Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1884 — THE TARIFF. [ARTICLE]

THE TARIFF.

Synopns of Mr. Morrison’« Revenue Measure. What the Bill Proposes in the Way of Lessening Duties. [Washington Special to Chicago Times.] Great Interest was manifested by Representatives in the Morrison tariff bill while it was being read to the House. Yet when the members were afterward asked for their opinions they replied in guarded words, and not for publication, because, as they said, they had not bad time to consider the effect of the bill. The prevalent opinion among tariff reformers appeared to be that it vyus specially drawn in a manner that would win votes from low-tariff men of both parties, and if enacted into a law would effect a large reduction in the revenues of the Government, and compel the continuance of the internal-revenue taxes on whisky and tobacco. Low-tariff men whose interests it proposes to touch hold that it does not make equitable reductions, and that no fair adjustment of duties caa be made by a bill that applies the cast-iron rule of a hori-zontal-cutting of tariff rates. The just proportion of reduction -as between articles in different schedules, and as between raw materials and manufactured articles, cannot be determined by the plan adopted by Mr. Morrison, but by considering each case with the facts bearing upon it. Some of the wool men complain that he would make matters worse for them, instead of affording even partial relief, by lowering the duties on manufactures to a point commensurate with the reductions made by the last Congress on raw wool. Among the protectionists the bill is not well received, nor was it expected it would be. They say it would ruin the manufacturing interests of the Eastern aud Middle States, and throw thousands of laboring men out of employment. It may be stated, however, that the view taken generally by the best informed men, without regard to their differences on the tariff question, is that Mr. Morrison, as the official leader of the tariff reformers, has drawn this bill simply as a basis for the Ways and Means Committee to operate upon, and to give the tariff reform movement a formal inauguration in this Congress. Crude opinions as to its effect, given without time for reflection, may be modified when it comes to be carefully considered. A reduction of 20 per cent, is made in numerous articles, while in a few cases the reduction is greater or less than this rate. A provision prevents any reduction to a lower rate than in the Morrill act of 1861. The title of the bill is: “An act to reduce import duties and war tariff taxes.” It provides that on and alter the Ist of July, 1884, In lieu of the duties and rates of duty imposed by law on the importation of goods, wares, and merchandise, mentioned in the several schedules of “An act to reduce internal revenue taxes, and for other purposes,” approved March 3, 1883, and hereinafter enumerated, there shall be levied, collected, and paid 80 per cent, of tlje several duties and rate of duty now imposed on said articles severally—that Is to say, on; all articles mentioned in schedule **l,” cotton and cotton goods; schedule “J," hemp, jute, and flax goods other than jute butts; schedule “K,” wool and woolens; schedule “C,” metal and other ores; schedule “M,” books, paper, etc.; schedule “E,” sugar: schedule “F,” tobacco; schedule “D,” wood and wooOfefiware, except as hereinafter provided; on all articles subject to ad valorem duty in schedule “B,” earthenware and glassware; schedule “G,”provisions,except as hereinafter provided; schedule “N,” sundries—other than precious stones—salt, coal, bristle, and lime; schedule “A,” chemical products, except as hereinafter provided. No duty or rate of duty shall, after said first day of July, 1884, be levied, collected, and paid iu, except* 40 pqycentad valorem or its equivalent on cotton and cotton goods; 50 per cent ad valorem or its equivalent bn metal, and 60'per ceiit ad valorem on wool and woolen goods; provided that nothing in this act shall operate tp reduce the duty above imposed on any article below the rate of which said articles were severally dutiable under “An act to provide for the payment of outstanding treasury notes, to authorize a loan, to regulate and fix, duties on imports, and for other purposes,” approved March 2, 1861, commonly called the Morrill tariff, and on all unpolished cylinder, crown, and common window glass, or cast polished plate glass unsilvered, exceeding 24x60 inches square, and on salt in bags, sacks, barrels, dr other packages, or in bulk. On and after the Ist of July, 1884, the Importation of articles enumerated and described in section 2 shall be exempt from duty. That is to say, iron ore, including marganif erous iron ore, the dross or residuum from burnt pyrites, and sulphur ore, copper imported in' the' form of ores, lead ore, and lead dross, nickel in ore or mattes,chromate of iron and chromic ore, coal slack or culm coal, bituminous or shale, timber hewn and sawed and timber used for spars and in building wharves, wood manufactured, not specially enumerated or provided for in this act, hay, chicory root, ground or unground, burnt pr prepared, acorn and dandelion root, raw or prepared, and all other articles used or intended to be used as coffee or substitutes therefor not specially enumerated or provided for in this act, jute butts, bristles, beeswax, lime, glycerine, crude fish glue or isinglass, sponges, dextrine, burnt starch, gum substitute or British gum, extract of hemlock and other barks used for tanning not otherwise enumerated or provided for in this act, indigo extracts partly refined, including Lee’s crystals, cement,—Roman. Portland, and all others,—whiting and Paris white, dry wood tar, coal tar, crude coal-tar products—such as naphtha, benzine, benzole, dead oil and pitch, and preparations of coal tar not colors or dyes not specially enumerated or provided for in this act; logwoodiand other dye-wood extracts, and decoctions: ochre and ochery; earth’s umber and umber earths, and sienna and sienna earths; all earths or clays unwrought or manufactured not specially enumerated or provided for in this act; all barks, beans, berries, balsams, buds, bulbs, and bulbous roots and excrescences, such as nutgalls, fruits, flowers, dried fibers, grains, gums and gum resins, herbs, leaves, lichens, mosses, nuts, roots, and stems, spices, vegetables, seeds (aromatic, not garden seeds), and seeds of morbid growth, weeds, wood used expressly for dyeing, and dried insects; any of the loregoing which are not edible, but which have been advanced in value or condition by refining or grinding, or by other processes of manufacture, and not specially enumerated or provided for in this act.