The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-11-27
HERE'S GENUINE DEMOCRACY
Raw Materials Free, and the
Tax on Necessities Of the
Worker Reduced.
THE WOOL SCHEDULE.
Imports on Refined Sugar Reduced
une-Haf and Bountles Done
Away With.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 81, 1S93.-After
weeks of preparation, involving an ex-
haustive study of the subject. from a
Democratic point of view. the new tariff
bill is at last completed and was, this
morning, given to the public.
This bill. it should be explained. is
purely Democratic measure 1t is the
work of the Democratic members of the
committee. who have jsalously guarded
its details even from their Congressional
associates. 1t was not until today that
the republican members of the commit
lee were made acquainted with its con-
tents. while their knowledge OF the meas
ure during the past fortnight has been
gained wholly from the pri nted accounts
in the daily press. Whatever criticism
may be made of the measure from an
economic or party standpoint. it must be
admitted that Mr.. Wilson and his asso-
ciates have given their best thought and
study to the work In hand.
The great strain under which Mr.
Wilson mas laDored for the past fort-
night WAS painfully apparent to- lay. His
face was pale and haggard, aud his gen.
erai appearances was that or man sur
fesing from mental and physical over
work. While the other members of
the COMMITTEES have no less con-
scieiiously applied themselves to
their several duties, they have not
shared the responsibility which alone
fell upon the Chairman. and he effect of
their labor is not SO apparent. They are
ali glad that the bill is conDleted. how
ever. and in the Interim, before IL iS taken
up for discussion in the House. each will
give himself brief session OF rest,
1t may be stated III this connection
aud the statement is made at the request
of Chairman Wilson. that there Is no
truth in the report that President Cleve-
land mas offer I'll TO provide Mr.. Wilson
with lucrative judicial appointment il
he should be defeated for Congress next
autumn as result of placing coal on the
free list.
MERELY ADVISED THE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Wilson has had no consu ltation
WITH President Cleveland regarding the
weeks ago, aud in a brief interview with
Mr.. Cleveland, explained tothat gentle-
man the lines upon which the measure
would be framed. He was not seeking adj
vice. nor was auy advice rendered TO him.
Il was purely an act of courtesy on the
chairman's part, and was SO under
STOOD by the President. Nothing was
said at that time. or since, con-
corning Mr.. Wilson's political future,
which, as he himself explains, is some-
thing wholly distinct and apart from his
functions as chairman of the committee
appointed to revive the tariff In con-
formity with the party pledge of
year ago.
CHAIRMAN WILSON'S STATEMENT.
Mr. Wilson, the Chairman OF the Com
mittee. has prepared the following state
s1ieut which was given out this morning
wi h the bill:-
The democratic members of The Cons
mittee on Ways aud Means have felt as
none others could feel the momentous
responsibility resting uDou them aud tha
surprising magnitude, difficulty and del
fcacy of the duty assigned them of fram-
ing tariff bill for u nation Of seventy
millions of people.
The bill they were called on to reform
is vast and iabyrinthian system OF class
taxation, the culmiRation Of eighty
years cogtrol OF the taxing power By
few great interests, gathering on to their
train a host of petty tell gathsrsrA
Ii was carefully fransa to prevent. AZ
long as posslols. what lts author called
''any monkeying with the tariff" by
which he meant any successful sffors of
The people TO undo or to lessen the boun-
ties which Its benstlciaries were permits
ted to write therein in their own words
ana their owu figures.
lJ LTauslbrIeu " ku0 iFed likL proper
and fruitful revenue articles, where most
Of the taxes paid by the people were re-
cs1ved by their gavernmsnt AMI greatly
Increased the rates on those articles where
All or most of the taxes paid by the
people went into private Golfers. And 1t
was burthened about by many dsfeucss,
chief among which are q swept aud gar+
nfShed treasury aud swollen aud colos-
sal scale of permanent expenditure.
The committee have welcomed In for
NATION aud counsel from every trust
worthy source, and while they DO not
expect their bill to escape just criticism
in all Of its details, they do present
it to the country as the
result of mouths of patient.
anxious toll, and Of an honest desire to
discharge their duty, purged OF all taint
of local and personal favoritlsm or
prejudice. Its main features are two.
First-The adoption, Whenever 1t
seemed practicable OF ad yaioren, in
stead of specific duties.
Secondly-the freeing from taxes of
those great materials OF industries that
lie at The basis of production.
SPECIFIC RATES CONDEMNED
Specific r,tes OF duty are Questionable
for these reasons. Thsy frequently con-
ceal II rate of taxation too enormous to be
submitted to ii expressed In ad yalorem
fer,ns as he duty of cents on hundred
pouuds on salt IN puik. which amounts
to over so per cent. on common peces-
sary of life. They always bear heavily
on the common article used oy The masses
aud lightly on the expensive article cons
sumed bv the rich. as tax OF $50 on all
shyuses. would be little or nothing on
The great mansion aud very high on the
humble nome. And contrary to common
belief specific duties lead to grea' er
frauds il, administration. for count
ing and Weighing at the custom
house ara done by the cheap
est and most easily corrupted
labor, while veloreM rates are assessed
py be best paid ana most responsible APP
praisers. The ad yaiorem system has
worked web in practice. is esssnti-
ally the fair system, because
IL is a tax upon the actual
value of an article, and was declared oy
Mr.. Clay himself to be In theory aud &C
cording to every sound principle OF JUS
rIce entitled TO the preference, and Winds
Gated by long ,rial.
FREE LIST OF RAW MATERIALS.
The boldesJ innovation OF the bill Is Its
large free list of raw materials. Taxes
upou prosuction are double wrongs.
They gather and cumulate on the con