Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-26

been regarded as war resort-indeed, JEFF
ferson took the ground that excise taxes
should not be reSorted to by the federal
government sources of revenue in time
of peace, and the democratic national con-
vention maintained the same doctrine in
1851. And, secondly, the fact that by in
creasing customs duties on imported aru-
cles which we can and ought to produce
or make at home, for revenue purposes,
at the same time incidentally en-
courage stricken Industries and materially
aid in turning in our favor the balance of
trade, which has been so heavily against
us all Trough this calendar year. and
which has caused demand for gold for
export, which our treasury has been called
to supply For so long as the balance Of
trade is against us on account of Excess
sive imports, we must export gold or (what
is the same thing) promises to pay gold to
pay for the excess of imports over the eX-
ports.
No General Tariff Revision.
Your committee have not undertaken
general revision of the tariff on protection
lines, as q majority hope can be done in
lS9I-9S, not only because they know that
such tariff legislation would stand no
chance of becoming law, but also because
general tariff revision would require many
months; and the need is more revenue at
once. We believe, however, that this need
of more revenue is SO great that simple
measure increasing all duties of the duti-
able list. and taking from the free list Of
tile present tariff a few articles that were
always on the dutiable list until August
-, 1874, and which have always been i'm
portant revenue producers, and limiting the
operation of such legislation to about two
years and a half-until the present def
cheney of revenue is overcome-ouSht to re-
ceive the approval even of those who do
not favor protective duties, on patriotic
grounds; and that the fact that it may in
old tall
many articles that we require at home in
stead of abroad, will not be regarded as a
ground of opposition under present circum-
stances.
In framing the bill submitted for your
consideration it has been necessary, If &C
ton to be taken promptly, to resort TO
a considerable extent to a horizontal raise
of duties, for the reason that it would
have required months to deal with each
article separately. Horizontal dealing with
tariffs cannot be justified in ordinary times,
but in such an eXlSepcy as exists now, SO
serious that the President felt it his duty
to send us a special message of extreme
urgency, and especially for limited time,
it is not only defensble, but is the only al
tentative.
Duty ca Wool and Woolens.
But while we have presented in the brief
measure reported a horizontal increase of
Is per cent of existing duties on all the
schedules but two, which is an addition of
less than 8 per cent to the average al
valorem rate-giving about $loOO,oOO rev.
enue from that source; yet more than 80
600 900 of the $4O,OOO,OO0, which 1t is eS-
timated this bill would add to our annual
revenue will come mainly from woolwh
is taken from the free list and given
moderate duty, and from manufactures OIL
wool, which are given compensatory
duty equivalent to the duty on wool (Which
is ALWAYS necessary when duty Is placed
on wooD in order to give the wool grower
the benefit and make it possible to manu-
facture woolenS at home.
The bill reported by your committee pro-
poses to make the duty on imported cloth
ing wool 60 per cent of the duty imposed by
the act of 1880. which would give an equiv
alent of & 6-1O of a cent per pound on I'M
washed wool, or about 40 per cent ad va
lorem This reduction from the duty of the
act of 1880 has been made because the res
iteration of the full duty in that act might
seem to be too great a change from the
present law to those whose cooperation it
is necessary to secure in order to have any
legislation, and not as measure OF what
might be done when all branches of the
government are in harmony with the ma
jority of the House on protection lines. The
duty on manufactures of wool Is Increased
by a specific duty equivalent to the duty on
wool.
The duty on carpet woods is left at the 30
per centum ad valorenl, where it was placed
in 1880 This is a purely revenue duty, as
we raise very few carpet woods. Such lum-
Der was placed on the Tree llSl ny the
act of 1890 without the slightest justification
is restored to the dutiable list, but with a
duty of only 60 per cent of the duties pro-
yided by the act of 1S9O-giving an equva-
lent of only about 10 per cent. Such reduc-
ton from the low rates of 1890 is justified
only on the ground that the object Of your
committee has been to frame a bill mainly
on revenue grounds, in the hope that it
would secure the approval of those in official
places whose cooperation is essential to
legislation, and who may be supposed to feel
that in such an eXigency as now exists the
public necessity must control.
Believing that such an increase of reve-
nue. as is proposed is essential as first step
in the restora ton of confidence and the res
toIyltion of the treasury to a sound condi-
ton, and that other Legislation to be pro-
posed to this end cannot be effective with
out adequate revenue to meet the eXpendi-
lures of the government, your committee
recommend the passage of the accompany
ing bill, Ito temporarily increase revenue
to meet the expenses of government and
provide against a deficiency
The Redemption Fund.
The committe on ways and means, to
whom was referred so much of the Presi-
dents annual message and of the report
of the Secretary of the Treasury as relates
to the maintenance of the redemption fund
and the conditions of the treasury report
that the Secretary Of the Treasury now
has the authority under the resumption