Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-04-12
TARIFF PUT ON
REVENUE BASIS
Bill Goes Into House True to
Democratic Pledge Of Real
Downward Revision

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sion of the executive and legislative
branches of the National Government.
Monday turned the wheels of legislation
toward revision of the tariff.
Leaders of the House presented to the
country tariff bill. voluminous in detail,
and radical in its proposed reduction of
existing duties. As whole it was the
product of debate and study by the
Democrats from the time they came
into the majority in the House two
years ago. but it represented particu-
larly the conclusions of the House Ways
and Means Committee after several
months of work. 1t carried also the
approval of the President.
Representative Francis Burton Har-
rison. of New York, a member of the
Ways and Means Committe, who assisted
in the framing OF the measure. says:
"The present tariff bill is the most
earnest attempt to lower the cost of
living; to break up the power Of tariff
protected monopolies, and to enlighten
the burdens of taxation since before the
war.
THE American producers of food,
clothing and other necessaries of life
will no longer be able to monopolize the
home market. They must now compete
with fair terms here with the producers
of other lands The consumers will
benefit through getting better article
at less price.
This is the first attempt since the
foundation of our Government to shift
the burden of taxation off the great
masses of consumers, where the tariff
places it, on to the backs of the wealthy,
who are best able to pay the expenses
of our Government. Every dollar which
will be collected through the income tax
means dollar less of tariff burden on
the plain people.
"The income tax will be assessed
against the incomes of the wealthy to
make up the deficit in revenues that
will follow the reduction of import
duties on the necessities of life. And
every dollar of it will represent clear
saving to the consumer on food, cloth
ing, fuel and other necessaries. Under
the new tariff this amount can be esti-
mated at from sl25. 900, 600 to $50, ,0OO,-
900.
"All duty has been taken off meats,
fresh and prepared. This means that
meats from Argentine can be imported
to compete with the product of Ameri-
can packers.
biscuits, waters and bread have
been put on the free list. This opens
the markets of the world to every con-
sumer in the country, and provides a
formidable rival to the Biscuit Trust.
"The wool schedule is the most heav-
lily cut item of the whole tariff, and
means better clothing and better woolen
furnishings at greatly reduced costs.
In some cases wolen garments have
suffered cuts of $50 per cent. The
duty on wooden clothing in the new
tariff will enable the consumer to pur-
chase for IS, a suit for which he now
pays $40. The reduction on higher
priced clothes will be in equal ratio.
"Woolen socks, underwear, sweaters.
mufflers and gloves will be imported in
this country and sold at prices much
cheaper than now prevail.
Cotton clothing Of all kinds. includ-
ing mems and women's underclothing,
an enormous item, has been cut 100 per
cent. Cotton underclothes have been
cut from 60 to 25 per cent; ready-made
cotton clothing from so to 30 per cent.
Leather and leather goods, with the
exception of dress gloves. are put on
the free list.
"This will force American manufact-
ures of shoes to compete with foreign
manufactures. The cut in duty on mems
dress gloves will reduce their price an
average of so cents per pair. Working
mems gloves are put on the free list.