The times., 1897-03-20

of 1894 has been transferred to the dutiable
list as an act OF Justice TO this large in
dustry and in the interestof revenue, with
little change in duties except ON white pine,
! which has been restored to the duty Of
| 1888
| The duty on wrapper tobacco has been re-
| stored to the rate of 1890, and the rate
| on filler tobacco increased, partly for pur-
poses of revenue and partly to better equal
| ize the duties on wrappers and filters. The
general policy pursued has been to raise
| the duties on luxuries.
While the duties on more than three
| fourths of the articles on the dutiable list
| are lower than those provided in the act
| of 1890, yet converted into the delusiye
| terms OF ad valorem, they will in many
| cases appear to be higher, notwithstand-
| ing the actual rates are less.
Specific Duties,
The aim has been to make the duties
specific, or at least partly specific wher-
ever practicable, not only to protect the
revenue against underyaluation frauds
but also to give our own industries the
protection carried on the face of the
tariff; and in carrying out this policy we
have had the sympathy and aid of repu-
table Importers. This has been done for
the most part in the chemical. glass. iron
and steel, lumber, sugar. tobacco, agri-
cultural, liquor, cotton, flax and jute,
woolen, silk, paper and spndries schedules
in the silk for the first time. notwith-
standing eX-Secretaries Fairchld and Man
ming most earnestly recommended this
some years ago. t- e.
Transfer OF rticIes from Free LIST.
Several articles, like argoIs, opium,
asphaltum, chicory root, feathers and
downs, paintings and statuary, Chinese
floor mating, lemon juice, mineral waters
hatterS' plush, straw ornaments, sago
flour, etc, have been transferred from
the free to the dutiable list, for revenue
purposes, while such articles as wool, Ium-
ber, burlaps, bags, and salt have been re-
stored TO the dutiable list, from which they
should never have been removed.
several paragraphs in the free list,
originally inserted for some commeDdabIe
object ctwhenuherevenuew was abundant, have
been productive OF such wholesale abuses
abuses which 1T has been found impossible
to avoid in administration uQder decisions |
OF the board of appraisers or the courts
that on recommendation Of customs Of |
ficials they have been removed entirely |
from the free list in order TO protect |
the revenue against wholesale evasions |
These comprise the paragraphs adj |
mitting free of duty books that have been |
printed more than twenty years, and |
books for scientific research, under which |
books have been printed with a special |
date to fit the law, and scientific books |
have been made to cover an indefinite
range; books printed in foreign languages
of which we publish an abundance; silk
boiling cloths, under which great variety
of silk goods have successfully fought free
admission, the paragraph relative TO books
for libraries. which have proved to be
wonderfully elastic and antiquities" un-
der which establishments have been set
up in Europe to make furniture, drapery
and other luXurieS, so as to initiate old
articles that could be successfully brought
in free of duty. new provision has |
been incorporated in reference to the
free admission of wearing apparel and
personal effects of tourists, which IL is
thought will put a stop to the serious
abuses which have existed, and at the
same time increase the revenue.
Extension of Reciprocity Policy.
The reciprocity policy inaugurated in
the tariff OF 1890, which proved so great
a success in the brief period of its ex-
istence, is not only restored, but en-
larged. The provisions OF the act of
i $50, authorizing the President to i'm
pose duties on Coffee. tea, skins and
hides, in case the countries exporting
such articles decline 70 extend equivd-
ent concessions to exports from the United
States. are rc-enacted, sugar being tIans-
'erred to the schedule of articles en which
duties are imposed.
The President is further authorized To
negotiate with countries exporting argols,
chicle, champagne, brandy, sugar, wines,
mineral waters, paintings and statuary, and
silk laces, with a view to secure reciprocal
and equivalent concessionsin favor of the |
products or manufactures of the United
states, in which event he is empo wered 10
suspend the duties imposedin the proposed
revision, and thereafter such articles in-
ported from any country making such re-
eiprocal concessions shall be admitted at
he lower rates of duty provided by this
Dill
1t is believed that this extension of the
policy Of the tariff of 1890,
by the tenders OF lower duties
Is a concession in return for equivalent con-
essons, will result in even more advan-
ageous commercial advantages than those !
hat we've secured under the act of 1880.
Increase of Revenue Estimated.
On the assumption that theimports under
he proposed tariff bill, if enacted into law,
would be the same as the imports in the
iscal year ended June 80, 1896, the rev
nue. which theseveral schedules of the new
ill would yield, if it should be enacted
nto law, compared with the revenue OBJ
aimed under the present tariff in 1895,
md also compared with the revenue yield
ID by the tariff of 1890, fiscal year 1893,
would be substantially as follows:
Rough Preliminary Estimate of
A. Chemicals, oils and paints.