Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-04-01
SUPPLEMENT
MAKING A TARIFF.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
WORKING ON NEW BILL.
The Farmers interests Being Care
fn1ly Studied.
Special correspondence:

Washington, February, 1897.
The Ways and Means Committee is
pushing the work of the new tariff bill
as rapidly as possible. One of the most
distinguished members Of the committee,
speaking of the difficulties in the way of
framing satisfactorily a tariff bill and
the length of time necessary for it, said
to your correspondent:
IF any man, no matter how well posted,
will attempt to determine for himself
what ought to be the duty on pyroligneous
acid, and then multiply the time occupied
In that attempt by the thousands of items
In a tariff measure. he win get something
OF an idea of the time and labor required
to complete It,"
This suggestion indicates In some de-
gree the amount of labor required to COM
pIete a bill of this kind and the mount Of
labor which the Ways and Means Com
mittee Is putting on this new measure.
The W % weeks of hearings which they
gave were a small fragment Of the amount
OF labor necessary for the framing of the
Dill. The statements made before them
orally during the fortnight during which
tney were hearing arguments were q small
proportion only of the material pressed
upon them by the friends of the various
industries, and especially by the friends
OF the farmers. Hundreds upon hundreds
OF written manuscripts and thousands up
ON thousands of letters have reached the
committee and its members with refer
ence to the various schedules of the tariff
Dill. No class of citizens has shown n
greater interest In the tariff than the
farmer, and 1t may be set down as certain
mat no class of citizens will get more
carefnI and faithful attention In the franz
ing OF the bill than those same farmers.
every question relating TO their industries
and interests Is considered. Many of the
important items relating to their indus.
tries have been acted upon already and
IN all OF these the new rates fixed have
oeen such as to give a satisfactory pro-
tectlon. While the figure which has been
nxed upon cattle is not quite as high Ms
tnat OF the Mckinley law, it is believed to
De ample to thoroughly protect the stock
raisers OF the United States against IN.
competition of Mexico and Canada. which
were the only countries sending in live
STOCK In competition with our own. On
some agricultural products the rates of
the Mckinley act have been restored Tbs
prosperity OF the agriculturist under that
"a" was so strongly marked, and its non.
uiarity with the farmers was so great that
the committee has cheerfully acted unon
the recommendation of representative of
the agricultural interests and restored tba
MeiAniey law In a very large proportion
~ c"ses' one subject which has given
.uetn |" great deal of difficulty is that Of
WOOL Inc Wool Growers Association
mas requested a rate of II cents Der nornd
on nrst n second-class woods with o.
addition OF 3 cents per pound for skirtod
australian woods. which is very cons;d.
eraDiy Id excess of the rates If tho NJ
nihiey law, and also something b;,bor
IMAM those suggested by the wooIen ma
facturers. The members of tho oomn;.
Tee are somewhat embarrassed bv -.
eney consider an extreme demand nm tho
part OF the Wool Growers Associate
icr ,ney reel that IL they make the rates
y ou.y on wool excessive II will rosr,,
III such an increase in the price IF yyoolo.
GOODS as to grow unsatisfactorv ona -
suit disadvantageously to the naonIa
the country as well as u~nponrior ~ y, oi
enect on the public mind. tn l'
manufacturers have recommends 1871
OF o cents per pound on wooleps yo,,oa =.
40 cents per pound or less, and II 10 nroh
.oie tnat the committee will find CO.
sclIen mean between these two reouoa,s
o',ne WOOL owe and manufactnrars
IN He question of reciprocity noth;,.
mas as yet been determined. Tharo me
disposition on the part of the commn
10 provide a reciprocity clause. bnt ,hes
sre nnding difficulty in this because 90 ~
iact that they do not expect to mt .ne
On the Tree list. as was the case 49,
.Se "cninIey law. 1t viii be remembered
W reciprocity was made e.s- -