Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1888 — A NEW CHIEF JUSTICE. [ARTICLE]

A NEW CHIEF JUSTICE.

The Hon Melville W. Fuller, of Chicago, was installed Monday, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The oath was administered by Justice Miller,senior Associate Justice. The court room was filled with personal friends of Mr. Fuller and distinguislieji members of the bar. Immediately after the installation court wastadjodrned and the Justices called upon the President to pay their repects, a custom in accordance with immemorial usage.

The Senate Finance Committee's sub* i stitute for the Mills tariff bill, introduced in the Senate Wednesday, embodies! the entire revision of tbe tariff schedules and the administrative features of the present law proposing the re-enactment of all such features as in the opinion of the majority of the committee ought not to bb changed. According to ... the estimates made by the committee the bill provide! for a total reduction of abont $75,000,600 made up approximately as follows: Sugar, $27,759,000; free list, $6,500,000: tobacco (internal revenue,) $24,5(10,000; alcohol in the arts*, $7,500,000- other reductions in customs, $8,000,000. • u ■ In the Senate, Thursday, majority an<| minority reports were presented from the committee on the new Tariff bill. The majority, signed by all the Republicans, favors the measure-, and as against the Mills bill, opposing the latter for the reasons: (1) That it will probably increase instead of reducing the revenue. *' (2) That it provides no remedy for undervaluations, but on the contrary invites and gives immunity to ’ fraud by substituting ad volorem for. specific duties. (3) That it does not remedy any of the inequalities or anomalies, or cure any of the defects of existing law. The minority members of the committee say they were not consulted or informed of the contents of the bill until it was reported to the full committee on September 25. They claim that the subcommittee spent its time in hearing the arguments of manufacturers who have a personal interest in maintaining a high tariff, while the great body of the people were ignored. The report says that the bill offers to the people “practically free whißkv and tobacco, while it leaves the expensive revenue machinery in full -force, and inereasee taxatioa-apoa the actual necessaries of life.” It is also claimed that the bill would increase tbe tax on steel ingots, etc., half a million dollars; c otton ties, a quarter of a,million, trace ehains, etc., 25 to 40 per cent. Mr. Beck made an amended report eulogizing the Mills bill, and insisting that the majority bill would increase the cost of goods to the home consumer and close the markets of the world against imports and exports as well.