The herald., 1893-12-20
TARIFF REFORM ON THE BOARDS
The Wilson Bill Reported to
the House.
An Elaborate Report Accompanying
the Measure.
The Protective System Denounced, but
Not to Be Abolished at One
Fell swoop This Sugar
Bounty Doomed.

By the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-The majority
report OF the ways and means COMMITTEES
on the tariff bill was submitted to the
house st the opening today. The re-
port says:
"Ths American people, after full
and the most thorough debate ever
given by people to their fiscal policy,
deliberately decided that the existing
tariff was wrong in principle and griev-
ously unjust in operation. They have
decided, a. free men must always de-
eide. that the power of taxation has no
lawful or constitutional exercise except
for providing revenue for the support of
the government. Every departure
from this principle is departure
from the fundamental principles
OF free institutions and inevitably
works out gross inequality in the citi-
zenship Of the country. For more than
80 years we have levied the largest part
OF our federal taxes in violation of this
vital truth, until We have reached the
existing tariff and extreme and volum-
inous syatem OF clasa taxation, to which
history may be challenged to furnish
parallel. So many private enterprises
have been taken into partnership with
the government; GO many private in
terests now share in the rich prsrogative
of taxing seventy million people, that
any attempt to dissolve this illegal
union is necessarily encountered by op-
position that rallies behind the intoler-
ancs OF monopoly, the power OF concen-
trated wealth, the inertia of fixed habits
and honest errors OF generation OF false
teaching.
1.-The bill on which the committee
has expended much patient and anxious
labor, Is not offered as q complete
response to the mandate OF the Amerl-
can people. 1t no more processes to be
purgsd of all protection than to be free
of all error in its complex manifold de-
tails. However We may deny the exis-
tencs of any legislative pledge or OF the
right of any congress to make such
pledge for the continuance OF
duties that carry with them
more or less acknowledged pro-
lection, we must recognize tnat
great interests do exist whose existence
and prosperity it ia no part OF our re
form either to imperil or curtail. We
believe, and have the warrant of our
past experience for believing, that the
reduction of duties will not injurs, but
give more abundant life to all our great
manufacturing industries, however
much they may dread the change.
SIN dealing with the tariff question, as
with every other long-standing abuse
that has interviewer itself with our
social or industrial system, the legis-
lstor must always remember that in the
beginning temperate reform is safest,
having in itself the principle OF growth.
A glance at the tariff legislation OF our
own country ought to satisfy every in
telligent student that protection has
always shown it's falsity as a system
of economy by it's absolute failure
to afford healthy and stable prosperity
to manufacturers. 1t teaches men to
depend on artificial help; on laws tax
ing their countrymen for prosperity in
business, rather than upon their own
skill and effort. 1t throws business out
of its natural channels into artificial
channels, in which there must always be
fuctuation and uncertainty. and makes
the tariff system football OF psrty
politics, and the stability OF large buei-
ness interests the stake OF every popu-
lar election. None have recognized this
more fully than the wise men who hSve
from time to time engaged IN the Eo-
called protected industries"
The report then deals at length with
the tariff history of the country, show
ing that when first proposed the manu-
fscturers opposed it, and desired to b0
let alone. Once in, however, the pro-
tected industries asked for more and
more protection. Finally came the re-
vulsion OF 1S46, when the tariff was re-
duced against protests by manufacturers
that it would ruin them, and against the
eolid vote OF the representatives OF the
manufacturing states in congress. The
result Of that low tariff was develop
ment of great vigor in manufactures, with
steady employmenta and increasing wages
for labor. After eleven years. trial, this
representatives OF those same states,
with practical unanimity, veteG for
further reduction Of 20 per cent, and by
tvo-thirds vote sustained 20 per cent
reduction. Under the tariff OF 1857,
the people were go well satisfied with
it that there was a protest asainst the
Morrill, bill of 1861, increasing duties.
The report quotes from number of
speeches in congress- against the Morrill,
bill, among them one from Sherman OF
Ohio, snd continues:
Under Republican auspices there
has been constant increase in duties
at the demsnd of manufacturers. The
present bill, while framed in no spirit Of
uniriendliness to manufacturers, is
framed on the theory that it is the duty
OF congress, not the right OF manuiac-
turers, to TX its terms"
In answer to the criticism about re-
Gucing the revenues at time when tho
government 10 in financial straits, the
report says: "The committee was com
peiied, in Difference to that fact, to not
mt on the free list some articles which
IT would have been glad to
make free, and not to cut other
rates as low as desirable; but the
csmmittee did not feel justified
in ignoring the instructions of the
American people on acconnt OF tenn
porary ehrinkags Of revenues. Expsri-
enca fhows that the increase OF business
will largely make up the loss from tbs
decreased rates."
The report declares that the reciproci-
ty clause of the tariff act of 1890 has
brought no appreciable beneEts, ard
the present bill aims, therefore, to re.
peal it entirely.
The report then proceeds to deal ct
length and seriatim with the leading
articles Of the schedule, and the rea-
sons which actuated the committee IN