New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-29
BREAKERS AHEAD ALREADY.
NEW TARIFF BILL TROUBLES,
LOUISIANA DEMOCRATS WANT TO KNOW
WHY RICE IS TAXED AND SUGAR NOT.

VIII hlOE Id 4AAED AMI OJUAn NO4s
MANY OTHERS ASK EQUALLY EMBARRASSING
oUEsTIoYs-A TARIFF THAT WILL NOT
RAISE REvENUE-rHE METAL
SCHEDULES ANALYzED.
gDY TELEGRAPH TO rHK rRBrxR,
Washington, Nov. 2s.--whether or not II b
true, as reported, that Bourke Cochran. In
some comments upon the Tariff bill made pub
lie yesterday, said that "a spirit Of communism
seems to run through the entire BILL" there
is no doubt whatever that some Of the proposi.
tions of that extraordinary production such
as he does not and cannot approve. What 10
true of Mr.. Cochran is also true Of Mr.. Whiting.
Mr. Stevens and perhaps one other member Of
the Ways and Means Committee. Mr.. Stevens
was member Of the subcommittee that framed
the tariff schedules and he may, therefore, feel
bound to support and defend every provision
therein contained, but Messrs. Cochran and
whiting are not in the same position. and 1t 10
believed that the latter, at least will kick over
the party traces in the House and work and vote
against number Of the recommendations OF the
majority of the committee.
Among Democratic members of the House Of
Representatives there is a strong undercurrene
of opposition to various provisions which, II IL
could be united and consolidated might amount
to something. There are. probably. at least
fifty Democratic Representatives each one OF
whom is strongly opposed to one or more feat
ures Of the measure, and a considerable proper.
ton Of that number are opposed to substantially
the same provsions-free coal, iron ore and
lumber. The Louisiana Democrats are at war
with the sugar schedule. and declare that they
% In q q ~
day one Of them said:
why did they not think to provide that the
duty on rice should be reduced at the rate Of
12h per cent year while they were cutting
down the protection on sugar at that rate!
Can it be because a good deal Of rice is pro-
duced in Georgia, as we'll as In Louisiana,
while no cane sugar is produced In the former
State, which has representative In the Ways
and Means Committee? The duty on rice.
upon the production Of which infinitely less
labor and skill are expended than In the pro-
duction Of sugar. is reduced only 25 per cent,
being fixed at ~ cents pound, which 10
equivalent to an ad valorem duty Of more than
10 per cent. No. sir the bill will never pass
the Senate in its present obnoxious form. what
ever the House may do with it."
SPECIFIC AND AID vALoREM DUTIES.
How will you defend the general substitu.
ton of ad valorem for specific rates Of duty In
the face of Secretary Mannings report to
Congress In 1852" asked Tribune correspond.
ent Of a Democratic member of the Ways and
Means Committee to-day.
"Oh, don't you think the country has already
had too much Of the Manning report and 10
nauseated with itT' was the irrelevant reply
The report of Secretary Manning in favor Of
specific and against ad valorem rates OF duty
was supported by a-xast array ~ testimony
from customs officials. Consuls and importers.
as we'll as from manufacturers. irrespective OF
party Out Of 1852 replies to Secretary Man.
ning's inquiry on this subject. no less than
1928, or about so per cent, were in favor Of spe-
cfc as opposed to ad valorem rates. and the
reasons submitted in support Of them were so
cogent and convincing that President Cleve-
lands first Secretary of the Treasury In his
report to the House Of Representatives wrote:
"One advantage, and perhaps the chief advan.
tage of a specific over an ad valorem system -
in the fact that, under the former duties are
levied by positive test which can be applied by
our officers while the merchandise Is In the pos
session Of the Government and according to q
standard which is altogether National and do
nestle. That would be partially true OF an ad
valorem system levied upon home value. but
there are constitutional impedments In the way
of such system which appear to be In.
superable. But under an ad valorem system the
facts to which the ad valorem rate Is to be ap-
piled must be gathered in places many thousand
miles away, and under circumstances most un.
favorable to the administration Of justice. One
hears 1t often said that II our ad valorem rates
did not exceed rs or 80 per cent differentiation
and temptation to differentiation would dsap-
pear, but the records Of this department for the
nd Ia nphojd that N.
clusion or course am very far from advocat-
ing the universal application Of specific rates.
but do believe 1t to be possible for the more ex.
perienced and conscientious Of our appraising or
examining officers in different parts Of the coun-
try and for the experts In this department to
prepare a plan for the prudent enlargement Of
specific ratings which will greatly promote the
welfare of the Government and of the country.
and as a matter Of administration not work In
justice to any class in the community"
SECRETARY MANNINo's REASONS.
The number of different rates Of duty at that
time under the Tariff Act Of 1883 was l.37s Of
which 7OS were ad valorem. 500 specific and
eighty-six compound rates. These proportions
were reversed in the Tariff Act of 1890. The
majority Of the Ways and Means Committee
now proposes to swell the number Of ad va
loren rates to proportions that have not been
seen in the last thirty years.
Secretary Manning gave. as an additional
reason why specific rates of duty should be
adopted wherever practicable. the growing
practice Of shipping goods by foreign manu-
facturers to the United States and the taking
in this country OF orders on samples for goods
to be delivered at New-York at duty-paid prices
arranged in United States currency. In this
relation, he wrote:
Just as manufacturers In other States of
our own Union send their merchandise on con.
signment to their own agents to sell In New.
York. so do and so will European manufacture
ers The ledgers OF commerce. and trade will
more and more be written and kept In that
city, and laws Of taxation State or Nattor.,