The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-19
Phases of the Tariff Bill.

The best authorities declare that the
new Dingley tariff bill is not popular, ex-
cept with few members, whose constitu-
ents, themselves very few, are interested
/ directly in securing the highest protection
! Generally speaking, the schedules have
been fixed to please a few manufacturers,
who made liberal contributions to Mr..
Hanna's campaign fund, with the distinct
understanding that they were to have what
! they wanted in the new tariff legislation.
! The interests Of the great body of con-
| sUmers, who, of course outnumber the
manufacturers thousand to one, have
! been almost entirely ignored. Inquiry,
| even among the Republican members Of the
| House, develops the fact that they them
( selves are fearful about this legislation
| The Ways and Means Committee may have
/ intended to frame revenue bill, in which
the duties were to be moderate, as IN the
Wilson German tariff; though it was adj
mitted that in a few cases, where injus-
tice would not be done, the rates might be
raised. These intentions have now been
disregarded, and the scale OF rates is high
er even than it was in the previous Repub-
lican legislation of the same sort, which has
twice been repudiated at the polls. This
is why the Republican members are fearful
Of the consequences.
So good a Judge as the Hon. Abram S.
Hewitt, of New York. declares that the
high tariff legislation does not warrant
us in expecting any recovery of prosperity
under this In the first place it imposes
duties on raw materials, like iron ore
and wool, while it is well known that no
permanently prosperous system of manu-
features can grow up under such conditions.
Production in this country, as Mr.. Hewitt
points out, is capable of being SO large that
we must get rid of our surplus in foreign
markets or else reduce our volume II
manufactures But this is the actual condi
ton OF affairs from which the country is
now suffering; for we produce, or can
produce much more than we consume, and
We cannot export the surplus unless we
can produce it as cheaply, or more
cheaply, than our competitors As Mr.
Hewitt points out, the tax on raw materials
is obstructive and must result in general
stagnation BE is not entirely discon-
ISOLATE, however. He thinks the country
must learn its lesson over again. When
it has done this, he predicts that these
Mckinley tariffs will no longer be toler-
sted, and a lasting prosperity, built upon
The objections OF exMayor hewitt and
OF the Republican members OF the House
60 whom we have referred, are valid.
We fancy that it will be found, however,
about the time when 1t is found, that
high tariffs are no longer to be tolerated;
that a still wilder impossibility, IL the
be considered and hoped for, will have
been discovered and cast out. We refer
to the greatest monopoly of an-the menop-
oily of many-which, as it goes on grow
ing in strength and comprehen siveness, by
lust SO much goes on preventing the incep-
ton OF new enterprises or the renewal of
old ones. because there is no confidence
anywhere. on the part of investors or
would-be investors, that debtors or new
borrowers will be able TO pay