduction
upon the necessary clothing and other
comforts of the American people, nor
any substantial and beneficial enlarge
ment of the field of American labor, as
long as We tax materials and processes
of production. Every tax upon tie
producer falls with increased force on
the consumer. Every tax on the pro-
ducer in this country is a protection to
his competitors In all other countries,
and 80 narroWs his market as to limit
the number and lessen the wages OF
those to whom he can give employ
ment. Every cheapening In the cost
or enlargement of the supply Of his
raw materials, while primarily inur-
ing to the benefit of the mRnufactur.
er himself, passes under free compett.
ton Immediately and passes entirely
to the consumer, who very soon gets
even more benefit out Of 1t than such
reductions seem to carry, because with
the rapid widening of his market the
manufacturer is able to sell at small
or profit.
ut is neither necessary nor practicu-
lar reductions we have made upon the
long list of articles that still remain 10
the dutiable list. A few only of the
most important need be enumerated.
In the earthenware schedule, we have
made substantial reductions, still leaV-
ing rates as high as were deemed nec-
essary in the war tariff. In common
window glass, where close combinations
have kept up the prices to consumers
under scale Of duties averaging more
than 100 per cent, we have made re-
duction Of about one.half:
"In the iron and steel schedules, be.
ginning with free ore and a duty OF
21h per cent. on pig iron, we have re-
ported scale of duties considerably
below those of the existing law grad.
uated according to the degree of man.
ufacture, which should bring benefit
| to the consumer without calling for
any halt In the imperial progress of
that great industry in our country. The
duty upon steel rails has been put at
25 per cent, which according to the re-
ports of our department of labor, quite
compensates for all difference In the