The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-22
WILSON'S BILL CRITICISED.
EI-sPELEER REED PREsENTs THE
views or THE nINORITF.

1ssissd Of . Rn 10 Abolish Protseiio- go
for Revsnue Onir. Hs says ~ II . "Cov,
srdIy Mshessin." = "TsriG TIphsripG
Measure I.iks Those thst Have Hereto
fore Distsrb-d the Bu.i.ss- OF the Couu
try-it Prrpetuatss N Part the "Pnbit
Robbery" which tn. Ds.ncrat- U..s q
De-ounee-Ths Eatct OF Pres I-on Ore
rres Wool. nnd Free Coat on Tbos
Important Indu-trIs- In This Country
wAsHfNGroS. Dec 21.-Both reports on IN,
Wilson Tariff I'LL are now before Congress-
and the country. Before the adjournment o
congress to. day for the HOLIDAYS tho minorit,
report was presented to the House by MIR
Reed. 1t Ia a very long report. much longer
than Chairman Wilson's statement OF the posi-.
tion 81 tho majority. II starts out In charae.
teristic fashion ms follows:
The ost surprising thing about this bill ID
the fact that this proposition to raise revenue
will lower the revenue Of this country s74. 900. =.
90 below the revenue OF 1855. which was
only $2OOD.UUO above our expenEeA This
fact and ths other fact that by this bill the
larger part Of the burden Of taxation Is
TRANSPORTED from foreigners and borno by our
own citizens should always be kept in
mind during the discussion. Had the
committee. In making what tho Chair
man on the floor OF the House ha,
called political bin" followed the plain
uncomp promising declaration OF the party
which they represent. and abolished protoc.
ton giving US tariff for revenue only. our
task in commenting upon the result OF tho
commuters efforts would have been much
more simple. The bill would then have been
q STRAIGHTFORWARD. manly attempt to carry out
pledges. and would have placed in issue two
great PRINCIPLES. aud have led to a clear and
oom prehensible discussion. SO far however
have tho committee departed from the de-
mands OF their National Convention that wo
should have been much tempted to borrow
phrase from their own platform and designate
tho bill as 'cowardly makeshitt' were It
not that tho results have been already too
Hsrious for mere epithets Such a phrase even
thus sanctioned would lie out OF place in
discussion which involves 80 much OF impor-
tarco to all classes OF citizens. IT still. how
ever. remains u fac: that the bill presented can
in no way be justified by people who claim to
have obtained possession Of all branches OF
the Government upon = distinct promise.
which they now as distinctly rerudinte.
II 1t should be said that these pledges.
solemnly made on n yea and nay vote. after
full discussion. wore not intended ,or action
then tho breaking Of tho pledges has tho addi
tional disadvantage OF reconciliation. II sub
seauent events and they have been numer-
Gus enough and yeiGhty enough to startIe the
country-baye convinced tho committee that
tho Democratic platform is utterly wrong
and indefensible. IA history will know 1t to be-
then it is a great misfortune TO this country
that the committee did not have the courage
to cpenly abandon the false doctrine and leave
tho country tfndisturbed. so that 1t might con-
Valesce from the shock OF Its great mistake.
But tho committee. instead OF proceeding
In its great work OF abollShinG protection and
preserving tho people from the load OF taxa
tion which they have always Rverred was tho
result Of protection, have presented n bill
which il only another Mountaineering IN tho
like OF which has disturbed tho conditions OF
business so many times the last thirty years.
IL is great misfortune that such is the case,
for had the bill been for revenue only. in tho
only sense possible for that term the people
Of this country might hive seen 1T one glance
whether they desired the one policy or tho
tied once for all. and the country might have
attained to that rerose. stability. and certainty
which our business PROSPERITY so much needs.
That however. has not been made the issue
but instead OF that newer and fresher plan
has boon devised which those who stand ny
principle and the Chicago platform may still |
designate. aud Ito still designate as a plan to |
foster and coddle American industries. to |
maintain classes. and To rcrpctuate taxation !
Tor other purposes than revenue oniy.
AS 70 this new plan the very first question |
one is discussed TO ask il. why disturb existing |
business relations II there IN to be no change |
ia principle II we arc still to have protec- |
Ion, why taSe this time To cause readjust.
, character that the greatest amount Of dis. !
lister will b" the result We're IL proposed to |
make u radical change and "auEs tho business |
d the country TO he conducted on II new basis, |
hero might possibly he arguments addured |
md mans pr.sented which would be IustiHa- |
ne ana satisfactory; hut II protection 10 the |
object. why choose this time of all others to |
'ubstitnte for system OF protection which |
has proved reasonably satisfactory one OF /
yhich va know nothing and with the principle |
}! which tho revis-rs are not IN ACCORD
This 9th ar a nd fresher plan has ali the faults
he old. and very few 81 rs virtues. II IL open
o al the derisive and harsh erlthets with
shelmed. lttaSss III" people with tariff taxes.
z cr.stes. "r rather proposes TO maintain.
& defended by It's an hors by arguments and
expressions strangely like those which they !
lsed 50 holly 70 denonnce. A manufacturer Il |
Old that III" duty will protect him, and his
ia are listened 10 on that lHsis, and Rre
ir&ued with him on that basis. Just as In tho
The new Democratic District Attorney o. the
'orthern District ~ New ork comes down a,
70 had right To. and declares that from pro-
ectlnn standpoint barley and malt cannot co
oEsther under the same al valortm, and
promptly the COMMITTEES raise tho tarif taxes
acinrer. though It must lessen the reVenue
% also some one has presented persuasively
ht 'hiso ~ bpdTus. ilhErl. tOneuU0, and |
rOnNod to tho committee. ami although the
amber passes In the same liant from the saWs
D the planeTs, the wurE Of tha men who man
GO the saws Il unprotected while the work Of
h. men VINO run the planes is Ehieldad ny
reflective tariff taxes. These RTe but In
tancEs OF corrections male where the ear OF
10 committee could be had and are Keys 10
ia notions on which the bill was formed
. Tho new plan also involves = new method
encouraging manufacturers by giving them
hat arc called free raw materials so that
hat goes into the mill pays no raxes and
hat goes into consumption PAYS all the taxes.
lie manufacturers Iay no taxes on what they
ny and the people tha Equivalent II taxes on
| they purchase. IL unfortunately happens
80, that free raw material Is an elastic
rH. and what Is one mans free raw material
another mans finished product. The manu-
etnr"r in Massachusetts, Is told that ha is 10
encouraged by having Tree lumber TO
aid his factory ana to pack his goods |
II inaSmu"l that very lumber, thus |
Ade free. ~ the Maine manufacturers fin
bed product. no wonder tho Democrats OF
'nE0r. tho mills ON tho fenobscOt icing
liable 70 move saw, denouRcs class
gIslAtion, with now appreciation 81 what |
ass legislation really means. And with the |
GelleTs on the PcnobscOt syInpathizs the |
mhermen In Wisconsin and Michigan the !
cihe slope, Alabama Georgia. ana Florida.
also the minersin Michigan, struggling this
~ moment with starvation. real that the I
MT Olio.Is pl lapt.latfnn fhara ,an pn.aI .