The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-01-31

changes were maue. Inc uuuy on pig
iron was decreased from 22I to 20 per
cent; bar iron, rolled or hammered,
from 30 to % per cent; railway bars,
made of iron or steel, railway bars made
in part of steel, 7 rails and punche d
iron and steel rails, from 25 to 20 per
cent; horseshoe nails, hob nails, and
other wrought iron or steel nails, were
advanced from 20 to 30 per cent, and
the duty on wood screws was increased
from 30 to 35 per cent. The time for
admitting wool free of duty and for re-
ducing the tax on wooden goods had, by
the action of the committee of the
whole, under the leadership of the ex-
IRENE free-trade element, been fixed on
the passage of the bill. BY the amend.
ment adopted on Saturday, wool is to be
admitted free on and after August 2,
1894, and the lower schedule on wooden
goods is to go into effect on and after
December 2, 1894.
The amendments that have been
made in the committee of the whole
and will be ratified by the house do not
mitigate the disastrous character of the
bill. Each amendment of any special
note is an additional stab at American
industry and American commerce.
Take, for example, the changes in the
sugar schedule. The removal of the
bounty is made to take full effect at
once, instead of being distributed over
a period of eight years-an injustice
and hardship to those who, encour.
aged by the act of 1890, have invested
large amounts of capital in the produc-
ton of cane and beet sugar. The Amer
lean planter is placed on the same level
as his Cuban or Brazilian competitor;
American labor on level with coolie
or slave labor. The relentless charac-
ter of democratic malignity and demo
cratic hostility to the existing industrial
and commercial policy of the country
are strikingly exemplified in the elm
ination from the Wilson bill of the
reciprocity clauses of the Mckinley act.
What motive, not inspired by political
malevolence, blighting every considera-
ton of patriotism, of regard for the
commercial growth and prosperity of
the nation, could persuade the party in
power to throw away the splendid OPP
portunities of extending American
trade presented by the reciprocity pro-
visions of the Mckinley act? The
folly and stupidity of such course
could find expression only in a scheme
of craftsmanship wrought out by brains
stepped in bJurbonism. The countries
with which reciprocity treaties have
been negotiated under the Mckinley
act-and all others-will have, if the
Wilson bill becomes law, all the adj.
vantage of a free entry to American
markets without surrendering any priv
ileges to Americans. The duties once
imposed on American goods, RENTED
under the reciprocity treaties negotiated
under the law of 1890, may-and un-
doubtedly will-be reimposed. At this
point, as at every other, the Wilson bill
proposes to surrender every advantage
to the foreigner, asks-and gets-no ad-
vantage in return. The parliament of
Great Britain could not frame meas
ure, as whole or in detail, more hos
tile to American interests.
Will the bill pass the housep The in
corporation with it of the income tax,
which excites the bitter opposition of
many democrats, the proposition to level
every barrier for the protection of the
sugar industry, free wool, free coal and
free iron ore, will cost the measure MANY
democratic votes. An effort, Washing
ton reports say, may be made to recon-
init the bill. This proposition will not
have the support of the republicans,
and is not likely to succeed. A motion
to strike out the enacting clause would
have the solid support of the republic
cans, but it is doubtful if enough dem
ocrats to carry the motion would have
the courage to defy party discipline
and vote with the republicans. Indica-
tons at this time point to the passage
of the bill, with the incomeitax attached,
by about so majority. But dissatisfac-
ton with the bill is increasing. Dem
ocratic members are burdened with Pc
-itions and messages to kill the
wretched fabric of their party's creation,
and the unexpected may happen on
Thursday. So mote it be.
Varrnnnt ouI 4ha WHao,. D:II