The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-17
THE p1NGLEY BILL AND MK1NLEY.

| Into q Iarlu ulsCuSSiou dSdiA, "niN1
discussion while being perfectly friend
ly will be licensed on account OF differ
ing views.
For years this country battled savage
Iy over the tariff, no one in the entire
breadth of the land taking the trouble
to agree on premise with any one
else
Today an agreement on premise Is
| possible for the first time in many
years. The old divisions Of a tariff for
revenue only and protective tariff are
still with us, as obstinate, perhaps, as
ever, but willing to agree on several
ramifcations of the question which
| they would not formerly listen 10.
There are those who consider the Nc
kinley bill a too high tariff; others who
| claim that the average tariff rate of the
| Wilson bill is too low. The great bulk
of people in the country, however, have
come to the belief that the average rate
Of tariff duty is small matter and that
| special rates on particular articles are
| of the chief concern. There are others,
too. who believe that the protective tar
| if system has been outgrown by tho
| country TO a great extent, and that III
| some articles we should enter freely in
| to competition with Europe. Others
| believe that the occasion demands mere
| ly a revenue measure, while a large
| number do not bother themselves ar all
or only to the extent of asking that the
tariff be let alone
1t is not possible to let the tariff alone
at this time, if al reports are true. An
immense deficiency must be met and
tariff bill which will overcome the
stringency in our treasury passed
For the purpose of providing revenue
il is proposed 10 pass the Dingley bill at
the coming short session of congress.
What is the Dingley bill? The meas
ure passed the house December 26, 1895
and was the remedy offered by the Re-
publicans for supplying the deficiencies
in revenue. 1t was held up in the SEN
ate by the free-silver men, who attach
ed to it a free silver amendment IT
was avowedly a temporary measure,
and by its terms was to remain in eff
feet only till August ], 1893. The lead
ing provision was that for horizontal
Increase in import duties 81 Is per cent
over those imposed on articles mention
ed in certain schedules Of the Wilson
tariff act, which became law August
81, 1894. The schedules In question are
those pertaining to chemicals, earthen-
ware and glassware, metals, manufac-
lures Of wood, tobacco, agricultural
products. spirits and wines, cotton man
ufactures, fax, hemp and jute, silks,
pulp, papers and books, and, lastly,
sundries. 1t is expressly stipulated,
however, that in no case shall this pro-
vision increase the duty beyond that
levied by the Mckinley law, approved
October /, 1890. Where the rate of
duty fixed by the present law shall ex-
coed that imposed by the Mckinley law
the present rate shall remain in effect
The duty on woods and ION all hair of
the camel, goat, alpaca and other like
animals, except as hereinafter provided
and on all noils, shoddy, garnetted
waste, top waste. slubbing waste, row
ing waste, ring waste, yarn waste, and
all waste composed wholly or in part of
wool. and on wooden rags. mungo and
f1ocks,' is placed at 60 per cent of the
rates imposed by the Mckinley law.
The same rate of increase is made on
the importation of articles made in
whole or in part Of wool, worsted or
other articles previously enumerated.
On carpets, druggets, backings, mat
tings, rugs, screens, covers. hassocks,
bed sides. art squares, and other por-
tons of carpeting, made in whole or in
part of wool, the specific square yard
duty imposed on each of these articles
by the Mckinley law is revived, in adj
dition to the ad yalorem duty imposed
on such articles by the Wilson law now
in force. The duty on imported lumber
is likewise fixed at GO per cent Of the
rates named in the Mckinley law.
AZ the time the bill was introduced
Mr.. Dingley estimated that it would
Increase the revenues Of the govern
ment by about S4O,OOO,OOO year
Treasury officials express fear, how
ever, that the cutting of of importation
by the increased rates would lessen the
net gain liz revenue to perhaps S10,0O,-
900 or 12,0o0, 900 a year.
The passage of this bill. however,
would BE only temporary, the Dingley
bill would answer TO the demands of
the moment But the assumption of
many gold Democratic supporters of
| MajorMcKinley that the tariff question
Ks 10 be left alone is mistake.
The people of the United States as q
whole are not worrying themselves
over any supposed necessity OF an ex-
eessively high tariff measure. What
they do expect is a tariff measure
which by the careful handling of vari-
Gus, well-known schedules viii provide,
| first revenue and in addition 10 that
| protection 10 American industries. de-
parting from this idea when it can be
done for 4 reciprocal trade with other
1 4 marian, rafinnS