The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-22
As a Revenue Measure the BiIl Will
Be a Dismal Failure,
BESIDES GIVING THE LIE TO THE
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

Gratis Respecting Raw AIatertals-An
Illustration Afforded by the Maine
Lumber Interests-The Bill AS 1t Will
Affect American Workingmen
Measure Prepared With Undignified
Haste-Plans for Supplying the De-
ficiency in the Revenues Still Unknown.
Washington, Dec. 21--Before the ad-
journment of Congress today the minori-
ty report on the tariff bill was presented
to The House by Mr.. Reed. The report
follows:
The minority of the committee
present the following views
The most surprising thing about this
bill, which we will treat of in detail
somewhat later, is the fact that this
| proposition to raise revenue will lower
the revenue of this country $74, 900, 600
below the revenue of 1888, which was
only So, 600, 900 above our expenses
This fact and the other fact that by
this bill the larger part of the burden of
| and borne by our own citizens should
| always be kept in mind during the dis
| GU ssion.
| Had the committee in making what
| the chairman on the floor of the House
has called political bill,n followed
the plain, uncompromising declaration of
the party which they represent, and
abolished protection giving us tariff or
revenue orly, our task in commenting
upon the result of the committees efforts
would have been much more simple. The
| bill would then have been straighttor-
ward, manly attempt to carry out
| pledges, and would have placed in issue
two great principles, and have led to
clear and comprehensive discussion
So far, however, have the committee
departed from the demands of their
national convention that we should have
been much tempted to borrow phrase
from their own platform and designate
the :. bill as cowardly makeshift," /"
| were it not that the results have been
| already too serious for mere epithets.
Such phrase, even thus sanctioned,
would be out of place in a discussion
| which involves so much of Importance
| to all classes Of citizens. 1t still. how
ever, remains fact that the bill pre-
sented can in no way be justified by
| people who claim to have obtained
possession of all branches of the govern
| ment upon a distinct promise, which
they now as distinctly repudiate.
If it should be said that these pledges,
solemnly made on yea-and-nay vote
! after full discussion were not intended
for action, then the breaking of the
pledges has the additional disadvantage
Of generalization. If SUI ubsequent events
and they have been numerous enough
and weighty enough to startle the
country-have convinced the committee
that the Democratic platform is as utter
Iy wrong and indefensible as history will
know it to be, then it is q great misfor-
tune to this country that the committee
did not have the courage to openly
! abandon the false doctrine and leave the
country undisturbed, so that it might
| convalesce from the shock of its great
| mistake.
But the committee, instead of proceed
ing in its great
Work of Abo1ishing Protection,
and preserving the people from the load
of taxation which they have always
averred was the result of protection, has
| presented bill which is only another
ariff-tinkering bill, the like of which
has disturbed the conditions of business
SO many times in the last thirty years. 1t
! is great misfortune that such is the
| case, forhad the bill been for revenue only,
| in the only sense possible for that term,
| the people of this country might have
seen at one glance whether they desired
| the one policy or the other,
and the question might have
been settled once for all, and
| the country might have attained to that
repose, stability, and certainty which
our business prosperity.so much needs.
| That, however, has not been made the
issue, but instead of that a newer and
those whp stand by principle and the
Chicago platform may sttll designate,
and do STILL designate, as a plan to foster
and coddle American industries, to main
| tain classes, and to perpetuate taxation
for other purposes than revenue only.
Assto this new plan the very first ques-
tion one Is disposed to ask, is, why dis
turb existing business relations if there
is to be no change in pfincipleg
If we are stin to have protection. why
take this time to cause a reaajustment
suoh a character that the greatest
amount of disaster will be the RESULT
Ware It proposed to make RADICAL
change and cause the business of the
coIrnfry TO be conducted on new basis
ther6 might possibly be arguments ad'
iiYiced and psans presented which would
be iustifiable and Satisfactory; ,but il pro
ltecsiUn BE- the object, yehy ohoose this
| time ofah others to snbsSitfite9for sys-