The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-26
DINGLEY TALKS OF TARIFF.
His Reply to CIeveland's Exception
to Republican Policies.

|
| ley, chairman OF the Committee on Ways
and Means, is in the city as IA member
| Of the House committee 10 attend the
| Grant memorial exercises. 4 reporter
solicited from him an expression of opinion
| with reference to the speeches made at
| the Democratic Reform Club banquet
| Chairman Dingley said
~ have read the speeches to which you
| refer and do not regard it necessary TO
make any special comment on the same.
| 1t is proper, however, that l should say
| something in reply to the criticism OF
| former President Cleveland that the Re
| publican party won the late election ON
| its declarations in favor OF "a sound cur
| rency and not on the tariff issue. The
| fact is that it won on both issues, and
| the tariff issue, in those parts of the
| country which practically decided he con-
| test, had more to do with the Republican
| victory than any other issue
Nothing could be clearer than that the
| pledges Of the party made its first duty to
| provide sufficient revenue TO carry on the
| Government without borrowing in time of
| peace, and In the adjustment OF duties on
| imports to that end, to encourage indus
| tries of the United States stricken by un-
| fair competition. If the Republican party
| should fail at the begiuning of its lease Of
power To do those things IL could be justly
| held TO nave proved faitnless TO its pledges
There Is undoubtedly need at the carli-
| est possible date of some legislation to im-
prove our currency system, but no one
knows better Gnan the gentlemen VINO are
critiClslng the Republican party that if
such Legislation should be taken up today
In the present condition Of the Senate no
favorable results could be obtained, and
| the agitation when would arise FROM ,ong
and fruitleSs debate in the Senate would
exert an injurious influence On the business
of the country aud would endanger The sue
cess of legislation To provide revenue TO
carry on the Government.
las to former Chairman Wilson'S critl-
oisIns of tie proposed tariff measure, il
seems to me that it would have been FAR
more creditable for him to have preserved
silence after the dismal failure of the hill
which bears his name either to provide
revenue for the Government or To main
tain the Industries of the country. Mr..
Wilson'S criticisms OF the proposed tariff
measure is simply repetition OF the free
trade assaults upon protection which We're
30 rue lTOIit 1871 10 $40, anu WHICH pore
fruit in the act OF 1894, witch nobody
rises to defend. Mr.. wilson's assumption
that protection is simply farOritsm TO
some industries and discrimination against
others is, in fact, just Indictment of the
act OF 1894, which bears his name, which
protects certain industries by giving them
duties equivalent to the difference Of the
cost OF production here and abroad, while
it places on the free list certain other in
dustries requiring equal protection.
But he pToposedtar measure is not of
this character. 1t applies equal protective
duties TO all indust ries, wherever they may
be called OH, in which the cost Of production
and distribution here is greater than the
cost of production and distribution abroad,
mainly on account of the higher rate Of
wages here The object of protection,
as gentlemen who are disposed 70 treat it
with can dor admit, is not to extend favor To-
anyindustry as such, but to plS &c production
and distribution in this country on the basis
of American rather than European wages.
MI Wilson'S claim that the tariff OF 1894
has increased our export trade by placing
so-called raw materials on the free list has
not the slightest basis of fact to rest on
The only material OF consequence placed
on the free liStby the act of l S9I was wool
Now, how much of our export trade of
manufactures Of wool has been increased
by destroying the important farm industry
of wool production? Not single dollar
Our export trade has not been increased
through any provision of the act of 1884
placing materials upon the free list. So
fnr 10 ha i-,,.r Safir ~
been in other directions, partly through an
increased demand for articles OF which
this country has an actual natural adj
vantage such as mineral oils, and partly
in speciaties OF a more peculiar character,
and more in consequence OF the complete
prostration Of business in this country,
which has reduced wages, gorged our own
markets and compelled sacrifices in order
TO get rid of surplus products. No one can
point To a single direction in which the act
of S94 has. ofitself, promoted Our foreign
trade except so far as il has heen the
cause Of decentralization of business anda
reduction of wages at home
ut is astonishing that not n single
speaker at this so-Caled reform meet
ing took any notice of the fact that for
four years the revenue Of this Govern nent
has been in sufficient to meet expenditures
to the extent of over 5000 100000 or
$50 900, 600 annually. The simple facts
of the situation are these: We mustincTease
our revenue To the extent Of nearly S75,-
00O, 900 annually in order to meet the eX-
penses Of the Government, which have
been no more in the past two years than
they were in 1891 and 1892, when we had
sufficient revenue. AS our loss of reve
nue. has been almost entirely on the Gus
toms side, additional receipts must be
sought where they have fallen off, mainly
from duties on imports. To this end the
tariff must be revised.
'.The simple issue is, in such revision,
shall the duties be adjusted so as, on the
whole, to encourage production and manu-
features for our own markets, or encourage
production and manufactures abroad?"
To the Inquiry when the new tariff bill
will probably become a law, Chairman
Dingley said: THAT depends entirely
upon the Senate, and no one can safely
predict. My own judgment is, however,
that at the latest date the new tariff will
become law by July IL
Asked whether the bill would be
changed much from it's character when it
passed the House, Mr.. Dingley replied:
IAN tariff bills as they pass the House
are always changed to a greater or less !
extent in the Senate, and they are finally
adjusted in conference. tits reasonable to
infer from the fact that the Senate does
not have Republican majority, as the |
House has, that there will be an inclination
on the part of the body to reduce many |
I hnu no will