Further inroads were made by the enactment of the largest river and harbor appropriation bill in the history of the country up to this time.

Moreover, a new tariff bill was contrived in such a way as to impose protective duties without producing so much revenue that it would cause popular complaint about unnecessary taxation.

A large source of revenue was cut off by abolishing the sugar duties and by substituting a system of bounties to encourage home production.

Upon this bill as a whole, Senator Cullom remarks in his memoirs that "it was a high protective tariff, dictated by the manufacturers of the country" who have "insisted upon higher duties than they really ought to have." The bill was, indeed, made up wholly with the view of protecting American manufactures from any foreign competition in the home market.
As passed by the House, not only did the bill ignore American commerce with other countries but it left American consumers exposed to the manipulation of prices on the part of other countries.

Practically all the products of tropical America, except tobacco, had been placed upon the free list without any precaution lest the revenue thus surrendered might not be appropriated by other countries by means of export taxes.
Blaine, who was once more Secretary of State, began a vigorous agitation in favor of adding reciprocity provisions to the bill.