Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-30
SECRETARY CARLISLE INTERVIEWED.
He Thinks the Proposed Changes In the
Tariff Bill are Unimpertant and VIII

He Thinks the Proposed Changes In the
Tariff Bill are Unimportant and VIII
Win the support of All Democratic SEN
ators.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April -eo.-Sec-
retary Of the Treasury Carlisle has au-
thorized the following statement liz re-
ply to an inquiry by an Associated Press
representative as 10 whether IL
were true that he had taken part
In the conferences which 10 has been
said were being held for the purpose oil
agreeing upon certain amendments to
the pending tariff bill.
II have had no conference upon this
subject with anybody except the Demo-
cratic members OF the Senate Commit
tee on Finance, and therefore cannot
state of my own personal knowledge
what has occurred in any other con-
ferences that may have taken place. Is
is true that an effort is being made TO
agree upon such change in the pending
bill as will secure for II the united and
active support OF all the Demo-
Gratis In the Senate. The indica-
tions now are that the support will be
secured without making radical changes
In the rates OF duty or material altera-
tions in the. former structure OF the
tariff schedules as they were passed oy
the House OF Representatives. In fact
Iregard most Of the changes now under
consideration as quite unimportant. /
do not think we ought 10 permit
differences OF opinion upon mere
matters OF detail or In regard TO small
increases Of reduction OF rates In the bill
IS it now stands, to prevent the redemp-
tion o. our pledges TO the people, and
therefore | am In favor OF securing, II
possible, without any surrender OF prin-
cipal aud without abandoning any
part of the Democratic policy OF
tariff reform, such mutual conces-
sions upon these points as viii
consolidate our strength and pass the
measure at the earliest possible date.
So far as the proposed amendments re-
late to duties upon important articles
of consumption now subject to duty,
the rates suggested as the basis for ad-
justment are all much lower than In
the present law, while there are only q
few Instances In which they are higher
than in the bill reported by the Senate
Committee.
"By far the most important single
article upon which a change OF duty Is
now proposed is sugar, raw and refined,
and IL Is strenuously conteuded by per-
sons interested In the produ uction OF
this article that the specified rates
already in the bill as reported by the
Senate committee are higher than the ad
valorem rates which IL is now proposed
TO insert Whether this is correct or
not depends npon the price OF sugar In
the foreign markets from time 10 time
| and heretofore IL is not possible TO make
| an exactly accurate statement upon
this subject: but am satisfied that the
difference, il any between the specific
rates heretofore proposed and the ad
valorem rate now under consideration,
is so small as TO be OF no material con-
sequence either way"
at is well known" said the Secre-
! tary, that there has been from the be-
ginning considerable opposition to the
proposed income tax, even among those
who have voted for and supported the
| bill with that feature in IL. Much oil
this opposition has been based upon the
provisions OF the bill which prescribe
the methods OF ascertaining and
collecting the tax, some of which are
alleged TO be arbitrary and inquisito'
rial. In my opinion, many OF these OBJ
iectionable provisions ought to be and
can be safely omitted from the bill, aud
other changes can be made. which the
advocates OF All income tax can consist
emily accept"