Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-09-28
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
Special Correspondence from Washington
Upon the Tariff Outlook.

HU
The attitude of the Ways and
Means committee regarding propo-
sed tariff legislation can only BIG ex-
Iplained by the position of the per-
Ison who would .'be damned If / do,
Band damned il I don't. 1t may be
true that the framework of a new
Tariff law is in the pocket of the
\ chairman Of the committee, but it
\ has not been evidenced thus far by
the hearings presented to the com
mittee. 1t would be absolutely i'm
fpossible to define the position Of
the majority by the questions asked
during the hearings, and it would
seem from some of the inquiries
4 that the education of the free-trade
Il side of the committee have been
sadly neglected upon economic sub
Elects. The members possess an
. abundance of raw material"
The threadbare theoretical ideas
of the free trader have been eviden-
1 ced by the inquiries of Chairman
& Wilson, Sudge Turner, Mr.. Brock
/ enridge, Mr.. Bynum and Mr.. Whit
ney. The experience upon Ways
and Means of most of the minority
members is shown by the questions
Following those of the majority.
u l believe that all the protective
members of the Ways and Means
committee, except Messrs. Reed and
Dalzell, were members of the same
ii committee in che F~ifty-frst Con-
gress, but, as Mr.. Reed has been
chairman of the same in previous
sessions, he is perfectly at home, as,
IN fact, he is iii any legislation.
N The verbal statements before the
committee, and the questions and
answers by witnesses, have shown
hat the Mckinley Tariff has been
more successful than its most san
gulne friends anticipated. In every
industry where adequate Protection
was afforded by this measure it Is
shown that the industry has in
creased wonderfully, and uniformly
az increase not only in the volume
Of wages, but in the rate of wages,
has followed the complete establish.
ment of an industry.
ss In nine cases out of ten it is
shown by the testimony that the
81 present depression and wholesale
stoppage of mills throughout the
country is due to the uncertainty
regarding Tariff legislation, and in
some cases it has been shown that
Credits have been withdrawn from
manufacturers whose cce de-
Ponds upon the maintenance OF
Z Protection. 1t has been shown al
most without exception also that
Sfa reduction Of the Tarlf to q reve
niue basis would compel the produ.
cer, no matter how distastefal it is,
20 reduce the wages paid to working.
men, and this is eabstantiated by
he workingmen themselves who
nave appeared before the commit.
Nee.
fK Perhaps the most interesting
bearing thus far have been those
Where the manufacturer and the
vorkingmen were heard at the same
session. The preponderance of evi,
Sience in favor of the existing duties
us great, and If the committee
should pass legislation upon the
1 evidence presented, acting al 1
5t ury, they could do naught but
cave the Mckinley law intact.
A.A 1t is unquestlonably the intention
the committee to pass some kind
III a Tariff. What kind it will be,
Nn my opinion they do not know,
4 THE present uncertainty in business.
mills of all kinds cloeed down to an
txtent of from 60 to so per cent,
ertainly will make the most arden,
II Free Trade member of the commit,
ee give careful consideration to the
eeds of American indus .ry anu
u american wage-earners.
&N Unquestionablv the Free-Trade
nembers of the committee are afraid
s'Kf workingmen, and possibly Free.
AH,'rade legislation could be avoided
|4sE the wage-earners of the country
Gould take hold of this fight. A
q fnOstal card protest to each Member