New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-13
TARIFF TINKERS TROUBLES.
DIFFICULT PROBLEMS WHICH CONFRONT
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
HOW TO INCREASE THE FREE LIST AND KEEP
Up THE REVENUES At THE SAME lime
TIE LESSON FAUCET BY TIE
ELECTIONS
rBY TrIrGEAru 20 THE TRIBUNE


ELECTIONS.
rBY TrrrGEAru 20 THE TRIrrSEl
Washington, Nov. 12.-Some of the Democratic
members OF the Committee Ways ana Means
held q conference with Secretary Carlisle on Thurs
day in regard to proposed tariff and Internal revenue
legislation. Among the members OF the COM
mittee present Messrs McMiiiin' turner
Breckenridge. of Arkansas: Montgomery ana by
nun. 1t is understood that several Treasury
officials besides Secretary Carlisle were also pres
ent The providing of ways and means to re-
plenish the Treasury and make good the losses
Of revenue which will be caused by the propose1
additions to the free list and reduction OF rates
in the dutiable schedules Ia problem when seems
TO furnish and unexpected obstacles from DAY
to day, and thus to impede the work OF the COM
mittee. The proposition to double the tax on malt
liquors has aroused the brewers and dealers. ana
protests pouring In from every direction IL
would not be surprising If the proposition should be
abandoned The 'obacco manufacturers nave SUD-
mitted formal protest against any increase IN
the internal tax on manufactured tobacco. and 1t
is thought that this protest will not be disre-
garded.
If this shall prove true there will remain two
other sources of revenue from internal taxation
whiskey and incomes. 1t is generally believed that
the tax on whiskey will be increased from 10 cents
a gallon TO 81 or 81 10, and 1t Is UNDERSTOOD mat
the members of the Whisky Trust favor any IN
crease which will not carry the tax above 81 ~
gallon. 1t is estimated that this rate woula
add about 100000 TO the annual revenues OF
the Government Secretary Carlisle II is stroney
asserted is still disposed to favor tax on iheon,ss
and a few Democrats assert that President Cleve-
land likewise favors such a tax. There Is some
reason to believe. however. from expressions
dropped by Democratic members or the Ways
and Means Committee. that majority OF them
are not inclined TO recommend II.
TO REPEAL TIE BOUNTY on SUGAR
That the new revenue bill viii contain pro-
vision to repeal the law granting n bounty 10
domestic producers of sugar there is no doubt
and II Is said by men who ought 10 know that
the item for the payment OF the bounty for the
fiscal year ending June 9O 1885, will not be found
in the Treasury estimates which will be sent to
Congress at the beginning OF the regular sessioh
Inasmuch provision was made by the act OF
1890 in the form OF permanent annuai appro-
priation, which Will not expire until July l. l"J
for the payment of the bounty. affirmative ac-
ton by Congress will be necessary In order to dis
continue IT, In their argument before the ways
and Means Committee. the representatives or the
domestic cane and bee-sugar producers argued that
they were in equity entitled to the bounty until
the expiration OF the period liked by the raw w
of 1890 and they made strong Representations 10
the effect that they had invested large sums OF
and entered into contracts or nb
other corporations and individuals in the belief ana
in good faith it's part of the implied contract be-
tween II and the sugar producers OF the country
The Of win by o eens ponnd which
been proposed to them in lieu or the bounty OF
s Seyera dnf pemocrac Members Of The committee
are understood 10 be strongly opposed 10 tne re-
imposition Of any iuy whatever on , raw h
considerable number of Democrats IN the i;ouse OF
Representatives who are not members Oh the co'ii-
mttee.
THE LESSON OF TIE ELECTIONS.
While there has appeared thus far no indication
that the Democratic members Of the committee
have paid any heed to the admonition conveyed
by Tuesdays elections, and while those OF them
who have spoken have declared that their action
would not be Influenced thereby. 1t Is already ap-
some impression upon other Democrats, both In
and Of Congress Thus in c2nv eF win
who is the member OF the Democratic National
Committee for that state strongly protested against
lumber The iron ore and coal producers OF Ala,
bama after taking Representatives Bankhead and
Turpin to task for their failure to protest before
the Ways and Means Committee against any re-
duction of duties on iron and coal have done so SO
an effort to induce the Senators and Representa-
tives from that state to supplement ana rem
Representative Conn, of Indiana who Is Demo
cratic H by sss oay
workingman is prone to charge hard times 70 inc
party in Il an & sSe Would have gone
Republican by at least $4,000 Indiana Is a manu-,
State sba and ba faysf E me
Gains in Manufacturing districts in other States
The business depression mas mao hresd
quite as much his vote as on his muscle
have been emRSyr Of ee aoIr a were y to gc no
my factory at any time and say to my employ,es
BSys y0S eer ms' political az party
poses 10 reduce the tariff on our manufactured
products and If it 6Des Will with haT sD eopd
consequently have TO reduce your wages; the re-
inte and theirs a matter or SELF
do not think the Democratic party
should be held responsible for the business de-
II think however. that the immense Democratic
Sne a s a and to
sparingy and TO suspend operations temporary
see p %ns of the country They felt that
this large majority might be an encouragement 10
radical ar br0g hc 20
free trade do not believe that there Is gong 70
articles. l have talked with leading Democrats
and am deeply interested in the subject, ana
believe I can predict this with authority. There
is going to be an enlargement OF the free list
in raw materials. The tariff on coal, iron and wool
will probably be wiped out.
pIscoRD IN TIE DEMOCRATIC RANKS.
Az n manufacturer, Mr.. Conn apparently favors
"free raw materials without any radical reduction
Of the duties on manufactured products. Mr.
stevens of Massachusetts. who Is a member OF the
Wavs and Means Committee, is wooen manu-
facturer and of course he favors free wool and
free coal. but he would regret TO see so heavy
nnd,,ction of the duties woollen manufactures
as his Democratic colleagues desire to make. He
said to-day however, that the action of the con-
mittee would not be affected by the result OF the
elections. .-., l., A., /,,.. -
yvavs and Means. but there is reason to believe
,bat a ma iority Of the Democratic Representatives
from that State will return to Washington READY
TO the utmost any radical reduction or
duties. The same Is probably true of the Demo
cratic Representatives from Pennsylvania, WIN
nT.sing II the Democratic majority OF the Ways and
pieons Committee should feel constrained to modify
,ha1r recommendations considerably. in order to
nroecrve party harmony and insure the hearty
support Of the sugar coated proectionsts In their
uin NAVY who will probably be found more numer-
Gus and aggressive in December than anybody fore
saw or suspected when Congress adjourned.