The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-03-23
FIXING 1T ALL OVER
How Tho Tariff Law Should Stand Lc.
cofdinS 10 the Reform Club.
THE DRAFT OF A NEW BILL
Principles Underlying the Changes
In the Present System Which
Congress VIII Be Urged
to Adopt.

mittes Of the Reform club OF this city
completed tho draft Of bill which, when
perfected. will bc urged on congress as .
substitute for the present tariff laws, and
in fulflllment Of the pledges under which
the democracy obtained contrvl Of the na-
tional government. The general prinst.
pies upon which the proposed tariff "
formed In tho main arc a. follows: Crude
material In general 10 made FREQ OF duty.
In taking other articles the general object
has been TO fix such rates ~ would pro-
duce tho largest amount of revenue in n
series of years consistent with large
importations. Tho purpose of obtaining
the largest revenue, however, In limited by
tho consideration OF the welfare and
necessity Of the people at large. and cs-
pecially Of the poorer classes. All duties
arc made strictly nd valorein, except some
Of those which are levied a. compensatory
for internal revenue taxes upon similar
articles produced at homo.
In order to insure tho present admins
tration Of an ad valorem tariff II 10 es-
Hential that the rates OF DUTY upon great
mass Of articles should be kept at very
moderate figures. Upon other articles
experience has shown duties cannot bs
raised above % per cent. without Offering
dangerous incentives TO fraud. A few
articles OF luxury may bo excepted from
the operations Of thcse general rules. All
foreign articles which, IL mado here would
be subject to Internal revenue taxes, must
Of course, 10 subject TO nj lcast IN equal
tax.
As 10 liquors and tobacco, duties upon
them should be made with view Of OBJ
tanning the greatest possible amount OF
revenue without any concern NJ Ia
whether We give or withhold protection 10
domestic producers. Yielding In part to
popular opinion respecting the silk luxury,
silk manufactures are placed generally
at 20 per cent. Silk yards, thread and
sewing silk placed at 30 per cent, and
spun and thrown silk at Is per cent. leav.
ing raw silk free. All forms Of crude
metal. not merely In ores, pig iron ingots
and bars, with tho exception OF iron aud
steel, arc made free Of duty. Tho duty
upon woolens and worsted manufactures
Of every description is placed at 3 pes
cent, Leather gloves and al Qtber gloves,
eseept stik, Gye placed af Z . ~ tvR
schedule. Tin plates should certainly moi
bs taxed more than 20 per cent, and. per.
haps not more than 10 per cent. Manu-.
facturers Of wood in most fuishsd forms
arc placed In the - per cont. schedule. ~
are also buttons, except metal or glass.
Most provisions are made free Of duty, but
some which partake In . mild degree oi
the OF nature luxuriss are put In the 20 pc,
cont. schedule, while brsadstufis ara
mostly made free.
Potatoes are left subject TO . duty Of Is
per cent. Domestic books could not b ad
mitted without the consent Of the domes.
tic publisher. and foreign books. copy
riGhtcd here, could not b admitted at all
On the other hand, 20 long ~ paper bind
ing materials and machinery are taxed II
10 not just TO mako competing books free
The demand for revenue may turn the
scale and 10 per cent. will probably bs ths
revenue duty.
Il would be exceodingly desirable q
have no specific free list but TO make
everything free which was not made cx'
pressly subject to duty. All articles upon
which revenue arc collected too small te
pay for collection. and upon which thers
h not probable any moro reduction oi
rates would produce . substantial reve
nue., placed on the FREQ list. The commit
toe Was satisfied the proposed tariff would
produce nm Immediate revenue OF eiaO. 900.
OOO u not more. II tho existing duty al
half q cent . pound on refined susaI
would he retained, IL is suggested that q
specific duty of scvcn.sixtcenths Of cen,
per pound might he imposed on raw sugar
which would produce an additional rove
nuc Of probably e2.0O.D. To this. how
ever. one Of tho committee IL entirely op
posed, and three exprcss no opinion. The
amount Of revenue which would be prc
duced ny duty 10 80 large as 10 make full
discussion Of tho propricty Of q tax neces
snry.