Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-12-29
PROTEST AGAINST The BILL
Minority Of The Mays and Means Com.
mittee Present a Report.
SARCASTIC COMMENTS BY TON REED
The Tariff Bill Characterized as a Death
Blow 10 Our Wooden and Iron H.
duStrleS-The Great Deficit.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The report OF
the minority Of the members of the ways
and means committee WAS submitted to
the house yesterday afternoon. That
portion of the report discussing the bill
generally was prepared by Reed. The
report says:
THE most surprising thing about this
bill is the proposition to raise revenues,
which in 1893 we're only " 900, 600 above
expenses. This fact and the fact that
by this bill the largest part OF the burden
OF taxation is transferred from foreigners
and brought home to our own citizens
should always be kept in mind. Had
the bill been for revenue only the people
OF the country might have seen at a glance
whether they desired one policy or the
other, and the question might have been
settled once for all and the country at.
tanned that repose and stability on which
our prosperity 80 much depends"
Going into the details OF the bill the
minority says:
Although lumber passes through the
same plant as boards the workingmen
who manage saws are unprotected, while
the workmen who run planes are
shielded by pr ,tective tariff taxes. The
new plan also involves a method Of en-
couraging manufacturers by giving them
what is called free raw Materials 80
that what goes into the mill has no
taxes, and what goes into consumption
has all the taxes. 1t unfortunately hap
pens also that free raw material is an
other mans finished product. This bill
pretends to be revenue tariff and does
not raise revenue. 1t pretends to give pro-
lection but destroys it in every way. 1t
says to the manufacturer, for you we
furnish free coal, iron ore and the mar
kets of the world. Instead, it furnishes
new crop OF enemies, the men who dig
in the mines and raise sheep, for it really
creates what its enemies falsely charge
against republican protection, privi-
legged class, against which the mines and
field will both array themselves, and the
privileged class does not care to be privi-
legged. What exact effect the proposed
duties would have on the general rate oil
wages can only be determined by actual
test, but it is not difficult to see that il
will be very depressing. An al valorem
duty, if prices could be exactly deter
mined, would be the fairest, but unfor-
tunately, prices are very much matter
of opinion, and inasmuch as the duty de-
ponds upon the price, a cheat on price il
| cheat on duty, and not only is the gov.
| eminent cheated, but the manufacturer
| 10 cheated out Of the protection promised
him. How the great deficit on our re-
| sources az a nation is to be filled no one
knows, unless the president, anticipat
| ing IN his message to congress the re
port OF the committee on ways and means
shall afford to the committee itself the
wished for clue"
The report characterizes the wooleI
schedule rs destructive of the wool grow
ing industry, seventh in value OF produce
among the branches of agriculture. A
prices now prevailing in foreign markets
our farmers cannot produce wool withou
absolute loss. During the past year thu
threat of free wool has deprecated the
value of sheep and wool in the United
States full fifty millions. Over on, hun
bred million dollars are invested, and ,
quarter of million operatives are en-
ployed in the manufacture OF woolens
and this industry is offered up as a sac
ritce on the altar of tariff reform. At
tention il directed to the effect of plac
ing iron on the free list. The result o
this will be a loss of over half million
in revenue, and to admit to competition
with American ores foreign ores pro
dnced at from one-fourth to one -tentl
the cost of producing American ores
Significance is attached to the fact tina
while hoop and band iron and steel bea
thirty per cent duty, iron ore and stee
ties for baling cotton are on the free list
The cotton schedules show the same in
consistency. Removal of duty iron
btuminous coal is considered an ama2
ing proposition for the reason that Goa
has little value except what it gets from
labor; it is the most universally preva
lent of all subjects of American industry
The plate glass industry is cited as
splendid example of the benefits of tn
protective system. American competi
ton and enterprise have reduced price
one-half in the past ten years; twelv
plants with a capital of eighteen mil
lions, employ eight thousand men an
support forty thousand people.
Senate Combinations.
WASHINGTON, Dec. % The senate ha
confirmed the following nominations
John p. Irish, California, naval officer q
San Francisco; Henry d. Melton, Boor
vile, Indiana, commissioner of the dis
trict of Alaska. Postmasters Oregon
William H. Brunk, at Ashland. WASH
ington-North Yakima, Bernard WilKin
son; Fairhaven, George H. Watrous
Port Townsend, George q. McNamara
Sprague, Thomas F. Meagher; Daver
port, John Forwege; Oakesdale, Edwar
j. Done.