New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-24
TARIFF BILL AND REVENUE.
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE VIEW Win
DrsMAY THE sLOwNEss OF
THE SENATE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSH.)
Washington, May 23.-some members OF the House
of Representatives. who are perhaps na'ura'y
posed to look on the dark side OF things, are iu'i
of dismal forebodings account OF what they re-
gard as the certain prospect that tarin legislation
will be delayed by the Senate until long AFTER mio-
summer with the result that the revenue from GUS
toms for the next fiscal year will be greatly reoucu
below any estimate that has heretofore pee" maui
and that this will be coupled with an inoeI'''''
postponement Of the return OF business anu III.
dustrial prosperity which was generaiy pie"io'e"
and expected within the coming year.
These members not only point to the tremendous
increase Of imporatons OF dutiable articles put aso
of articles now free Of duty and on which duties
will be imposed By the new law, If one Is enacted
and 1t may be observed, In passing. that lie" oi
them have already begun to despair OF SATISFACTORY
tariff legislation at this session OF Congress-lh
justification of the anxiety and fear which they 90
not hesitate to express. In conversation WIN d
Tribune correspondent yesterday one OF the" Sa'u
I'm my opinion the prospect as well as the eAi''
Ing situation, IL most critical and depressing. oui
friends In the Senate should have acted more
promptly and, II there must be delay, the RESPONSE
bility would not rest upon them The LV'n ooh-
gress was convened In special session nearly TWO
months and half ago. for special OBJECT anu u
carry out a wel-defned purpose. The country khe"
why we we're here and 1t fully sympathizeo Win
and approved the purpose. The House OF hePre-
Ways and Means Committee had been engaged io'
nearly three months before the special session began
in preparing TO do the work which the people deie-
gated TO the Republican party last November.
80 far as know, the Republicans Of the Finance
Committee. with the exception OF FURNISHING ap''ee
and suggestion to the Ways and Means committee.
did nothing during that period in regard to tariH
legislation have heard that everything went
smoothly between the majorities-represent al Oh
the ma jorities-of the two committees unu ne susa
cpbo ttla uas
schedule, developed differences OF opinion. me
bill was sent to the Sen fh T TH
10 he filled by a Republican ana one by Det I'M,
five members of the committee had formulated and
reported the Senate some eight hindrea a.
ments TO the House bll. which largely chahseu It's
character and widened It's scope . .,o.o
Il do not favor a criticism OF the work OF Inc these e
five members which have heard suggested, that
majority OF them represented States which nave SIX
votes in the Senate and only five In the House Oh
considers himself a member OF the Republican party
but IL does seem unfortunate that the VACANCIES III
lean plurality in the Senate thus committed
by the action of four Of its members ,rou,,os
But" continued the Congressman, wnat uoupies
me and many others more than anything e.se Is me
delay tsr bill ought to th have middle STen Of May
and certainly not later than the middle OF June.
The customs revenue for the last TWO months OF the
viii be INFORMALLY large and viii shrink
and dwnde for months IT , ahs tne
the existing law with the new law, to the advantage
OF the latter a revenue producer. anu WI
still tho domestic markets will he so glutted with
imported free materials and with undervaiued
foreign goods brought in under the rates OF 1894 that
4, will be many months before our producers begin
10 feel the benefit Of the legislation and mean
while every consumer will have 10 pay higher prices
on account Of legislation which will not nave a
chance to reduce prices by means OF domestic COM
petition. -
How is the proposed wool tariff to benefit our
sheep growers. for example when before II goes
into effect the country IL he stocked with i'm
norted free wool enough TO last two or three years.
understand that Theodore Justice. OF Philadelphia.
xp,oi e fZe1
serts that by July there VII. be enough imported
wool here 70 supp.y the demand until the year 1900.
read a newspaper dispatch from San Francisco a
few DAYS ago saving that on the preceding dav six
shins loaded with foreign wool entered that harDOr
In looking the monthly reports Of the Treasury
7ureau Of Statistics the other day found that the
imports OF wool In March Of this year amounted to
more than fhv-eicht million pounds. which was
more than double the total for March. 1896 and I
been still larger"