The Portland daily press., 1897-03-29
THE TARIFF ON. BOOKS.
Schedule viii Be Made Satisfactory to
Educational Institutions.


| Washington, March 26. Much disturb
ance has been occasioned by the para
graphs in the Dinglsy bill which puts on
to the dutiable list certain foreign hooks
and scientific apparatus used by colleges
and libraries. The college professors and
library trustees have taken prompt steps
to bring their pl otests to the ears of Con-
gress; and the President of Cornell Uni
versity was specially deputed to come
here and labor to have. this changed,
The plea made wassoE course that the
duty would be a Blow at ( education and
civilization, as 1t would increase fhe ia
cilities of higher education. 1t may be
an open question whether the peoplr
who are pursuing courses of higher edu-
cation are not as well able to pay duty
on their books as is the poor man who
will have to pay more for sugar, and
who has Lefore him the task of securing
elementary education for his children.
Such considera tions were placed before
the President of Cornell, who WAS re-
minded that the securing of revenues for
the government necessarily meant bur-
dens for some one.
But the duty was not put on with the
intention of disturbing. the exemption of
the colleges and libraries. That exemp-s
ton fnEitsslf perhaps does not involve
enough revenue to make 1t advisab BILE for
o revenue measure to incur the Odium of
laying burdens upon higher education.
But in practical administration the ex-,
emption has been found to work great
loss jn5the revenues because it has been.
4 alnf< oil f,vr q h<; -. <~Rf
great varsity of articles and books for
private or commercial uses. The Ways
and Means Committee, seeing no other
way to stop the evasions. cut off the px-
amptions. But since then plan has
been devised whereby 1t is thought that
the privileges of the colleges and libra
ries may be prese rived in this respect
purpose OF the committee to make such
an amendment before the bill leaves the
house. y = sS
g. - -
I Jerry Simpson, of Kansas, of old
the tariff debate. He is very different
man from the half-clown the papers rep
resented him four years ago. While BY
no means a great statesman or orator, he
is bright, sensible. decent man, with
much good humor and taking way Of
speaking. The House always likes to
hear him. and he does not weary them,
He is of course radical Populist, but
me il not of the! bowling, blatant order.
There are such howlers here; but Jerry is
a. notch ahoye. them.
Some OF The Populists in the House are
class Of citizens who would have lived
with the good will and applause of all
other citfzensif they had not set them
selves up as statesmen capable of Gre
ating new systems when the nation had
not been convinced that they understand
thoroughly the systems already existing.
Without the training which statesman
should have they are thrown suddenly
by political revolution into the arena
of statesmanship. Some of them. their
benevolent 'countenances adorned with
long boards, sit in the House AS it as
tonished by it oil. There are others who
ara plainly demagogues, and it is quite
probable that the proportion of such is
larger In the Popu1ist chan in the other
parties.
Champ CLARK, of Missouri, is one of
the originals whom the HOUSE was glad
to see back again. in this Congress. He
is q stout, smooth-faced man of striking
appearance with a way all his own Of
debating Suoh men contribute to en-
liven the routine Of heavy, learned
speeches, and the House delight IN them.