New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-20
M'KINLEY LAW "EXTREMES."
THE VAIN ATTEMPT TO PREJUDICE THE
PEOPLE AGAINST THEIR AUTHOR.

A LAW FRAMED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
WHOLE NATION. TO WHICH IT WOULD
GLADLY RETURN-A SURVEY OF
ITS PROVISIONS.
At the National Republican Convention OF 1880
the platform OF the party spoke IN no uouo'i"
terms in regard to the Doctrine OF Pro'ect'o"'
Major Mckinley was chairman OF the Commi''ee
on Resolutions, and well remember with WHAT
oarnes,ness ne read the declaration of principles
and with what enthusiasm those declarai,o"'
were received by the entire convention. here
are few sentences taken from the PLATFORM
I'VE are uncompromisngly In iaVor oi ..e
American system Of Protection. Ine pro-
tective system must be maintained. Inc , W.
rubIcan partv would effect all needed Reductions
Of the National revenue by such revision OF tue
tariff laws az will tend to check imports or such
articles as are produced by our people, the pro
duction of which gives employment TO our TABOR.
and releases from import duties those artcics %
foreign production except IuHures',, inc Inv "a
which cannot be produced at hcme.
Major Mckinley was that year elected again 10
Congress and was placed at the head OF the COM
mittee OF Ways and Means by Speaker Reed'
His selection was approved by the entire party
on account Of his long and eminent service upon
the same committee during several terms Oh
Congress previous to that date. 1t became the
duty Of that committee to prepare ana report 70
Concress n bill in accordance with the platform
~ the party Such a bill was reported. and 1t
contained in its preamble the following words:
IAN act TO reduce the revenue and equalze
duties on imports, and for other purposes"
That bill was prepared by the entire Republican
membership OF that committee and was enacted
into a. law by the votec Of all the Republican
members OF that Congress, both OF the House
ard the Senate The bill was carefully drawn
along the lines marked ont in the National plat
form and all in ALL was the most perfect meas
ure Of the kind ever enacted into law by the
American Congress. Major Mckinley deserves
great credit for the able and painetaking WORK
he did I'm preparing that bill. but the measure was
,,o moro his than II was that OF many other Re
publicans.
Ius, now a few Republican leaders are as
sorting that the bill was an extreme measure anu
that Major Mckinley Is an extremist upon 'he
subject of the tariff. and therefore not the proper
man for President OF this great Eepuohc Men
are saying this who have been lifelong hepuo"-
cans and who should be ashamed Of themselves
for making such statements because these i"eh
tnow most surely that the bill which they criti-
else was drawn IN exact conformity TO the primer
Mos Of the Republican party. Since my atton-
ton has Deen calltI ~ tH' s''J'~N
\ careful reorganization OF the Mckinley law
ord comnared II with the law which 1t repealed.
Did the bill reduce the revenues and did II ann
% ,rotect American labor by equalIz!ng duties?
WHAT THE BILL PROVIDED.
Tho first schedule. A. has In It l21 Items ana
Is headed. Chemicals. oils and pants. VI
those Items there are 80 on which the duty IS
no, changed al all. The duty is reduced on -
.rl
articles 1t is raised on or.y IL. and on - items
II Is changed from an ad valorem duty 10 d
specific There can surely be no cohp'u'"' "s
TO that schedule.
Schedule h, 'earths. earthernware ana s'"Se'
ware" has sixty-three items. OF these thirty
six items were unchanged. five items were maze
lower thirteen were Increased and nine were
changed from ad vaiorem duties TO speclilc' Inc
hill intentionally protected the pottery Industry
Schedule c. metals and manufactures o.
has 147 items. on for,y-egh. items the duty
WAS unchanged; on fifty Items 1t was reduced.
on seventeen only was the duty made higher
and those include tlnplatc and the block plates
and other metallic productions that enter into
the manufacture OF tinplate. In this schedule
twenty-nine items were changed from ad
valorem TO specific duties Two articles
aluminium and mica. were taken from the free
list and made dutabc articles. The reductions
In this schedule are large
Schedule d. wood and manufactures Of. has
only nineteen Items On eight OF them the duty
remained the same; on nine II was reduced. and
II was increased on none. One item was changed
from an ad valorem 10 specific duty. and one
cedar posts was taken from the free list and
made dutiable-a decrease OF duties: not an in
crease.
Schedule f, sugar" was put upon the free
list when below sixteen Dutch standard anc
above that standard the duty was reduced from
two and three cents a pound to one-half cent .
nound This reduced the revenues largely, anC
TO aid American growers Of sugar a bounty was
maid 10 home producers OF two cents pound or
all they produced IN the United States. Another
great reduction.
Schedule F. tobacco" has In II only sever
Items. OF these three were lef. unchanged ant
four were increased very largely. 1t was done
purely as a protective provision.
Schedule G.. agricultural products and pro
Visions" has Ill items. OF these twenty-eigh
were left unchanged. twelve only were reduced
thIrty-hve were made higher and twenty si'
were changed from an ad valorem duty to
specific duty Ten Items were taken from tn
free list and made dutiable. to-wit Macaroni
sugar of milk. nursery trees and shrubs. straw
/ teaScs. apples 'sIttHj' "PP''' '''''"|' '''''
cayenne pepper and eggs No bill was ever 81
mindful Of the welfare Of the men who I'LL tn
coil This schedule IL an Increase
Schedule II, wines and other beverages ha
twenty items. Only four OF these were LETT un
changed. twelve items were made higher AM
four were changed from adj valorem duties L
specific. The growers OF grapes were purposel.
protected.
Schedule J. cotton manufactures" TIL
schedule has forty-eight items. Fourteen OF then
were unchanged; on eleven Of them the dut
was. reduced: or sixteen 1t was Increased. ant
seven were changed from nd valorem to specific
Cotton goods are cheap that no one com
| plains OF this schedule.
Schedule ], FLAX. hemp and jute. and manu-
features Of" has thirty-one iteme. The bill lief