The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-16
D|NGLEY'S SYNOPSIS
General Outline of the Repubi-
can Revenue" Measure.
A S75,OOO,ooo INCREASE
800, ,000,0 INCREASE OF REVE
NUE. TO COME LATER.
RECIPROCITY is NOT FORGOT
ScheduIes--Duties of 1890 Fully Re-
stored in Agricultural Schedule
--RepubIicans Unanimous.

Washington, March 15.-Chairman
Dingey of the Ways and Means commit
tee, in response to a request th4se he
| furnish o synopsis of the new tariff bill
presented by him to-day makes the fol-
| lowing statement:
1.-The bill has two purposes, namely TO
raise additional revenue and to encourage
| the industries of the United States.
ION the basis of the importations for
| the last fiscal year the bill would in
crease the revenue about $112,O00,00O
| divided among the several schedules
| roughly as follows:
A-chemicals $3,50O,OOO; B crockery
| and glassware, $4,O0O,O0O; C-metals
| 100000; D-wood, $1,750,OOO; E
sugar, $21, 100000; F-tobacco, $1,000
| 600; G+agricultural, $6,30O,OOO; Hi
| quOrs, 81 100000; lotions, $1,70O, 900;
J-jute, linen and hemp, $7,SOOOOO; k
| wool, ST, ,500,O do manufacturers of
wool $27,000,0O0; L-silks, $1,5OOO00;
M-pulp and paper $580O0; N-sundries,
| $6,2OO,OO0. This estimate is ON the sup
position that the imports Of each class of
goods would be the same the next fiscal
year as in the fiscal year ended last June.
But as the imports of wool are three
times as greet and those of woolen goods
more than twice as great in pounds as in
1893, the committee assume that their ex-
cessive importation would be largely re-
duced by the proposed bill, although the
fact that our domestic production of
wool has diminished eight million pounds
since 1893 will necessitate the importa-
tIon OF much more wool now than in the
latter year. Assuming that the importa-
tions Of wool will fall off at least one
third from those of 1896, on account of
anticipatOry imports to avoid duties we
place the increased revenue from this
source at $11,000,0O0. Anticipating also
| that the imports of woolens will fall off
nearly 80 per cent from the enormous
imports of 1896, we estimate the in
creased revenue from this source under
the proposed rates at about S14,000000
From sugar we estimate S20,000,000 ad-
ditiOnal revenue. Anticipating a consid-
cradle falling off of imports of Havana
tobacco because of the revolution of
Cuba we reduce the estimates of add-
tional revenue to be derived from the to-
bacco schedule to S4,000,00O. The re-
| naming schedule would afford a revenue
of about thirty nine and half millions on
the basis of the imports of 1896, but as
there will probably be diminished i'm
ports at some points, although the grad
ual restoration of business activity would
offset this by increasing the consumption
of imported luxuries we reduce the esti-
| mates on these to $31, 100000. These
would aggregate an additional revenue
of $SO,OOO,OO0 the first year. A further
reduction of five or ten millions for con-
tingencies would leave $70,000,000 to
100000 as the probable increased
revenue from this bill the first year,
which would undoubtedly rise to $780,
100000 the second year"
'These estimates are below rather than
above the probable result unless con-
siderable delay in the enactment of the
bill should greatly enlarge the opportuni-
ty for imports of articles out of which
duties are to be eraised-particularly wool
and woolens-fOr speculative purposes.
Undoubtedly any delay beyond the first
of MAY in placing the bill on the statute
book would result in a large loss of rev.
enue.
This increase Of revenue is secured by
transferring wool, lumber, crude opium,
argols, paintings and statuary, straw Or
naments, straw mattings, burlaps, and
various other articles from the free list
of the present law to the dutiable list:
by increasing the duty on woolens to
compensate the manufacturer for the
duty placed on wool; by raising the duty
on sugar about three fourths of a cent
per pound in order to encourage the pro-
ductiOn of sugar in this country, which
it is believed can be done and thus give
our farmers a new crop which we now
import mainly from broad; by increasing
the duty on agricultural products af-
fected by Canadian competition and on
flne cotton goods, some advanced manu-
lures Of iron and steel, manufactures
of jute, fax and hemp in order to en-
courage these and other industries here
and especially by increasing duties on
such luxuries as liquors, tobacco, silks
and laces, etc.
AS a rule the rates Of duties proposed
are between the rates of the tariff of
1890 and the tariff of '94, such reduction
of rates from the former law and pre-
servatiOn of the protective principle be-
ing made feasible by changed conditions
The iron and steel schedule is changed
very little from that schedule in the tar
iff Of 1894, the change being entirely in
the more advanced articles. The same
is true Of the cotton schedule In the
agricultural, wool and glass and earth
enware schedules alone are the duties
OF the act of 1890 fully restored as a
rule, and in a few cases increased, with
the view of amply protecting and encour-
aging our farming interests at every pos
sble point. While the duty on clothing
wool is larger in proportion to the foreign
value than on L anufactured articles, vet