The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-04-16
THE TARIFF BILL.
MR.. DAvIs's SPEECH,
Delivered IN the House of Representatives,
Washington, March 12, 1923.

Mr.. Chairman 1t was not my intention to
enter into the debate in this stage of the pro-
ceedings, as the question, now under considera-
ton, is upon an amendm ent, only, to that part
OF the bill which relates to wool and woollens
For, while am anxious to aid in this, am
equally anxious to express my views as to GER
tain other Objectionable features of the bill
but am now debarred from discussing them,
under the rules of the House. should, there
fore, have preferred addressing the Committee
when the whole policy of the bill is drawn un-
der consideration. / should also have preferred
this course, because took part in the debate
! OF the last session, and expressed my views at
large, upon wool and woolens, and should nave
been better pleased to hear others, than to re-
trace the ground myself. But as no one seems
inclined to take the floor, and as the question,
now agitated, is one of great importance-one
in which my constituents have deep interest,
feel bound, by sense of duty to them, to use
every proper effort, within my power, to pro-
cure the passage of law which will be beneG-
cal to the two great suffering branches of
American industry, whose interests are involv-
ed in the question now under consideration
The Chairman here observed, that the whole
policy of protecting wool and woollens, was
open to discussion.
y | SO understand the matter, and shall confine
myself within the .ule Of debate Sir, this is
question of vital interest to the nation and, al
though the House may be weary of the topic,
and its patience may be exhausted, yet the
American people are looking upon us with the
most intense anxiety. They demand our aid to
enable them to enjoy the fruits of honest indus
try; and their excited feelings and sympathies
can never be lulled into repose, except by grant
ing effectua relief We are, therefore bound
by every consideration which high sense of
obligation to the people Of this country can i'm
pose, to give this subject most careful and de-
liberate examination, rs heavy responsibility
will await US if we disappoint public expecta-
( ton.
1t is not my intention to enter into a discus
sion of the policy of the proposed measure for
that has, on several otcasions been so fully
and ably examined, in this House, that it would
be little better than waste of time to excite
debate upon it. | will, therefore, proceed at
| once to consider the question before US.
The people of this country have presented to
this House an unusual number of memorials
emanating from the farmers and manufacturers
of the Northern, Middle, and Western States,
calling on this Government to interpose legis-
lative aid to protect the wool growers and man
uiacturers, and through them, the farming in
terest, generally, by creating larger market
for the consumption OF produce.
The first question which presents itself is
do the wool growers ---i
/ the aid OF TINS Governments A fy-ant mass of
the people of this country have borne testimo-
nv to their distress in the petitions which now
! Law upon our table. A more unequlyocal tes-
timony of public sentiment could not, under
any circumstances, be obtained When great
branch of national industry is embarrassed J;
when commerce-when agriculture-struggle
with adversely, the distress pervades the whole
| community it reaches almost every kind of
| business and employment, and the evidence is
of such glazing, obvious character, that 1t would
be substantially distressing what we see and
! feel to doubt the fact-we might, indeed, as
well distrust the evidence OF our own senses
when we are tortured with the agones OF dis
ease. If, however, any one has entertained Sc
rious doubts as to the condition OF manutactur-
! ers and wool growers, the document, containing
! The evidence collected by the Committee, must
silence those doubts, and satisfy every unpreju-
| diced mind, that, unless this Government inter
/ noses its protection, these two great branches
of industry will be exposed to all the horrors OF
bankruptcy, and the country TO the desolatlng
consequences which will result from annihilat-
inc the capital employed by them.
Considering it as settled beyond controversy,
by the public voice, by the testimony, and by
I the declarations of all the members OF the Conf
mittee who reported the bill, and who have adj
dressed us. that the wool growers and manuiac-
ruin we ought, in the first place, to ascertain
the cause of this depression in their business,
that we may understand the measure and kind
of relief which ought to be granted l will,
therefore, ask the attention OF the Committee,
! for few moments, to several considerations
growing out of this part of the subject
The tariff of 1924 was, without doubt, intend
ed to encourage the manufacturer, by placing
him on basis more favorable to success than
that occupied by foreigners manufacturing for
our market; but it has failed of It's purpose as
| will show. In reasoning upon its provisions,
it has been too frequently the case that the in
tention of Congress has been mistaken for the
practical operation Of the act and thus many
deceive themselves and nislead the public.
This act was passed with two-fold object, so
far as respects the subject under consideration,
to secure to the wool grower the benefit OF sup
nlyino the market with wool, and TO the mama
facturer the benefit Of making 1t into cloth ;
and it was hoped the American people would
be clad from the fruits OF their own industry.
This law imposed duty of 33l per centum on
imported woolen fabrics, and a duty which has
risen to 80 per centum on wool. 1t is said that,
if the manufacturers cannot sustain themselves
under such strong protection, they ought not to
be sustained at all. What is meant by protec-
ton \? The word is much used, and much abus-
ed. because it is taken for granted that, on
, whatever article duty is laid, the producer Of
that article, in this country, enjoys protection
to the full amount of the duty, When we
! speak of protection, however, we mean to bt
! understood that the manufacturers in this coun
try possess some advantage over their competI
! tors in foreign countries, which enables then
! to come into the market on more favorable
/. terms. II, therefore, the provisions of this &C
1 were such as not to afford this advantage, thel
g ii does not give the manufacturer the suppose'
!, protection, although duties are collected unde
it for the purpose of revenue.
= To show that the manufacturer here has II,
= advantage over the English manufacturer,
shall first ascertain the price Of wool In eaci
!. country. | am able to state, from several IN
. voices of the sales of Saxon and Spanish wool
imported from London into this country at dIi
4 Il. Al. L.. Allnf q