Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-08-23
Great Want of Care in the
Tariff Bill.

Il seems as If the tariff was not the
only thing that puzzled the Democratic
congress. Punctuation and clearness
in the use OF the English language has
also caused them trouble, and it how
appears that unless some one who
knows just what is wanted, can have
the privilege Of setting things right and
correcting plumbers, there is an unlim-
tied amount of trouble ahead for the
wonderful mongrel known as q demo-
cratic tariff bill. Carefully read what
the Chicago Herald (Dem.) has 20 say
about it.
When the house concurred in all the
ser ate amendments to the revenue bill
it concurred in considerable number
Of things which the senate expected
would be changed and corrected by
the conferees.
One of these was the date on which
most OF the provisions of the bill were
10 90 into effect. The house bill pro-
vided that they should be in effect ION
and after the 1st of June, 1884, The
senate first changed this to latter
the 30th of June. and later changed it
to the Slst OF July, and that is the date
provided in the bill sent to the Presi-
dent.
The house also concurred in q num-
Der Of errors which consist in treating
the same articles IN different ways in
different parts of the bill. As the bill
stands it makes articles both dutiable
and free. 1t is SID also that the house
concurred in number of blanks; that
the senate left the ra'es of duty blank
in some cases, depending upon the con
ferees TO agree upon and insert the
rates.
But more important than these errors
is one which consists in the use of q
semicolon in place of colon in such q
wav that it may be construed as admit
ting eli diamonds free of duty. 1t was
the intention to put diamonds and dia-
mond dust used tor industrial purposes,
such as cutting glass and drilling, on
the free list, while subjecting diamonds
as ornaments TO duties. But the word
ing and Fluctuations of the paragraph
in the free list very clearly make all
diamonds free.
Most important of all Is q paragraph
making spirits used in the arts and
manufactures free of tax, subject 10
treasury regulations At the best this
provision would deprive the treasury
of ut least IS. 200. 900 annually, ac-
cording to Commissioner Miller esti-
mate But the paragraph is so con-
structed that ii may operate to free i'm
mense quantities of whiskey. Accord
ing to MIR. Miller view of it, barrels of
whiskey may be medicated by the in
PRODUCTION of dash of Jamaica ginger
or some other equally innocuous medi-
cament, aud sold tax free.
II il stated also that there is q doubt
in the treasury official mind whether
articles now in bond but made free by
the new act will have to pay the old
rates. 1t there is really room for
doubt about that the matter is one of
very great Importance. But it seems
to be pretty clear from the language of
tie act that such articles can be with
drawn from bond free after the LAW
goes into effect. The provision is that
the prescribed rates shall be paid on
all articles imported "or Withdrawn
for consumption after the act takes
effect 1t seems to be pretty plain
that il no duty is prescribed no duty
eau be collected on any article with
drawn from bond any more tban on
the same article imported after the law
becomes effective.
The house has already passed a bill
&C ~rectng the whisky tax biunder
aud abe ways and means committee is
preparing bills for the correction and
cure at other errors and detects. Prob.
ably the senate viii concur although
il is not in an amiable mood. The dan
gH is that the senate viii be without a
quorum before these bills reach 1t, in
which case q single objection would de-