The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18

leave $4,000. 900 to S75.0OO.OOO in in.
creased revenues from this bill for the
first year, which would undoubtedly rise
to S10O,O0O,OOO the second year.
'Thcse estimates are below rather than
above the probable result unless unneces-
sary delay in the enactment of the bill
should greatly retard the opportunities
from imported duties on which duties are
to be raised, particularly wool and sugar.
for speculative purposes. Undoubtedly
any delay beyond May | in placing the
bill on the statute books would result in
large loss of revenue.
"rhis increase in revenue is made by
transferring wool, lumber, crude opium,
argOts, paintings and statuary, straw
mating, burlaps, and various articles
articles from the free list of the present
law to the dutiable list; by increasing the
duty on woolens to compensate the man
ufacturcr for the duty placed on woods;
by raising the duty on sugar ia cents Il
pound in order to encourage the prOduc-
ton of sugar in this country, which /
believe can be done, and thus give our
farmers a new crop which we now I'M
port mainly from abroad; by increasing
the duty on agricultural produce AFFECT
ed by Canadian competition, and on hne
cotton goods. some advance on manufac-
turcd iron. steel. hemp. hemlock and jute
in order to increase these and other in
dusrcs here, and especially by increas-
ing duties on such luXuries as liquors,
tobacco, silks. laces, ere.
AS n rule the rates imposed are be-
tween the rates of the tariff of 1870 and
the tariff of 1894, such reductions from
the former law being made feasible by
changed conditions.
"The iron and steel schedule is chang
ed very little from the tariff of 1871, the
change being entirely in the more ad-
vanced articles. The same is true of
the cotton schedules. In the agricultur-
nj. wool, glass and earthenware sched-
ulcs alone are the duties of the act of
1890 fully restored as u rule, and. in Il
few cases. increased, with the view of
amply protecting and encouraging our
farming interests at every possible point
While the duty on clothing wool is larger
I'm proportion to the foreign value than on
manufactured articles, yet it is thought
desirable for the public interest and for
our agriculture that we should produce
this necessity for ourselves. The duty
on carpet woods as well as upon many
other articles is imposed mainly for rev.
cnuc. The irritation caused by the Use
OF Il few woods heretofore classed as car
pet woods being used for clothing pur-
poses has been remedied by transferring
such woods to the clothing wool class,
hut the duty on clothing wool class has
been restored TO the rate of the act of
1890.
"In framing this new tariff the aim
has bceu to make duties specific or at
least partly specific. as far as possible to
protect the revenue ana also to protect
our own industries. This has been done
in response to the wishes of the better
class of importers as well as of the bet
ter administra tors of the law and of our
own producers. The very general sub
stitution of specific duties. even where
they are only the equivalent of existing
ad yalorcms, will, of itself. increase the
revenue and strengthen the protection af- |
fOrdcd to our Industries.
"'rhc reciprocity provisions of the act
of 1890 have not only been fully rcStor-
ed. but this policy has been extended by |
adding to sugar. tea. coffee and hides as
articles on which to make reciprocal |
agreements such articles as champagne.
brandy, wines. artificial and natural min
cral waters, argOts, silks and laces. In
addition to these articles the reciprocal
provisions are strengthened by the see
ton providing for reduction of duties
in return for similar reductions.
"ln this bill the committee will. it is
hoped. receive not only the support of
the republicans but all those who are
anxious for receipts not only to equal the
Expenditures but TO form "A surplus. In
raising such revenues to produce snch