New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-06
TIE SENATE TARIFF BILL.

The country may he congratulated that the
Tariff bill has been reported to the senate anu
that the further delay necessary 10 perfect IL
will he where each Senator Will feel MS personal
responsibility. For it Is not to be dehleu 'na'
Tho .people are profoundly anxious 10 nave
genuine protective tariff with as little deia! as
posslble The enormous work OF lhquir! anu
revision which has taken the trained experts VI
the Senate nearly six weeks cannot De accu-
rately Judged in day Many changes are cei
tain,v of real merit. and others may upon eA-
animation of data prove to be winch at nrS' ap
near needless. But there will be disappointment
throughout the country that the measure repor'
ed TO the Senate is open TO crltlclsm III SUM-
particulars about which public opinion VIII I've
ns,,;ro The extensive substitution or al
yalorem duties and the beer TAX are aiieau!
discussed as out Of line with the Repupiicai
principle that specific should be preferred 10 au
ro,oreu dr+fcs where It is possible. and that
roropuo sbould be raised rather by duties on
,mnorts which encourage industry, than by in
,ornol ,axos which bear upon the people nearly
NOR canita and enhance the cost of living nearly
ms much for the poor as for the rlch. NOT - II
pleasant that the benefit TO sugar rehhers 10
greater than under the present tarl1, so 'ha' OPP
moments of the bill have preteXt Tor saying 'ia'
d. suc,r schedule was written by the Sugar
Trust" The duties on tea and hides. the tax
ON heer tho abrogation of the Hawaiian Treaty,
the omission of the reciprocity PROVISION VIII
all challenge some Republican criticism III IS
nrobahlv not expected that the bill will pass IN
its present form.
The committee was indeed confronted with
oro d,f,icutv 70 which The Tribune repeatedly
called attention In commenting on the HOUSE
bill. that it would probably fail to increase the
rovenue enough because calculations had been
hased upon the enormous imporations encour-
aged by the Wilson tariff. Hence IT was heces-
sary either to reduce some duties where reduc-
tion would secure larger revenue or to raise
otber duties where increase would bring about
tho Same result This the Senate Committee
has done in great many instances. Duties on
wooens are reduced so that they are geheraiy
lower than those of the Mckinley and the Ding
lev BILL On nearly all articles of the iron scheo-
ule duties are reduced in many instances GER
ta,nIy with wisdom. though the continuance OF
the drawback on tinplates will be strongly OPP
nosed. On earthenware specific and higher du-
Ties than those OF the House bill are proposed,
giving better protection. end on linen goods
higher duties promising larger revenue. The
cotton schedule is not essentially changed. ex-
cent by emitting the especial duty on corduroys.
The rates on lumber are substantially retained.
II is fair to presume that some OF the changes
made I'm committee are not expected to stand In
the Senate. 1t is question whether the Sen
ate will sustain the duty on hides. The oms-
sion of the reciprocity clause Is said to be only
temporary, the committee expecting to report
provision hereafter which II had not time 10
draw with the care desired. In the abrogation
OF reciprocity with Hawaii the sugar interest
receives another benefit and American interests
in the island a serious injury which some Sen
ators will probably strive to avert. Whether
the duties on wool-S and cents instead OF IL