Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-06-13
TARIFF PATERNITY.
CHANGES IN THE WILSON BILL TOO
RADICAL FOR THE SOUTH.

CHANGES IN THE WILSON BILL TOO
RADICAL FOR THE SOUTH.
The Dsnocratic Congregational Committee's
on Of Consolation In Not suiacient TO Calm
the Troubled waters-A Kick From Con-
gressman Tarsney.
The compilation Of comparative rates
Of duty under the Mckinley act, the
Wilson bill and the senate bill, which
Mr.. Lawrence Gardner, secretary Of the
Democratic congressional committee,
sent to members Of congress, with the
request that they utilize the informa-
ton in their districts and states, has
fallen on a sterile soil. The letter has
caused considerable dissatisfaction
among Democrats. The ways and means
committee gave vent to its sentiments
through letter prepared by one of its
members, Representative Tarsney, to
the Washington Post, which is as fol-
lows:
II am in receipt from you OF circu
lar letter Of the 26th inst, with inclosure
Of printed slip, in part purporting to be
a tabulation showing comparative rates
Of taxation fixed by the Wilson bill and
the bill now pending in the senate and
assuming to show a difference in the
average rates Of the two bills of but
1877 per cent.
"You request that send one Of said
slips to each Of the Democratic news
papers published in my district, with
request that the same be published in
such papers. Believing that said COM
parative statement is not predicated up
OF a fair or just basis for comparison
and that the difference in the average
of rates Of the two bills shown there
from il misleading; that the deductions
intended TO be drawn from sach COM
parison cannot be defended, / must re-
spectfully decline the request to give
publication to the same in my district,
when later would be compelled to adj
init the misleading character Of such
statement.
IF the average rates Of the two bills
were based on the rates fixed upon the
same articles in each bill, if the bills
were identical in the articles subject to
taxation, the comparison would not be
misleading, but as the average rate
shown by the senate bill is determined
not only upon the rates fixed upon the
al in, hn hi
but also upon large number Of articles
taken from the free list of that bill, the
importations of which amount in value
to $3.50, 900, 900, it certainly is mislead-
ing This comparative statement shows
an average rate upon the sugar schedule
of the Wilson bill Of 2S. 43 per cent,
upon the same schedule Of the senate
bill 80. SO per cent. thus purporting to
show an increase Of but H.. l6 per cent
in taxation upon sugar by the senate
bill over the house bill. Equally COM
prehensive and fair is your statement,
which shows that while under the Nc
Kinley law refined sugar is taxed a half
cent per pound, and the average rate on
tho sugar schedule under that law is
1876 per cent, putting all sugars upon
the free list under the Wilson bill would
raise the average rate to 2S. 43 per cent
1.-The Wilson bill as passed by the
house placed all sugars upon the free
list Under the head of sugar sched-
ule' in that bill few articles manufac-
tured of sugar, such as confectionery,
ETC., were enumerated and rates of tax
Al % L.,
rates thereon being 2S. 43 per cent. The
senate bill puts all sugars back on the
taxed list, with an average rate of 80. SO
per cent, q very slight difference in fig
ures, but q substantial difference in tax
alton. The %. 43 PEI cent taxation un-
der the sugar schedule of the Wilson
bill would amount to $16,0 The
80. so per cent under the senate bill
would amount to between $45, 900, 600
and $50, 900, 600.
"a careful examination Of the figures
Of this statement relating to the other
schedules will show, though not to the
same degree as these, that while figures
will not lie they can be compiled so rs
to be very deceptive
10 OucllloHStIitte tltt any COiH HpstTlsoil
not based upon the same identical arti-
cles will necessarily be unfair and mis-
leading, l might suggest that if law
were framed practically in accordance
with the English customs schedules,
taxing only spirits, tobacco and a few
like articles of luxury, the average rate
under such law would be much higher
than that of the Wilson bill, the senate
bill or the Mckinley law. Yet the peo.
pie, Notwithstanding such increase OF
tho average rate, would be relieved of a
very great burden of taxation.
IF our only purpose was to reduce
the general average of our rates of tax
alton and not the burdens of taxation,
we could have accomplished that by
having no FREQ list and putting the ar
ticles now ON the free list upon the tax
list with nominal rate. This would
greatly reduce the general average.
This line having TO a great extent been
followed by the senate accounts for the
satisfactory general average which they
show and present in the statement
Suhirl, Won asL, ma IN have pnhliShpd