New-York tribune., 1893-12-22
fey TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDrNRI

Washington. Dec 21-The views Of the minor
" of the Ways and Means Committee were sub
mitted to the House to-day. The document Is
strong and comprehensive one. and II will be
read and studied with eager and intense interest
by hundreds OF thousands Of American citizens
irrespective Of party, whom recent occurrences
and bitter experience have compelled to realize
most keenly that the agitation of free trade
theories and the threats Of the party in power
to carry them into practice have already been
the causes of untold human misery and pecuni-
ary losses The minority has carefully avoided
the use Of harsh epithets in dealing with the bill
framed in secret conclave by the majority Of the
committee, and has not dwelt upon the unhappy
and distressing conditions which now prevail
throughout the country but 1t has clearly dem
onstrated that those conditions would not be
smeliorated. but would probably be greatly in
tensifed and aggravated. by the enactment into
law of the pending bill. The keen, critical an
alyss to which the measure has been subjected
clearly discloses the fact that it Is not fer
revenue only" In the words Of the minority:
1T pretends TO be revenue tariff and does not
raise revenue 1t pretends to give protection. but
destroys it in every indirect way.
THE WORST TYPE OF CLASS LEGISLATION.
1t Is declared and proved to be class legislation
of the worst possible type. The arguments
against so-called free materials and the
substitution of ad valorem for specific rates Of
duty are supported by mass of facts and
variety of illustrations which absolutely over
throw and obliterate the assumptions OF the ma
tority Of the committee and the Secretary Of the
Treasury. The effects Of the bill. If enacted into
law. upon the capital invested and labor en-
ployed not only in the production OF so-caIed
raw materials and IN inufactured articles. but
upon transportation lines and in the so-called
Novf., 6ocOr tlnA
and the statements relating thereto are sup
ported by an imposing array of facts which can
not be successfully denied. Indeed. the docu-
nent fairly bristles with pertinent facts on every
page and in almost every paragraph and in that
respect 1t offers striking contrast to the report
of the majority of the committee
The false and fanciful theory Of free-traders
that lower rates Of duty coupled with free raw
materials will give American manufacturers
the benefit of unlimited foreign trade never re-
ceved more crushing blows than the minority
Of the committee has inflicted upon 1t. How
they can obtain a foothold in foreign lands when
this very bill Is drafted upon the supposition
that they cannot keep their own markets with
out protection seems beyond the domain or
logic" says the minority; but Mr.. Tarsney or
Mr. Bynum will doubtless feel able TO show
why and how this very thing will happen.
The minority did not forget to set forth with
great force and clearness among other serious
objections to the proposed legislation, the i'm
portant and valuable privileges and cpportuni-
ties offered to Canadian producers at the ex-
pense Of American producers, without money
and without price" nor did it fail to record the
fact that the majority has submitted no calcula-
tions or suggestions to the probable effect Of
the bill upon the trade with countries which
have entered into reciprocity agreements with
the United States.
NO PROVISION TO MEET THE DEFICIT
That the bill will probably reduce the revenue
from customs by $740Oo000 on the basis OF the
dutiable importations during the year ended
June go 1S93 and that as reported 1t contains
no provisions whatever for this enormous de-
Aciency are portentous facts to which the minor
sfty directs special attention. and against such
legislation It most vigorously protests. 1t con-
tends that "the bill ought not TO be reported
without the internal revenue bill. which Is to
make up the deficiency" and asks:
Are we to pass this bill and be then coerced
into the other? Who knows If they were pre-
sented together that we might not prefer to
stay where we are? The progress OF this at
tempt at what has been called reform has
already created such feeling that the country
IS stirred all over"
The several schedules Of the pending bill are
carefully reviewed. and in this part OF the docu-
men: will be found a rich store OF facts which
alone ought to convince Congress and the coup-
try that the wisest thing TO do with the wilson
bin Is to behead and consign 1t to oblivion.
1t is understood that this portion OF the docu-
ment was prepared by the several Repubhcan
members Of the committed each taking one or
more Of the schedules. All Of the Republican
members are thoroughly familiar with the sub
jects, which they have treated with admlraple
force and clearpess. Messrs. Burrows. Payne
and Gear were members Of the committee whlch
framed the existing law. and are Therefore
especially familiar with its provisions; & ime
general considerations which form the nIsI
part Of the document are presented with an tne
force and cearness Of logic. lucidity ana terse-
ness Of statement and aptness or Illustration
that distinguish the productions OF MI. iseru, st
The report Of the majority ana tne wIe"s So u that
the bane and the antidote Will go OUT To-
gether. There Is no doubt that the sInai '.I, eui
ton Of 1000 copies ordered by ,ne Cation
soon be exhausted. or that second eoi,ion ,
several times as large as the hrst one VIII oe
required to supply the most urgent denanus'
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The most surprising thing about this bill IS
the fac, that th,s proposition TO raise revenue
will lower the revenue of this country s'4.oooooo
below the revenue Of 1S93 which was only |@'ooo'-
900 above our expenses. This fact. ana 'he o'ie'
fact that by this bill the larger part Oh 'ho
burden Of taxation is transferred from fore'sn-
ers and borne by our own citizens. shouid al
ways be kept in mind during the discussion
Had the committee. in making what the char-
man on the floor Of the House has caheu
political bill" followed the plain. uncomprofS-
irC declaration Of the party which they rep
resent, and abolished protection. giving US
tariff for revenue only. our task In comHeh''ns
upon tho result OF the committees efforts wouid
have becn much more simple. The bill wouio
then have been q straightforward manly at
tempt to carry out pledges. and would nave
placed In issue two great principles. ana hav'