Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-09
On the Wilson Tariff Bill in the
House.
AR. WILSON STARTED THE DISCUSSION
His Explanation Of the Purposes Of
the Measure.
THE NIGHT SEES $40 n

take up the tariff bill yesterday Mr. WILSON
o. West Virginia, chairman OF the commit
tee on ways and means. took the fioor and
started the discussion.
After reviewing the disposition OF the sur-
plus OF $ls5.UO.UU which the former DEM
ocratic administration left in the treasury.
and which, he said. had been used for the
redemption OF bonds at high premiums and
appropriated by the F1fty-trst Congress, he
continued:
In 1850. under the law of 1855. the average
tax on manufactures of wooden goods vas
Gy.12 per cent. Under the law of 1880 the
average tax was $50 on the slUo worth Of
wooden goods consumed in this country.
1t is charged and never denied in the de-
bate on the bill of 1875; that the cotton
schedule was made by New England man
uracturer and an expert appraiser in the
custom house in New York. The manufac-
turers received what they had asked for;
but under the Mckinley bill there was
taxation. OF 81 per cent-Sl1 more on the
800 upon the cotton goods worn by The peo-
PIE of this country.
y great iron master. Mr.. Oliver of Pitts
burg. was prominent member of the tariff
commission; and so the tariff of 1SS; was
perfectly satisfactory to the iron and s:eel
manufacturers of this country. But while
lowed to make their own rates, which. in
the year before, the Mckinley bill averaged
81 per cent on the hundred dollars the sys-
tenn adopted in the Mckinley bill averaged
last year o. per cent on the hundred dollars.
an increase of taxation upon the American
people of So every SlUU worth of iron
and steel goods consumed by them.
What the Tariff of 1890 Represented.
The tariff of 1880 represented not only
high and liberal protection. but 1t repre-
scented all that greed. and selfshness, and
rapacity dared to demand of the American
people Applause on the democratic side.)
To illustrate. MIR. Wilson showed a piece
of cloth. worth about thirty-two cents a
yard. on which the act of 1880 placed a tax
of 1913 per cent. 81 tax on 81 worth of goods.
So that the poor woman in New York or
anywhere else in this country wholly earn
ing fifty cents day at her labor, is able to
buy 81 worth of this material must work
six days longer to make the Mckinley taxes
to take il out of the custom house. ZAP
plause on the democratic side) Today.
Notwithstanding the high rate Intentionally
left in this bill. there had been a call for
the wooden manufacturers of this country to
meet in New York on Wednesday next to
protest against bill which leaves them a
40 per cent tax on their products.
Inc English landlords. who, when famine
was staying it's tens OF thousands in Ire
land, made protest against relieving food
from taxation. are the prototypes of the
day after tomorrow Applause on the demo-
cratic siGe.J
Now, when disease and discomfort when
consumption and pneumonia and grip are
stalking abroad in all the land. when there
are millions OF men, women and children
mourning daily risks of death and daily
risk of ciseases,and permanent loss of their
productive energiess when thousands and
tens of thousands are fighting the cold In
their nightly slumber because there is
heat in the tax put on blankets. these gem
tiemen who made the law of 1SS2 and 1850
are to meet in New York city to protest
against your doing anything for the relief
of the American people from this cruel. in
human system of taxation. Applause On
the democratic side.) 50 =
Free Elemental Materials.
The committee ON ways and means had
endeavored to meet the duty entrusted to
them as far as they could by releasing
from taxation those great interests on
which the Industrial prosperity and well
being of the American people were most
dependent of all the reductions made in
this proposed bill there are none in their
benefcence to the labor of our country that
can be compared with the release or tax
alton on the materials of industry. They
felt that they could not begin to reform
this system. built up story upon story until
II pierced the clouds. unless they boldly
and honestly and unselfishly sought to re-
Heve from taxation the great fundamental
materials of American industry. And so
the bill proposed to put upon the free list
among other materials, those great ele-
mental materials of industry, wool, iron
ore. coal and lumber. applause on the
democratic sideD
Twice in recent Congresses the battle
over free wool had been fought and twice
II had been gained in this House. All the
reasons for Ii. all the reasons against it,
mad been presented to the American people.
1T had become at last. during two or three
past campaigns. an acknowledged part OF
the democratic scheme of reform. whenever
they undertook to reform the tariff
He believed that if every other feature of
the Dill were abandoned reversed, if we
couid simply carry through bill putting
wool on the free list and reducing the taxes
on wooden goods. great, beneficent, revo-
mtionary step would have been taken in
the work of tariff reform that would Justify
all the efforts We have put forth ZAP
piause on the democratic side and slight
manifestations of deriSion on the reDubli-
can side) However tenderly they ,tbe
de-nocrats) might act now in reversing re-
publican processes, he. for one, wanted to
see this battle go on in this country until
the time should come when no taxpayer
should pay a single dollar that should not
go straight. undiIninshed into the tax
payers treasury. Applause on the demo-
cratic side) III that be revolutionary make
the most of it, Renewed applauseJ
II ever a protective tariff had full oppor-
tunity to display its beneficent workings
If 1t has any, the tariff upon WOODEN goods
and upon wool has had that opportunity
From 1861 down to the present time the
wool grower on the one hand and the pro-
Queer OF wooden goods on the other have in
union and in accord made their own tariff
irrespective of the interests of all the other
people OF this country. From the time that
they met in New York in 1S61 down to the
present time and adjusted their tariff
taxes upon wool and their compensating
taxes upon Yoolen goods. IL Baal could send
the fire of prosperity, they have oalle,. upon
him and have had free opportunity to test
his power. And yet, he would be a hardy
man who would arise in this House and say
that the wool grower had prospered the
production of wool in this country had pros
pered under all the favoritism and all the
protection. He would be hardy man who
would rise in this House and say that even
the Mckinley bill. with its increase of
taxes on wooden goods and it's proh;bitory
taxes upon everything that it was thought
could interfere with the use of wool in this
country, had been of any benefit whatever
to the American wool grower
The Price of Wool.
He did not hesitate to say that even if
by protection upon wool the price of that
product could be raised the right to raise
1t did not exist at the expense of the
tOUO.OO wearers of wooden goods in this
country. Applause on the democratic
side)
In 1851 a large part of the wool imported
irtO this country was nut unon the fraa