The herald., 1893-12-22
THE WILSON TARIFF BILL.
The Report Of the Minority
Submitted.
Tom Reed Rips the Measure
Up the the Back.
He Calls 1t a COwardly Makeshift
and Other Things.
With a Pen Dipped In Gall, He Pro-
ceeds to Pick the Majority Report
to Pieces-The Czar's Caustic
Critisisms.
By the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 21.-The report OF
the minority members of the ways and
means committee was submitted to the
house this afternoon. That portion of
the report discussing the bill generally
was prepared by Reed; the other mem
bers of the minority, Burrows, Payne.
Dalzell, Hopkins and Gear prepared por-
tions dealing with special features. The
report says:
THE most surprising thing about
this bill is the proposition to raise less
revenues than in 1913, which were only
$2,000,000 above the expenses. This
fact, and the further fact that by this
bill the larger part of the burden OF tax
alton is transferred from foreigners and
brought to our own citizens, should
always be kept in mind, Had the COM
mittee followed the incorporating
declaration of the party and abolished
protection, giving us tariff for revenue
only, our task in commenting upon the
results of the committee's report
would have been much more simple.
$50 far, however, have the committee
departed from the demands of their
national convention that we are much
tempted to borrow phrase from their
own platform and designate the bill as
a 'cowardly make-shift,' were it not
that the result is already too serious for
mere epithets. The committe has pre-
sented another tinkering tariff bill, the
like of which has disturbed business 80
many times in the last 80 years. Had
the bill been for revenue only, the peo-
pie of the country might have seen at
8 glance whether they desired one
policy or the other, and the question
might have been settled once for all
and the country attained that repose
and stability on which our prosperity so
much deperds."
Going into the details of the bill, the
minority saEs:' -.
: 'tAitnougn lumber passes through
the same plant as boards, the workmen
who manage the saws are unprotected,
while the workmen who run the planes
are shit lded by protective tariff taxes.
1.-The new plan also involves method
OF encouraging manufacturers by giving
them what is called free raw materials
go that yhat goes into the mill pays no
tax and what goes into consumption
pays all the taxes. 1t unfortunately
happens, alec. that free raw material is
another mans finished product.
This bill pretends to be for revenue
tariff, and does not raise revenue; it
pretende to give protection, but destroys
it in every way. 1t says to the manu-
facturer, for you we furnish free coal,
iron ore, wool and the markets of the
world; instead, it furnishes new crop
OF enemies for the men who dig in the
mines and raise sheep, for it really Gre
ates what its enemies falsely charge
against Republican protection, priv
ileged class against which mines and
fields will both array themselves, and
the privileged class does not care to be
privileged. What exact effect the pro-
posed duties will have on the general
rate OF wages OF the country can only be
determined by actual test, but it is not
difficult to see that it will be very de-
pressing.
"An ad valcrem duty, if prices could
be exactly determined, would be the
fairest; but unfortunately prices are
very much matters of opinion, and in
asmuch as the duty depends upon the
price, cheat on the price is cheat on
the duty, and not only is the govern
ment cheated, but the manufacturer is
cheated out of the protection promised
him.
"How the great deficiency in our rev.
enues as a nation is to bs filled, no one
knows, unless the president, anticipat-
ing in his message to congress the re-
port OF the committee on ways and
means. shall afford TO the committee
itself the wished for clue. Against the
confederation of such bill, creating q
deficit and leaving it unaccouRted for,
the minority vainly protested when the
bill was laid before the committee. We
make the same protest to tbe hon5e and
to the country. The bill ought not to
be reported without an internal revenue
bill, with which to make up the
deficiency.
"When the scheme of raising taxes
by methods used in time of war is pre-
eented, in addition to those now inn
posed, there may be such q further
revulsion OF feeling as will accomplish
the defeat OF this bill. There is need
for US to present this to the country. 1t
is presenting itself. In hundred rep
resentative cities, where the number of
employed exceeds 2 500, 600 people, fully
one-third are without employment.
These are engaged In protected INDUS
tries. We will not strive in any way to
increase the turmoil which this bill has
already created. And an end can be
put to all this by the defeat of this bill,
and to accomplish this every effort
should be bent"
The report characterizes the wooden
scheduse as destructive of the wool
gro wing industry, the seventh in value
of product among the branches OF agri-
culture. At the prices now prevailing
in foreign markets our farmers cannot
produce wool without absolute loss.
During the past year the threat OF tree
wool has deprecated the value of sheep
and wool in the United States fully
$50 060, 600. Over $500 000.000 is in
vested and $50 600 operatives employed
ia the manufacture OF woolens, and this
in dustry is offered up as sacrifice on
the altar of tariff reform.