The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-22
REVISING THE TARIFF.
A Democrat Who Thinks Mnnufnc-
turers Are Too Inpatient.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2l.@'This impa-
tience which manufacturers and business
men are showing towards for not
speedily reporting the tariff bill Is almost
exasperating. and don't believe that If the
people generally understood the conditions
under which we labor there would be half
so much criticism said Democratic
member of the ways and means commit
tee to-day. 1T is very different thing to
compile a Democratic tariff bill from what
1t is to make Republican tariff measure.
When Judge Kelly, of Pennsylvania, and
Major Mckinley, of Ohio, in 1888 and in
1890. as chairmen of the ways and means
committee, prepared those two famous Re-
publican measures which became law, they
only had to give some hearings and re-
quest manufacturers, laboring men and
those directly interested to submit figures
which they regarded fair, aud from these
the committee were enabled 10 proceed at
once TO make 3 bill.
prepared II the general understand
ing and the specific idea that the duties
would be raised all around Home indus
duties, intended to shut off competition,
and those who worked the industries eff
fected were given the privilege of naming
figures which would afford them satisfac-
tory protection. Now are cutting down
the duties 20 the lowest possible t L. point nt
are not taking into consideration the prof
its of the producers We are only con-
sidering the labor involved. 1t Is neces-
gary in every item which will be
modified by the proposed new law to ana
lyze the labor interests involved. We have
20 figure out just how much labor there Is
I'm a ton of iron steel, yard of cloth or
other fabric, and to take into consideration
the advantages and disadvantages fAmeri-
can producers labor under. For instance,
we have ascertained that the Belgian and
some other foreign coal producers who
come directly in competition with our coal
miners compelled to make expensive
OUTLAWS in pumping and throwing out dirt
and underpinning which the American coal
miners do not have to stand. We have to
figure these expenses and the cost of trans
portation into the cost of production, and
then subtract the difference paid between
foreign and American labor. We start out
on the hypothesis that American coal
producers can furnish coal as cheaply to
the consumer as a foreigner and make an
equal profit If he has the same kind of a
mine and pays the same wages and trans
portation.
chant iron we figure on the fact that in
some sections of our country the raw ma
terial is lying beside the fuel and the con-
sumerS are also near at hand. Then we
figure that the great natural gas belts i'm
Pennsylvania. Ohio and Indiana supply the
finest quality OF fuel free OF course we
have to take into consideration the differ
ence paid between wages in Europe and the
United States. All of these intricacies re-
qure a vast deal of careful calculation. IL
we make miscalculation in any item and
fail to sufficiently account for the American
standard OF labor the Democratic party
will have to pay the cost at the polls. AS
soon as our bill is given to the country
there Will be experts who will analyze the
schedules and point out to industries and
labor any shortsightedness upon our part
and we want 10 have the minimum OF
criticism and dissatisfaction This is not en-
countered in a general increase Of duties IL
Ia invariable with reduced duties"