Evening journal., 1893-11-28
TALKING OF THE BILL
Democratic Tariff Trainers Are
Enthusiastic Over It.
TOM REEDS SHARP CRITICISM.
Republicans Unite In Donouncing the New
Tariff Measure as Almost Wholly Bad.
Governor Mckinley Says business Inter-
ests Are Ignored.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2s.-The new tariff
bill is naturally the general topic in official
circles today. The Democratic members OF
the ways and means committee point out
its benefits with enthusiasm, and the Re-
publcans critioise il freely.
EX-Speaker Reed, q member OF the ways
and means committee, said: "Of course IL
is very easy for the gentlemen who pre-
pared this bill TO present their views since
they have been busily engaged in the work
for % number of weeks, while the first sight
that the minority had of the bill was at II
o'clock yesterday. Like any other tariff
bill which covers 80 many different objects
and takes up so muck space, all any one
could do who has but seen it is TO make
tome obvious comments on certain por
tions OF IL. In the first place, the country
ought TO understand that there has been a
certain degree of unCairness about the
preparation of this blll-unlairness TO the
country rather than toindividunls-arisin
from the composition Of the committee.
"The Democracy have taken the lions
share Of the committee. They have done
this for n purpose, for while the northern
Democrats are represented upon the COM
mittee, they are represented in such way
that the south holds "a strange and very un-
fortunate predomination As their indus
trial status is very much different from the
average of the whole country, It necessari-
ly follows, and absolutely ia fact has fol-
lowed, that the bin is about as bad as
could be reasonably imagined. This may
not be true with regard to every item, but
it is certainly true with regard TO the most
important matters in the bill.
Tavors tho South.
"In the first place, one of the most strik
ing things objected to is the frequent un-
necessary changes from specific duties to
ad yalorem duties Probably any one who
has actual business in the United States
can see, even if the nd valorem duties were
calculated upon the same basis as the spe-
cilc duties, that in actual practice, owing
/ 60 the way in which undervaluations and
! appraisements are made, it would be a re-
ducton of at least 10 per cont in the tariff
on this basis
'In the cotton schedule specific rates
| have been retained undoubtedly because
| the south was more or less interested In
| cotton manufactures, and the desire TO
! protect their own local interests has caused
them to adopt the system which they have
rejected elsewhere to the disadvantage Of
their neighbors.
"ln the cotton schedule the lowering Of
rates on fine goods is likely to work very
much disaster to mills that are engaged in
the production of such work and also in
cotton yarn mills.
"In wool the schedule rates are not only
too low generally, but they are so uneven
in their reduction that the lowering Of
wages will not by any possibility save
some industries, so that the workingmen
in some parts of this industry viii not
have the comparative good fortune to only
have their wages reduced, but are quite
likely to lose them altogether. This is true
TO some extent, as it seems, in the cotton
schedule
"Coal has been placed upon the free list
for the advantage Of Nova Scotia mines,
which have been purchased by gentlemen
who have been interested in the tariff, and
West Virginia is likely thereby, according
to the Democratic governor Of the state to
suffer irreparabe damage and be arrested
in its development.
Iron ore is quite free, which viii cause
a lowering of wages in the iron mines and
will repress the extension Of the fields of
effort which had already got TO be very
large and which were tending to the re-
duction of prices.
"New England seems to have been very
severely treated in many ways. Our fisher
men on the coast of Maine have been es.
pecally considered TO their very great dis
advantage in the putting Of fresh fish on
the free list without even the saving
clause for immediate consumption
81 think it will be found that it is as un.
satisfactory as could well be imagined
What they have in store for us in the rev
enue bill, it seems, we are not to know, 50
that we cannot judge their scheme as q
whole but, Judging from the sample which
has been presented, it is an unfortunate
one for the country. 10 would seem i'm
possible that such a bill could become q
law"
The following statement explaining The
provisions of the new tariff bin was mad,
by Hon. Clifton r. Brockinridgeo Of Arkan
sas one of the ways ana means committee
"The new tariff bill. it is proposed shall
! 20 into effect on the lst day of March next
IL is in most schedules a very substantial
reduction from the present law. The gen
eral average cannot be precisely stated un
Ill the elaborate tables which are beingpre
pared are completed. Some Sj0000,000 o
Objectionable taxes are taken off, and O
this amount about Si3,O00,000 pertains Il
: raw materials placed on the free list.
''The revenue deficiency caused by th
recent panic and present depression is
temporary deficiency, and it viii doubtles
be provided for by temporary expedient
/. We cannot generalize upon this, and som
provision is contemplated to meet sucl
, | emergencies as they arise.
"But, taking matters at a normal state
il may be said that we must provide 70
S50,OO0,0OO, or possibly less sum, in way
not expressed in the new tariff. This vii
follow very soon--in time to be incorporai
o. ed with the present BILL But as this is no
4 expected TO be of a character to MATERIAL
4 affect manufacturing or trade, and the pee
\ pie were extremely anxious to know wha
J we proposed doing in regard to the tariff
, we concluded to make the new bill publ
. as soon as it was finally completed. "
: Mr. Benton Mcmillan Of Tennessee, on
n of the most prominent members of tn
r, committee, summarized the bill by saying
8 ut may be generally stated that the bill
heavily reduces woolen goods, iron an
steel products, cotton goods, chemicals an
many other things essential to the pros
perity Of the people, and it will when tried
A if it becomes a law, prove a great benef