The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-03
TARIFF BILL REPORTED
THE WAYS AND MEANS MA
JORTTY ON THE MEASURE.


! ions of the Bill Explained by Mr..
Wilson--Discussiop to be Com.
menced Without Any Unnecessary
Delay.
s'The American people, after the fullest
and most thorough debate ever given byany
people to their fiscal policy, have deliberate
ly and rightly decided that the existing tariff
is wrong in principle and grievously unjust
in operation"
Such Is the opening paragraph Of the ma.
jority report submitted in the House OF Rep.
resentatives by the Democratic members OF
the Ways and Means Committee to the full
committee. The report was written by Chair
man Wilson. It was laid By him before his
Democratic associates, and received their ap-
proval. Continuing, the report says:
They have decided as free men must al
ways decide, that the power OF taxation has
no lawful or constitutional exercise except
for providing revenue for the support OF
Government. Every departure from this Z
principle Is departure from the fundament-
al principles of popular institutions and in
eyitsbly works out a gross inequality IN the
citizenship of q country. For more than
thirty years we have levied the largest part,
of our federal taxes In violation OF this vital
truth until We have reached In the existing
tariff an extreme and vo,uminous system OF
class taxation to which history may be chal-
lenged to furnish any parallel. ~
So many private enterprises have been
taken into partnership with the Govern
ment 80 many private interests now sharein
the prerogative oftsxing seventy millions OF
people. that any attempt to dissolve this IL
legal union is necessarily encountered by an
opposition that rallies behind 1t the intoler-
ance of monopoly, the power OF concen-
trated wealth, theinertia Of fixed habits, and
the honest errors OF q generation OF falae
teaching. i, it,,
The bill on which the committee has e1-
pended such patient and anxious labor Is
not offered as a complete response to the
mandate Of the American people. 1t no
more processes to be purged OF oil protec-
tion than to be free of all error inits COM
plex and manifold details. However we
may deny the existence of any Legislative
pledge, or of the right Of any Congress to
make such pledge, tor the continuance OF
duties that carry with them more or less
acknowledged protection, We must recognize
that great interests do exist whose existence
and PROPERTY it is no part OF our reform
either to imperil or to curtatl.
We believe that we have the warrant OF
reduction of duties will not injure but give
more abundant life to all Of our great manu-
facturine industries, however much they
may dread the change. In dealing with the
tariff question, as with every other long
standing abuse that has interviewer itself
with our social or industrial system, the
legislator must always remember that IN the
beginning temperate reform is safest, having
in itself the principle OF growth.
A glance az thetarif legislation of our own
country ought to satisfy every Intelligent
student that protection has always SHOWN us
falsty as a system Of feconomy by Its absolute
failure to insure healthy and stable prosper
ity to manufactures It teaches men to de-
pend on artificial help, on laws taxing their
countrymen for prosperity In business,
rather than upon their own skill and effort.
II throws business out OF its natural channels
into artificial channels, where there must
always be fuctuation and uncertainty, ana
II makes a tariff system the football OF party
politics. and the stability Of large business
interests the stake Of every popular election.
It is a very narrow and shorr-sighted view
which supposes that we release the duties on
iron ore and coal and wool and other Ike
articles for the benefit Of those who manu-
facture our iron, steel, woolen and other
fabrics. We ars iegislating tor the great
millions of consumers beyond them and 1or
the scores of thousands OF laborers to whom
they may thus give steady and well-paid en-
ployment. ....
view that suppoees that removal OF the
tariff duties on such necessities Of ofindustry
will tnfiict any real loss upon those who pro
duce them In our own country The en-
lsrgement OF markets for oer products ln
other countries, the increase In the tnterna
commerce and in the carrying traftc OF oul
own country, will insure a growing home mar
ket for all these things that Will quickly out
strip ANYTHING they could have under thu
protective system.
In the iron and steel schedule beginning
with free ore and duty OF 22]s per cent. OF
pig iron, we have reported scale OF dutle
considerably below those OF the existing laV
graduated according to the degree OF manu-
iacture, which should bring benefit to tn
consumer, without calling for any halt In tn
imperial progress OF that great industry
our country.
The duty upon steel rails has been put q
twenty-five per cent. which, according torn
reports Of our department OF LABOR, quit
nornpensates for all difference in the cost o
production In this country and abroad. upol
| tin plate duty has been gauged with REFER
ence TO the revenue 1t will bring into tn
TREASURY and the difference between tnl
duty and that upon the black plate has beel
| lessened with a view to discourage what ma
| not unjustly be called the bogus industry 0
| raokine American tin plate BY rhe mere up
| ping in this country OF imported oiacx piste
In th. sugar schedule we should nave pre
ferred to wipe out at single executive strok
the existing bounty system. we nave go :,
stages as shall gradually obliterata It IroT
| our laws, while permitting those VINO nav
| invested large means under the expectatio
| OF It's continuance, reasonable time IN Wnic
they NAV prepare to take their stano VIII
the other Industries of the country.
! Duties upon tobacco leaf suitable lot ciR9
wrappers. which were 80 enormously ao
yanced by the act OF 1890. have been piaces
at such figures as, after careful investigator
were deemed likely to produce most revenue
to the Treasury.
ing meats and provisions We are such iarg
aynortars and must continue to be sue
large exporters that any duties upon tnen
are useless for protection and 1ruitless 10
revenue. -.
In the cotton. fax, hemp and ]ut
schedules. reductions have been MADE IN aS
cordance with the general scheme oil the d,
as heretofore explained, but they are nc
believed to be OF such marked character
to call for any special explanation.
The placing OF wool upon the free list ma "a
justified very substantial reduction Oh in
duties on wooden goods. OF the wooie
tariff, it may be said. MS was truly sa.t :, :
the wooden tariff of 1928: '-ihat It - u
master piece OF the ultra restrict lonlsts an
| exhibits all the worst features or the syseetn.
We have been compelled to retain som
articles upon the dutiable list and 70 iehV
some duties higher than we desired beeaus
Of the present necessities otthe Treasury: os
we have not ielt that any temporary shrink
age of revenue should deter us from carr,
ing out as faithfully and as eGeetually Rs
could the Instructions given by the America
people when this Congress was put ine
power. Iii, ~,
A most important change in the bill pre-