The times., 1897-03-17
DISCUSSING THE TARIFF.

portions of tic Dingiey tariff biii. Ito pro
vide revenues for the Government and {,
encourage the Industries OF the United
States An members of the COMMITTEES
were present.
The more important features were gont
over and tue Republican elii,ers expia iEel
to their democratic associates the change.
that had been made and the reasons foi
them from the Republican view. for thu
purpose OF levying customs duties. TIT
sitting began at 10, O'Clock in tie moinint
and it was after Is in the afternoon wheI
it closed. time being taken at about
p. m. for lunch. 1t was agreed that there
should be no meeting of the committee
today, but they viii come together again
tomorrow ut 10 a. m.
The Democratic members Of the Commit
tee will meet today and determine what
course to pursue in regard to report
There is some question whether minority
view shall be presented. Mr.. Bailey said
last night that there seemed To be no uSt
to offer amendments as mere formalities
and If they were going to do anything
more than this sufficient time ought 10
be allowed for deliberate consideration oi
the measure. IL a minority report was
to be made an opportunity ought to be
| given to prepare it. The Republican
| members had made their bill iii secret
session, and IL they were going to report
| it at once the Democrats would about as
| we'll say nothing
MIR. McMiilin said: There always has
been n minority report from the Dem ocrats
| on all general bills introduced by the Re-
publicans. l suppose there will be in this
| instance
In considering the hill in committee no
| special assignments Of work were made,
but the committee worked together as
| a whole, exceptinca ase where certain MEM
bers, from their familiarity with the sub
| tect, were given the practical control OF
| schedule Mr.. Russell. Of Connecticut. it
| appears, was largely responsible for the
| wooden schedule, which WAS explained by
| him Similarly the changes In the agri-
4 cultural schedule were interpreted by Mr..
| Doiiiver, of Iowa.
| The iron steel and glassware schedules
| were explained by Mr.. Dalzell, OF Pennsyl-
vania: sugar by Mr. Payne, OF New York,
| and wood by MFR. Tawney, of Minnesota.
| Mr.. DoIliver stated in reference TO the
| agricultural schedule that the changes were
| more in form than substance. The duty
| on animals was lessthan the MCkinley Y rate.
| So far as oranges were concerned. the
duty was assessed by the pound instead
| OF by the bulk In order to secure more
| equitable adjustment in the collection OF
| the duty. The increased rate on broken
| rice was made to prevent evasion OF the
present law. Cbicory root, hitherto free,
| was now dutiable at cents a pound, in
| asmnch as the industry had been recently
established in the West OF preparing it
as substitute for coffee.
Mr.. Payne WAS asked as to the amount
OF revenue the sugar schedule would pro-
| uuce. He could not say, but thought the
increase would be about $16.o00.00O. Mr..
Robertson, OF Louisiana. estimated the
revenue from sugar to be $50, 700 900 per
annum.
Mr. Wheeler. of Alabama, referring to
the glass schedule desired information as
to the increase in small glass. Mr.. Dalzen
replied that the committee found that
duty on small glass not protective. and
that an equalization had been made by
lowering the duty on the higher grades.
There was some criticism from the Demo
Gratis OF transferring cotton ties from the
free list to the dutiable list, but it elected
Mr. Wheeler asserted that we were now
exporting cotton ties in great Quantities
TO countries so remote as India. The Demo
Gratis also criticised the increased rate
on timber for spars and wharves. and for
the construction OF telegraph lines to
which the Republicans responded by stat
ing the reasons which had led 10 them,
1t was developed incidentally that the
Of inns, 20
tons viii yield an ad valorem duty OF II
per cent
The liquor schedule was the first TO be
considered in the afternoon. Mr.. Evans
of kentucky, who was prominently idenu-
fled with its preparation, expia ined its
provisions He showed how the duty on
brandy had been increased from 81 so
to So. 80 cents gallon, and pointed to
advantages the wine producers OF France
would gain if that government should give
this country corresponding advantage on
our exports. He showed that the rates in
the liquor schedule We're substantially
return to those in the Mckinley law.
Mr.. Wheeler OF Alabama referred to the
enormous profits which manufacturers OF
certain grade of liquors en- JOY in this coun-
try, owing to the excessive protection, which
enables them to sell a cheap article at enoT-
nous profit. The present penalty for these
practices is fine but Mr. Wheeler con-
tended that q heavy punishment by inI-
prisonment should also be added, as the fine
in itself was not sufficient deterrent.
His suggestion that the bill be amended in
this particular was not adopted, although
several others expressed their belief that
it was sound in principle.
Mr. Russell, of Connecticut. was question
ed as to the various paragraphs constitut-
ing the cotton schedule. He said that this
schedule did not differ materially from the |
present law, except that specific rates had |
been substituted for ad valorem. Hose, |
underwear, combination suits, corset COW !
ers etc, were reduced 25 per centum be- |
low the Mckinley rate. In no case, he |
maintained, were rates in the new bill so |
excessive as in the law of 1890.
The schedule relating to flax and jute |
was discussed by paragraphs, and the in |
auiries Of the Democra Is were answered by |
Mr.. Payne, of New York. This schedule. he |
said. contained practically the Mckinley |
rates IN reply to query why cotton bag
ging, now on the free list, had been re- |
stored to the dutiable list, at 1-2 cent |
square yard and 16 per cent ad va!orem, |
he stated that the additional revenue was
needed and that the duty would not ma
teriaIly affectthe price Of the product
Mr.. Hopkins, of Illinois, who explained |
the provisions of the wooien schedule,
detailed at some length the reasons why
Ragdad woei, China lambs wool, Castle |
Branca, Adrianopie skin wool or butchers 1
wooi. such as have been heretofore imported