782 



TAEIFF REVISION. 



number, lettered from " A " to " N." Sched- 

 ule " A " comprised chemical products which 

 were before included in " sundries." The capi- 

 tal invested in the interest was said to have in- 

 creased nearly 200 per cent in ten years, while 

 the amount paid in wages had more than doub- 

 led, and the value of the product had increased 

 from $47,397,388 to $117,407,054. Many ar- 

 ticles, mostly raw materials of manufacture, 

 previously subject to duty, were placed on the 

 free list ; and most of the changes in rates were 

 in the direction of reduction. Counting addi- 

 tions to the free list, the general reduction of 

 duties on chemical products was 25 to 30 per 

 cent of the old rates. Schedule " B " com- 

 prised earthenware and glass-ware. No change 

 was recommended in the duty on brown earth- 

 enware and common stone-ware, and that on 

 white and printed earthenware, white and 

 decorated china, porcelain, and parian ware 

 was increased 15 per cent. It was claimed 

 that this increase was largely offset by the abo- 

 lition of duties on packages, inland freights, and 

 charges and commissions. The old rates on 

 window and plate glass were retained, and 

 those on cut, engraved, printed, colored, and 

 other fancy glass-wares were raised from 40 to 

 50 per cent ad valorem. Schedule u C " cov- 

 ered metals. Increase of production in the 

 principal industries affected by this class of 

 duties is shown in the census statistics to be 

 from 1,434 establishments in 1850 to 3.532 in 

 1880, from 22,370 to 298,862 hands employed, 

 from $16,370,760 to $416,041,643 of invested 

 capital, from $7,165,248 to $122,648,191 paid 

 in wages, from $43,797,854 to $380,304,950 

 value of materials used, and from $83,954,529 

 to $604,553,460 value of products. In the 

 commission's revision of the schedule of duties 

 specific rates were substituted for ad valorem, 

 and the changes were in the direction of reduc- 

 tion throughout the list. No material change 

 was made in the duty on iron-ore, but fifty 

 cents a ton instead of 20 per cent ad valorem 

 was recommended. The rate for pig and scrap 

 iron was three tenths of one cent per pound, 

 a slight increase for cast scrap-iron, and a re- 

 duction for pig-iron. The rate on steel rails 

 was reduced from $28 per ton of 2,240 pounds 

 to eight tenths of a cent per pound. Duties 

 on the different kinds of bar-iron were reduced 

 from 10 to 20 per cent on the old rates ; those 

 on sheet-iron were not materially changed ; 

 varying reductions to a moderate extent were 

 made on hoop, band, and scroll iron. Reduc- 

 tions on hardware, tools, etc., varied from 20 

 to 50 per cent. The duty on tin plates was 

 considerably increased. The reductions recom- 

 mended on steel ranged from one fourth of one 

 cent per pound on the lower class to about 

 30 per cent on the higher grades of crucible 

 steel. On iron and steel wire the reductions 

 ranged from 20 to 30 per cent ; on manufac- 

 tures of copper, lead, and zinc, from 15 to 25 

 per cent. All compound duties were discarded. 

 The high duty on copper-ore was retained. 



The duties on woods comprised in schedule 

 " D " were not changed. Schedule " E " con- 

 tained the duties on sugar, which were simpli- 

 fied and reduced. The polariscope test of sac- 

 charine strength was adopted, and the reduc- 

 tions were equivalent to 21-70 per cent on 

 sugars below No. 13 Dutch standard, and 10 

 per cent on those above that grade. No changes 

 were made in the duties on tobacco included 

 in schedule F, except to abolish the compound 

 duty on cigars, making the rate $3 per pound. 

 Schedule G included provisions. In this there 

 were few changes, and those in the direction of 

 reduction, but specific duties were substituted 

 for ad valorem. Schedule H embraced liquors, 

 and no material change was made, except to 

 abolish allowances for breakages. Schedule I 

 included all cotton goods. Compound duties 

 were abolished, specific rates generally adopted, 

 and the classifications were simplified. Some 

 reduction was effected in the duties, though 

 they remained at rates equivalent to from 30 to 

 60 per cent of the cost of the goods. Schedule 

 "J" (fiax, hemp, etc.) was simplified, but no 

 material change was made in the rates of duties. 

 Next to the metals schedule that of w r ool and 

 woolens, designated as "K," was regarded as the 

 most important. Here alone compound duties 

 were retained. It was claimed that reductions 

 were effected amounting to from 18 to 40 per 

 cent, being greatest on the cheaper goods, but 

 duties were retained on raw material as well 

 as manufactured products. In the silk sched- 

 ule (" L ") specific were substituted for ad valo- 

 rem duties, and a reduction effected said to be 

 equivalent to about 23 per cent. The product 

 of manufactured silks had increased from $12,- 

 739,362 to $41,033,045 in the single decade 

 from 1870 to 1880. Books and papers were 

 taken from "sundries" and classified in a sepa- 

 rate schedule designated " M," but no material 

 change was made in the duties. Schedule " N " 

 included sundries. The free list was somewhat 

 enlarged. 



The total value of merchandise imported into 

 the United States in 1881 was $650,618,999.63, 

 of which $202,557,411.68 came in free of duty, 

 and $448,061,587.95 were dutiable. The amount 

 of duties collected was $193,800,879.67. The 

 total amount of the manufactured products of 

 the country in 1880 is put at $5,369,667,706, 

 and classified as follows under the tariff sched- 

 ules in the report of the commission : 



Product! In 1880. 



$117,407,054 



SCHEDULE. 



A. Chemicals 



B. Earthen and glass ware 



C. Metals 604,553,460 



D. Woods 509,485,6 1 1 



E Sugars 181,404,520 



F' Tobacco"" 118,665.866 



G. Provisions 1,036,572,580 



H. Liquors 142,122,048 



I. Cotton 210,950.383 



j Flax 5,518,866 



K. Woolens 267,182,914 



L Silk 41,038,045 



M and N.' Sundries, books, etc 1,159,989,616 



liemainder 945,825,550 



Total ... $5,8(59,667,706 



