Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1882 — THE TARIFF COMMISSION. [ARTICLE]

THE TARIFF COMMISSION.

A Report Which Recommends a Number of Reforms. The report of the Tariff Commission, says a Washington telegram, is a great surprise, both to the revenue-reformers and the protectionists. Such extensive changes as are proposed were not hoped for by the former cr feared by the latter. The range of reduction of 20 to 50 per cent.on all articles which enter into consumption was certainly not anticipated. Neither was it expected that the commission would recommend a reduction of duties on sugar of from 40 to 50 per cent., nor the use of the polariscope, nor the admission of so many articles to the free list As a class the rev-enue-reformers are much better satisfied with the report, so tar as they understand it, than t.e protectionists are. It is believed ata first glance at the suggestions of the commission thru they will form a good basis upon which to provide for a thorough revision, and that after all it may be at least said that the work of the much-ridiculed commission has not been valueless. ’I hey propose to abolish compound duties with a few exceptions. They have revised the custom-house regulations in about a hundred particulars, and recommend the abolition of all Sees, charges and commissions. The free list is extended by including many new articles, sue > as wood-pulp, quinine, all dye extracts, crude chemicals, and all gre n fruit except lemons oranges and grapes, 'lire duty on these fruits is made specific. They abo ish compound duties on iron ores and fix a specific duty of 50 cents a ton They abolish all compound duties o i manuf ctured t bac o and put a dutj- of $3 on cig.irs cigarettes, etc. They prop seto abolish all compound duties on raw woo s, and to make a reduction of about cents a pound on medium fine woo', which includes the class generally sheared by Western growers. On manufactured woolen ar icles of lower grades thev have made large reductions. On cheap woolen blankets the tariff is reduced about 50 per cent. On barrel and sack salt the reducti n is from 12 to 1<) cen s per 100, and on salt in bulk from sto 6 cents. Onlumterand cereals there is n i chan e. On steel the reduction is heavy, but iron and steel are proportionately reduced, exc'pt s eel rails, which drop down from S2B to $lB per ton. Steel blooms are put at cent per pound. Medicinal preparations are reduced from 1(H) per cent, ad valorem to 4' per cent. All compound duties on co tons arc abolished and the reduction is about 30 per cent. Any single book or publication may come in free. Readymade clothing is reduced about one-third, and cari>cts about one-fourth. The duty on books is reduced one-half, and the duty on works of art is doubled. Firc-cracke s and playing-c rds are incrc.-.sed f; om 50 to 100 pe cent, ad valorem. It is proposed to abandon the Dut J i standard on all grades of sugar below No. 13 and to use the polariscope test, and that the Dot h standard sha.l continue to be used for all gtades above No Ji. The cone al effect of this scheme would be a re 1. < tin ' n sugar.