The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-12-29
MINORITY REPORT.
Views Of Republican Members on
the Wilson Bill.
0l10Fity Of the Ways and Means Com.
mittee Dissent from Proposed
Tariff Changes-The Facts
Plainly Stated.

WASHINGTON, Dee. 22.-The report of
the minority members of the ways and
means committee on the tariff bill was
submitted to the house yesterday. The
first part of the report, discussing the
bill generally. was prepared by ex-
Speaker Reed. The other members of
the minority, Messrs Burrows, Payne,
DalzeH, Hopkins and Greer, prepared
the portion of the report dealing with
special features. The report says:
The most surprisin, thing about this bill
whic we will treat of in detail somewhat
later. is the fact that this proposition to raise
revenue will lower the revenue OF this country
$4,000. 90 below the revenue of 1897 which was
only 300 $50 above GU expenses. This and
the 9th fact t. at by this bill the larger part
OF the burden Of taxation is transferred from
foreigners and brought to our OWE
citizens should always be kept in mind
during the discussion. H d the commit
tee in making what the chairman on the
floor OF the house called political bill, fol-
lowed the plain, uncompromising declaration
OF the party which the; represent, and abol-
ished protection. giving a tariff for revenue
only, our task in commenting upon the result
OF the committees efforts would have been
more simple The bill would then have been
straightforward, manly attempt to carry out
pledges. and would have placed in issue two
great principles and have led to a clear and
comprehensive discussion.
So far, however, have the committee departed
from the demands OF the national convention
that We should have been much tempted to Dor
row phrase from their own platform and des-
ignate the bill as 'cowardly make shift
were 1t not that the results have been already
TOO serious for mere epithets.
sanctioned
be out Of place in discussion which involves
80 much importance to all classes Of citizens.
1t still however. remains a fact that the bill
presented can in no way be justified by people
claiming to have obtained possession of all
branches Of the government upon q distinct
promise which they now distinctly repudiate.
II II should be said these pledges, olemnly
made on o yea and nav vote, after full discus
sion were not intended for action, then the
breaking OF the pledges has the additional dis
advantage of generalization If subsequent
events, and they had been numerous enough
and weighty enough to startle the whole cOun-
ry,have convinced the committee that III edemo-
cratic platform is as utterly wrong and indie
feasible as history will kno il to be, then it is
o great misfortune to this country that the
committee did not have the courage TO openly
abandon the false doctrine and leave the coun-
try undisturbed SO il might convalesce from
the shock of its great mistake But
he committee, instead of proceeding in
its great work of abolishing protection and pre-
serving the people from the load of taxation,
which thew have always averred was the result
OF protection. has pres ante1 bill which is only
another tariff tinkering bill, the like of which
has dist rbed the con iiticns of business so
many times the last thirty years.
1t is great misfortune that such is the case,
for had the bill been for re enue only. in the
only sense possible for the term, the people of
the country might h ave seen at one glance
whether thev desired the one policy or the
other. and he question might have been settled
once for all, and the country might have at
tanned to that repoSe. stability and certainty
which our business prosperity so much needs.
This other and fire. her plan has all the faults
which the trainers # This bill charged upon the
old and very few Of its virtues 1t is open to
all the derisive and harsh cpithets which the
present stem used to be overwhelmed 1t
taxes the people with a tariff tax it creates, or
rather proposes TO maintain, what they used to
call privileged classes and is defe n0ed by its
thors with arguments and expressions strange
" like those which they used SO freely to de-
nounce A manufacturer is told the duty will
protect him. and his claims are listened to on
that basis. and are argued for him on that basis
just as in The brave DAYS of old
The democratic district attorney OF the
n0frhe IN district of New York comes down as
he had right to- and declares that from pro-
lection standpoint. barley and malt cannot 60
promptly the committee raises the tariff taxes
from ~ per cent 10 81, to protect the manu-
facturer. although IL must lessen the revenue.
So with the cause OF boards, planned tongned
and gro we'd, and although the lumber passes
IN the same plant from the saws TO the planners,
the WORK of the men who manage SAWS is
unprotected while the work If the men n, the
planes is shielded by tarin These are bat in
stances OF corrections made, where the ear of
the C mmiitse could he had, and kegs to
/ e notions on which the bill was formed
The new plan also Involves Il new method of
encour ,giEg manufacturers b, giving them
what are called free raw materials. so that
what goes into the mill pays no taxes and what
eoes into consumption pays all the taxes The
manufacturers have no taxes on what they buy
and the pc pie the equivalent OF taxes on all
they purchase. II unfortunately happens also
that free raw material is an elastic term and
what Is one mans free raw material is another
mans finished product
All the objections so often urged bv the dem
Ocrats against the existing system lie against
this DILL II the present stem be robbery
rs these men have reiterated and reiterated
the proposed system is precisely the same 1,
Is true The consumer will no longer NV tribute
TO the western farmer for the wool but New
England and other manufacturers arc still au.
thorized TO Ia tribute or The people OF the
United States who must paw. so these men have
always said %. 20 and y per cent to the manu-.
Iactcrer ON every yard OF woo!enS and
worsteds, while The country will only receive
b. way OF revenue. \ lessened sum unless in
creased importations sgnalze the death of
American production.
Whatever can be said OF the people Of the
United States. nothing can be more truly said
thin that the distribution of The proceeds of
united labor and capital has been among them
more even and fair than any where else on
earih There have been great a foundations
OF capital necessary for the worlds devclop-
ment oil over the universe. but in thu United
states this has been accompanied b. The near.
est approach 10 general distribution that the
world has ever seen This has no, been
AL owing 10 the tariff. but the tariff
has been the foundation OF il Labor oryani.
nations have played u great ana useful
part in this distribution Mea in general
Who employ labor are no more naturally dis
posed TO paw high wages under tariff than
Those who exploit the laboriug man under free
trade, but the tariff, b. giving s,ea,lc employ
ment under the influence OF a sure market BIZ
establishing the organic alton Of INDUSTRY under
The factory system. his 81 en- to orcanize:i
labor the material to work pom the fund of
which II has demanded distributions fund :
great that IL could never have been ecualed. or
even approach in tie comparatively isolated