Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-25
NO VIOLENT CHANGE
Senator Aldrich on the Work of the
Senate Finance Committee.
CONSERVATISM IN TARIFF SCHEDULES
Rates Suggested Below Those
Adopted by the House.
SUGAR DUTIES EXPLAINED

In opening his speech on the tariff in the
Senate today Senator Aldrich said:
"Mr. President, the business of the entire
| country Is in a state Of suspension awaiting
the action of the Senate upon the bill un-
| der consideration. believe that the anx-
iety to secure action upon this important
| measure at the earliest possible day is
! shared by every member of the Senate
can say for senators sitting on this side
| of the chamber that no time will be spent
in the academic discussion of the princi-
| pies of protection.
1T Is my purpose to keep the bill con-
tinuously before the Senate, to the exclu-
! sion of all other legislative business until
! 1t Is finally disposed of, and in this shall
| expect the hearty cooperation of senators
| on both sides Of the chamber. In the dis
| cussion of the bill, the members of the
| majority of the committee will content
| themselves with such brief explanations as
may be found necessary of the various
paragraphs as they are reached.
1t seems desirable that at the beginning
OF this discussion the majority of the
| finance committee should present to the
Senate in detail their estimate of the eff
feet which the bill would have upon the
revenue and that they should explain. in
| general way. the character Of the amend
iHcHtS tuey nave suggested.
The majority of the committee believe
tnat III thorough revision of our revenue
! laws such as Is contemplated by the House
bill, Is necessary it should be carried out
| IN a conservative spirit, and that such a
moderate and reasonable measure should
be adopted as will insure much greater
degree OF permanence to our tariff legisla-
tion Frequent revisions of the tariff are
productive of long periods of uncertainty
and arrested development. The radical
change in policy in 1894 proved disastrous
| to the business interests of the country
1t was, L believe. thoroughly understood
throughout the country in the last political
campaign that If the republican party
should be again intrusted with power no
| extreme tariff legislation would follow. 1t
was believed that in the changed condf-
tlons OF the country a return to the duties
] imposed by the act of 1880 would not be
necessary, even from a protective stand
point
No Violent Changes Proposed.
1T was with these facts constantly in
view tEat the majority of the finance COM
mittee prepared the amendments which
| they have submitted for your considera-
| tion. Nothing could be more conducive
| to the return and maintenance of real
prosperity in this country than the WELL
grounded belief that there were to be no
violent changes In our revenue policy for
| some years to come. The true friends Of
| protective policy do not insist upon ex-
treme rates. or any that are not necessary
to equalize conditions. While it is true
| that rates above this line are often inopera-
tive. yet 1t must be admitted that they
furnish needless opportunities for destruc-
tive attacks
THE committee believe that in the reduc-
tions they have suggested from the rates
imposed in the House bill they have not
gone In any instance below the protective
point, and If the bill should become a law
IN the form presented by them every
American industry would be enabled 10
inn nnFr rNnff tf.,1
that Is, SO far as this equality can be Sc
cured by tariff legislation. The rates sue-
gested by the committees amendments are
considerably below those imposed by the
House bill, and in most instances below
those contained in the act of 1890.
In suggesting these reductions the mem
bers of the majority of the committee re-
affirm and emphasize their position as
friends of the protective policy The ulti-
mate purpose of this policy is to secure. as
far as this is possible by wise and con-
servative legislation, the steady growth
and development of all interests-agricul-
tural manufacturing and commercial. The
provisions Of a tariff law affect all these in
terests in numberless ways, and unless
there can be stability in tariff policy there
can be no certainty of prosperity for any.
industrial conditions in this country
with very few exceptions, do not demand
return TO the rates imposed by the act of
ISp. me bitter contest which is going on
among the leading nations of the world for
industrial supremacy has brought about
Improvements In methods and economies in
production to an extent which was nor
thought possible few years ago. These
conditions must be taken into account in
considering the rates to be imposed.
without relinquishing one particle of
our devotion to the cause of protection, We
feel that we have right to ask that the
cause shall not be burdened by the imposi-
ton OF duties which are unnecessary and
excessive In the readjustment of rates
suggested the committee have tried in
every instance to make them sufficiently
protective to domestic interests without
being prohibitive.
Revenue of S269, ,OOO, 900 Estimated.
THE trainers of the House bill estimate
total revenue from the bill of s269, ,IO5. 71u
in normal years. This would be the largest
revenue ever received from customs duties.
and an increase of 13,470 793 over the
customs revenue of 1896. and of $40, 49,, ,254
over that of 1883.
THE report of the ways and means com
mittee of the House recognizes the fact
that anttcfpatory importations will largely
aeauce the expected revenues of the first
flscai year under the new tariff; but after
making allowance for these importa tions
the report estimates an increased income of
S'6 600 for the year 1893, provided the
law should be passed by May /. If its en-
actment were delayed until July 1, the re-
port added that SIS. 900 900 additional would
easily be lost to the public treasury"
After giving in detail the House estimates
OF revenue. Mr.. Aldrich proceeded:
1t Will be apparent from a critical ex-
animation of the provisions of the House
Dill that the estimate of 100000, 600 increase
OF revenue. II the bill should become a law
Dy the 1st of July. was excessive
To Indicate the grounds upon which this
Judgment Is based. we may take the wool
@ ana woolen schedule. from which 24,OOO,-
O0o out of $76O00.0O0 increase is expected
TIE fact is well known that there have
Deen unusual importations Of wool in an
tfc.pation of the reimposition of a dutv-
enough, according to tine trade reports, to
SUPPLY all the foreign wool needed by the
domestic manufacturers for more than a
year: The statistics On this point justify
the belief that there can be no revenue
frem the wool duties during the fiscal year
ls9S. except possibly small. amount from
third-class woods. The estimate of Sl4-
100000 increase from woolen goods is
equally erroneous.
The. same condition exists, In lesser de-
gree perhaps. with reference to other sched-
uies. Instead OF an Increased revenue
from tobacco. we may more safely count
upon decrease in the first year; the In
crease from sugar viii be much less than
the ways and means committees estimafe
owing to the fact that one-Quarter Of the