New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-30
BYNTN ATTACKS |OOhHEEH
THE INDIANA CONGREsSMAH MAKES
THINGS UNPLEASANT FOR HIM
SEVERE CRITICISM or THE TALL SYCAMORE
OF THE WABASH" FOR HIS srESERVlENcf
10 TIE INFLUENCE or r. @. MILLS
\ QUESTION or SPECIFIC AID
ADVAI.OREM DUTIES.
Cny TELEGRAPH TO TnE TEIEuNr

ADVALOREM DUTIES.
fry TELEGRAPH TO TuE TErrUNr
WASHINGTON April 29-Represenatve Byhunl' u
| Indiana one Of the leading Democrats on the ways
and Means Committee Of the House ~ dispose" ~
cri,lclse very pcintedly the ac;ion OF the Sena'e
/ Co.,,,,,toa an Finance in converting so many o.
tho snec0c duties fixed by the House In the wilson
rim i,,o supuoscdly equivalent ad Vliorem Th'e"'
Mr. Mills who represents in the senate tie eN'''''
views Of the od-fashoncd school OF De'"ocI',''
tar.fr-rnakers Is the acknowledged champio" u Tue
/ al valorem theory Of taxation. and though mem
hor # the Finance Committee only temporarily
7 and by courtesy he was able Notwithstanding 10
irnpose upon the Senate 'revlseTs wiae extension
/ Of the al valorem system of duties IN 'he ai'e""
ucnt Of the bill. Mr.. voorhees, accepted i"e s"h-
/ Cestons Of the Texas Senator without heSra'io"'
or indeed considerations and has since then puDhcy
defended the changes to al vaorem rates as con-
sistent with sound Democratic principles. III
Rvnum 70 an avOwed candidate Tor the Sed' III 1l'
Senate now occupied by Mr. Voorhees, anu Ms
LETTER criticising the wide application OF ''e AZ
valorem scheme Of duties by the Senatorial re-
vsers is taken here to indicate purpose 10 attack
| progressively q. every point Mr. Noorheess vacil-
Ist,ng and uncertain record the pending tarIfr
lcgielation
Mr.. voorhees, has been driven into publishing d"
letter defending his course In yielding 10 me sugar
and whlskev trusts. and thc chances are tha' ne
Will he kept busy from this tine on In expalnihs
70 his Indiana constituents other charges of f"'pi'
ness and subserviency growing out Of his hopeless
enhancement in the work Of revising the WI
son bill Mr. Bynum's letter was written 10 Inc
Washington Post and follows;
The question as whether al vaior"m or sprcihc
! duto. should obtain In the formulation OF tarlr
schedules IS one about which there is "A contrariey
/ Of opinion. T. il not question OF principe h"l
wholly one ~ policy: question OF administration
e., bc determined In the light Of existing cohd'oHS'
The act Of 1916. It is true. contained no specific
& lus u
means n model Of perfection. and certainly would
be a horrible misnt to-day. While | by no means
think specific rates should IN all cases be- adopted
! am convinced that upon certain articles they are
/ better for the consumer, better for IN" importer
and better for commerce. \ slight examination 81
the statements collected by the late Secretary
Manning AMI published in his report on the revision
~ the tariff viii satisfy any tina; The abuses or
al valorein rates have increased q sucn proportions
/ as To seriously affect the revenues - the Govern
ment AMI demorallzc trade Not only have dis
honest Importers by fraudulent invoices and under
/ variations d.fraudel the revenue OF large sums
/ luf the Government has been involved In endless
! litigation. AMI q, the enI 81 each year has been
/ forced To refund - importers about S"'"'V when
/ has already been collected by tn"m from con
sumers As ar illustration ~ the results OK al
/ NalJrem rates take the following instance Ir'i''A
hv % firm in Roston:
AN al valorcm duty was imposed on tbs i'm
ported product ribbon siugass, 10y act Of Con
yrcss March isS}. going into effect The July fol-
/ loving This duty IL . per cent Previous TO TINS
4 duty being imposed this foreign ribbon i-lnglass
/ hnd been iuyo!ccI and entered at value OF -
cents a pouni 70 save par; of this duty the first
lfnport after July ! came valued at - cents only
/ but the next md FOR Il while all subsequent In
! voices w.r@ sworn To- az & cents per pound. The
only objection urged against specific rates is that
,hey .o not rise ana f-n with the price or market
value 81 The product. that when the value OF the
article falls the al yaorem equivalent Is increased
Tie duty is not increased. the only change IS a. itS
relation the cost price. lnstcad OF being an OBJ
/ lection this should be It's strongest commentator
The revenues 81 the Government should be certain
and not indefinite This objection has been d.emSi
a merit upon another ground. Or John conrad
Halle. upon this point. says:
II the Imports are appraised at a low price under
/ the nj valor~m system. the customs are low AMI
the manufacturer loses protection at just the time
when he n"els u most. II Imports however. are az
praised AT high prices the customs rise ana ne
Manufacture is richly protected when he conld
b,st get along without 1T
The strongest argument. however that can be
uiH''1 u. ..'"' ., IN, 80, M and arc
AN clement "i IN, rttiny from t:.s'' "l' ar
! Therefore beneficial to commerce. This fact was
/ WAYS ana Means when Engaged tn tn formation OF
the Wilson bin AMI l"d to The retention of many
Norl. receives order for larg" quantity OF I'm
plate After asc"rta!ning the price Tor which ne
/ II he knows what the duty WIN bc h can asc"r-
h, customer but not so II the duty is al yaorcm,
h. cannot do this without adding larger proht
10 insur" against The risk because the prlc" OF I'm
plate might 10 up 10 or ~ per cent and tho duty
| would be- Increased In the same proportion.
quality. and can - weighed. measured or counted.
! sp"cnc duty Is umquesuonahly the best but
where IA" product varies IN TH"uy ana value -
in wooll'n goods specific rat" j. not only unjust
lut unparlnpRnic \ specific duty prevents fraud
upon IA" rev nucs protects honest importers IL un-
| form in all The ports. ana enables the importer
| - contract for future delivery without mourning
the risk incident o. a nuctuation IN value. Secr'-
| iarv MANNING IA his very able and exhaustive re'
" one hears II often said that II our al valorcis
Ian AM, mn ,a 9' NG 70 Gr N"d sap
I"nr. hni tae records Of this depnrtmcnt i2r he
sion ~ coursc / am worry FAR from advocating The
universal Application OF specific rates but 10 D.,
conscientious Of our aprrasing or examining OIL
| GERS In different pnrs of the country and for oN-
pcris IN this department.. 10 prepare plan FOR ne
, greatly promote the welfare OF tho Government and
| 81 the country. and ns matter OF administration
not work nipscc to any tSIs In tne community
system that leycs annually one hundred aud hity
millions Of dollars tax on imported merchandise
otherwise go unscl'nthc and disorlcriy'
Again on the 10Th OF March lSS. In a letter 70
ana ~ the Committee Ways and Means. he SAID:
The war rates Of the las, quarter OF century
| honest foreign consgnors To- the Invention Of de-
vices cvade the revenue which are In effect. when
the Government. the community ana importers VINO
d" no nrncuI" tnen' W a recent 'ommun,S"'l ,
reasons for believing that the al VAOrem rates cam
not now be satisfactorily worried
Secretary Fairchd in his report Of December D.
! 1851 said.
The high "a yalorem tarlT Of the lac, quarter
~ century has been the fruitful cause of devices
to gain improper advantage at the Custom House
| II IL therefore desirable that in revising and
| ducing rates OF duty they should be made specific
Instead 81 ad vaorem 50 far as the nature o. the
| merchandise Will permit Theoretically considered.
al Valorrm preferable 10 specific duties. but In
| practice under such rates have had. and
| must coninu" to have for years TO come. the
| former are the too easy source OF deception and
inequality at the Custom House. Congress has I'm
| It's power to change from time TO time may be
advisable specific rates so as To meet any permanent
| change I'm values
| 1T would therefore seem that the majority mem
Lers OF the WAYS and Means Committee had not
| only sound reasons for retaining specific duties in