The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19

Chief Features Of the Bill Introduced BY
MI. Dingley i'm the House Y~sterday-EA-
pected to Increase the Revenue $4,000
o the First Year.


pected to Increase the Revenue ss5.ooo.'
OOO the First Year.
Washington. March 15.-At quite a
late hour in the session OF the house
today Chairman Dingley presented for
reference to the committee OF ways
and means. Of which il was we'll under
stood he was again 10 be chairman. the
tariff bill upon which he and his repub-
lican associates have been engaged for
many weeks
Most OF the essential details Of the
bill. except its administrative features.
which are in the last 1000
words Of the bill. beginning with sec
ton 5. have already been mad known
in these dispatches. But in discussing
the general scope and purport OF the
bill to a representative of the South
ern Associated Press today Chairman
Dingley gave an interesting synopsis
Of what he expected Of IL. as follows:
The bill has two purposes, namely,
to raise additional revenue and to en-
courage the industries Of the United
States. on the basis of the importa-
tons OF the last fiscal year, the bill
would increase the revenue about sll2,-
600, 900. divided among the several
schedules roughly. as follows: Chemi-
calls 49, 500. 600. crockery and glassware
81. 600. 600, metals 81. 900. 600, wood ST.
$50, 900. sugar s21. $50, coo, tobacco So
600, 600, agricultural s 6 800 900. liquors
81, 500, 600, cottons 81, 700, 0co, jute, linen
and hemp, $500, COO; wool ST., 500 900
manufacturings of woods S21 900, GOO,
silks 81, 800, coo, pulp ard paper $3.50
sundries Sc. 200, 600.
''ThiS statement iS on the SNDDOSl-
ton that the imports of each class OF
| goods would be the same the next iiS-
| cal year as in the fiscal year ended last
June. But as the imports OF wool We're
three times as great, and those OF wool
| en- goods more than twice rs great in
oundS in 1898, the committee assume
that their excessive importation would
be largely reduced by the proposed
bill, although the fact that our do
nestle production Of wool has dimin-
ished 5000, 600 pounds since 1893 Will
neCessitate the Importation of much
more wool now thar in the latter year.
| Assuming that the importations of
wool will fall off at least one-third
from those of 1896, on account of the
anticipatory imports to avoid duties.
we place the increased revenue from
this source at s11, 600, 600. Anticipating
also hat the imports of woolens VIII
fall off nearly Is per cent, from the
enormous imports Of 1896, we estimate
the increased revenue from this source
under the proposed rates at about STA
COO, 900. From sugar we estimate S2U,-
900, 600 additional revenue. Anticipate
ing a considerable falling off of imports
of Havana Obacc because Of the rev
Olution in Cuba, we reduce The esti-
mates of additional revenue to be de-
rived from the tobacco schedule to ST.
600, 900.
The remaining schedules would af-
ford q revenue of about 500, SOC. 900 on
the basis of the imports OF 1896, but as
there would probably be diminished ex-
ports at some points, although the
gradual restoration of business actiV-
ity would offset his by increasing the
consumption of imported Iuxuries, we
reduce the estimates on these to $751;
coo, 600. These would aggregate an ad-
dltlOnal revenue of $50, 600, 600 the first
year. A further reduction of five or
ten millions for contingencies, would
leave $40, 000, 000 to SIS, 600, coo as the
probable increased revenues from this
bill the first year which would UNI
doubtedly rise to 800, 600, 900 the sec
ond year.
The iron and steel schedule is
changed very little from that schedule
IN the tariff of 1894, the change being
entirely in the more advanced articles.
The same is true of the cotton schedule.
In the agricultural, wool, glass and
e~arthenWare schedules alone are the
duties of the act Of 1890 fully restored
as a rule, and in a few cases fncreas-
ed, with the view of simply protecting
and encouraging u farming interests
at every possible point. While the
duty on clothing wool is larger in pro-
portion to the foreign value than on
manufactured articles, yet it is thought
desirable for the public interest and for
our agriculture hat we should produce
this prime necessity for ourselves. The
duty on carpet woods, as well as upon
many other articles, is imposed main
ly for revenue. The irritation caused
by the use of a few woods heretofore
claSSed as carpet woods being used for
clothing urpOses has been remedied
by transferring such woods to the cloth
ing wool classes, but the duty on cloth
ing woods has been restored to the rate
of the act of 1890.
In framing this new tariff the aim
has been to make the duties specific
or at least partly specific, so far as
possible, to protect the revenue and
also to protect our own industries. This
has been done in response to the wishes
OF the better class Of importers, as well
as OF the administrators of the law, and
OF our own producers. The very gen
eral substitution Of specific duties,
even where they are only the equiva-
lent OF existing ad valorem, will Of it
self increase the revenue and strength
en- the protection offered to our indus
tries.
The reciprocity provisions of the act
of 1890 have not only been fully re-
stored, but this policy has been extend
ed by adding sugar, tea, coffee and
hides as articles On which to make
reciprocal agreements, such articles as
champagne, brandy, wines, artificial
and natural mineral waters, chicle, ar
gols and silk laces.
The committee have endeay0red
where 1t was in accord with their
views OF protection TO keep below the
Mckinley rates and in every case to
avoid going above them. They have
been Obliged to disregard this rule in
a few cases, but many of the sched-
ules, like iron Il steel, where Nc
| kinley rates are nc longer needed, can