Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-05-27
awaiting the avcron of the senate upon
the bill under consideration.

awaiting the avrron of the senate upon
the bill under consideration.
believe that the anxiety to secure &C.
ton upon this important measure at the
earliest possible day is shared by every
member Of the senate. lean say for the
senators sitting on this side of the
chamber, that no time will be spent in
academic discussion of the principles of
protection.
1t is my purpose to keep the bill con-
tinuously before the senate, to the ex-
clusion of all other legislative business,
until it is finally disposed Of, and in this
/ shall expect the hearty cooperation of
senators on both sides Of the chamber
In the discussion of the bill, the mem
bers of the majority Of the committee
win content themselves with such brief
explanations as may be found necessary
for the various paragraphs as they are
reached.
Explanation of Amendments.
It seems desirable that, at the begias
ming Of this discussion, the majority Of
the finance committee should present to
the senate in detail their estimate of the
effect which the bill would have upon
the revenue, and that they should ex-
plain, in general way, the character of
the amendments they have suggested
The majority or the committee believe
that if a thorough revision Of our rev.
enue laws, such as is contemplated by
the house bill, is necessary, it should be
carried out in a conservative spirit, and
that such moderate and reasonable
measure should be adopted as will insure
q much greater degree of permanence to
our tariff legislation. Frequent revi-
sions of the tariff are productive of long
periods of uncertainty and arrested
development. The radical change in
policy in 1898, proved disastrous to the
business interests of the country.
It was, believe, thoroughly under
stood throughout the country in the Last
political campaign, that if the Repub-
ican party should be again entrusted
with power
No Extreme Tariff Legislation
would follow. It was believed that in
the changed conditions Of the country, a
return to the duties imposed by the act
of 1890 would not be necessary, even
from protective standpoint.
It was with these facts constantly in
view that the majority of the finance
committee prepared the amendments
which they have submitted for your
consideration. 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. Thetrue
friends Of . protective policy do not in
sist upon extreme rates, nor any that are
not necessary to equalize conditions.
While it is true that the rates above this
line are often imperative, yet it must be
admitted that they furnish needless op-
portunities for destructive attacks.
The committee believe that in the
reductions 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 q law in the form presented by
them every American industry would
be enabled to meet foreign competition
on equal terms; that is, SO far as this
equality can be secured by tariff legisla-
ton.
Considerably Below House Rates.
The rates suggested by the commit
tees amendments s are considerably be-
low those imposed by the house bill,
and in most instances below those con-
tained in the act of 1890.
In suggesting these reductions, the
members Of the majority of the COM
mittee reafirm and emphasize their po-
sition as friends Of the protective policy.
The ultimate purpose Of this policy is to
secure, as far as this is possible, by wise
and conservative legislation, the steady
growth and development of all interests,
agricultural, manufacturing and COM
mercial. The provisions Of a tariff law
affect all these interests in numberless
ways, and unless there can be stability i'll
tariff policy there can be no certainty OF
prosperity for any. Industrial con
ditions in this country with very few
exceptions, do not demand return to
the rates imposed by the act OF 1880.
The 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 not thought possible few
years ago. These new 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 a right to ask that
the cause shall not be burdened by the
imposition OF duties which are unneces,
sary and excessive. In the readjust-
ment Of rates suggested, the committee
have tried to make them sufficiently