Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-27
THE LOSS OF REVENUE
By the New Tariff Bill Put at
$5O,0OOOOO.
Statement Made by Mr.. C. r.. Breckin-
ridge, One of the Members of the
Ways and Means Committee.

The following statement explaining the
provisions of the new tariff bill was made
by Hon. Clifton r. Breckenridge of Arkan-
sas, one OF the leading members Of the
ways and means committee:
THE new tariff bill, it is proposed, shall
go into effect on the 1st day of March 1t
Is. in most OF its schedules, a very SUBJ
slahuai reduction from the present law
The general average cannot be precisely
stated until the elaborate tables which are
being prepared are completed Some $50
OOO,OOO of Objectionable taxes are takan
on, and of this amount about $4,000 600
pertain to raw materials placed upon the
free list.
The Deficiency,
The revenue deficiency caused by the re-
cent panic and present deficiency Is a tenn
porary deficiency, and it will doubtless he
PROVIDED Tor by temporary expedient. We
cannot generalize upon this, and some pro-
vision is contemplated to meet such emerg-
ehcies as they arise. But, taking matters
at a normal state, it may be said that we
must provide for $5O,0O0.OO0, or possibly less.
IN ways not expressed in the new tariff
rms VIII follow very soon, in time TO be
incorporated with the present hill Rut a 9
this is not expected to be of a character 70
materially affect manufacturing or trade
ana as the people were extremely anxious to
know wnat we propose doing in regard to
the tarln, we concluded to make the neyv
bill public soon as it was finally com.
pleted >o''A
10 a very great extent we have substi-
tuted ad valorem for specific duties. This
seems Indispensable IL We are to eoualize
the tariff and the burdens of the neonle
Many irregularities which are corrected a re
astonishing. In some cases this change of
form is not necessary, nor even desirable
as In the case of articles taxed under our
internal revenue system. But II makes
pam 10 the people the taxes they pay and
the rates or protection they are called upon
10 MAINTAIN. Nor is the claim onsiderad
good that specific taxes are the best pre
Ventive or fraud. 1t is as easy to under
weigh ana undercount as it is to under
value and when we consider the Indifferent
capacity that would be required to count
and weigh we can safely expect under such
a system a steady growth Of official weak
ness.
The administrative laws have found an
proval more than was first expected and
IL Is belteVed that the few changes pro-
posed are in accord with experience and
VIII meet with general support
All Combine Features Struck Ont.
we have struck out from the tariff all
those features that distinguished It as a.
combine and placed what are usually
known as raw Materials such as wool.
'' nm wv "oou anu tne ike, on the
free list. A few chemicals are added to
the free list, and the cruder forms OF manu-
factures. such as pig iron and similar arti-
cles are greatly reduced from their pres
ent extremely high duties.
we refuse the extraordinary protection
that Is now given to transportation That
Is, we do not grant rates that will enable
an article, especially a crude or a bulky
article, that Is produced in one part OF our
vast country, to overcome the great cost of
such articles oppressive to both the remote
ana reasonably nearby localities, while a
less rate VIII relieve both peoples. and as
consumption increases when extortion is
prevented the trade viii be maintained If
indeed, 1t be not greatly improved With
free raw materials, and the tariff stripped
or It's most odfous and oppressive features
we give to consumers and producers alike
a larger field for the employment of labor
better returns and more abundant partici-
patton In the rewards and comforts of life