The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1845-12-23

7eon. amnretD Stttnart,
fin the House Of Representa-
tiveS, December 8, 1915.

Mr.. Douglass, offered amongst others,
the following resolution, IN reference to
the Presidents Message
THAT so much of said message as re-
s' lates to the condition of the Treasury;
TO the reduction and modification of the
" tariff with reference to revenue; to the
I" extension of our revenue laws over the
/" Territory of Texas; to the payment OF
Z" the public debt; and the establishment
Is of a constitutional Treasury, and the
" separation of the affairs of Government
q from all banking institutions, be referred
q TO the Committee of Ways and Means" +"
The resolution having been read,-
Mr.. STEWART moved to amend the re-
solution by inserting thereafter instruc-
tons to the committee to report "as the
sense of this House that no alteration
ought to be made in the tariff of 1912. !"
In supporting this motion, Mr.. S. said
that he thought the House ought to meet
this question at once. 1t seemed to him
to be the duty of this committee to give
an expression of its views on the general
subject. The people had heard with a
Iarm the language of the Executive Mes
sage on the subject of the tariff. Mr.. s..
was in possession Of letters just received
from individuals who had commenced ma
mufacturing establishments, and who wish
cd to know whether ii would be safe Tor
them ty proceed. Their inquiry of him
was, what was going to be done. Whe-
ther the entire system Of protective policy
was to be overturned, as had been recon-
mended by the Executive! That inqui-
rvwas coming up from all parts ofthe coun
try, and he thought it the duty of that
House to reply to these inquiries, and to
let the people know at once whether the
policy of protecting American industry
was to be subverted or established. Sure
lv it was their obvious duty to come up
10 the question fairly and openly, and at
once to give distinct expression OF their
views.
1t had been intimated by gentleman
from Alabama, over the way, Mr. Payne)
that the report from the Secretary of the
Treasury was a most extraordinary docu-
Tnent Extraordinary it certainly was,
and many new and very extraordinary
doctrines did it contain. Mr.. 5. concur
red very heartily with the gentleman in
,hus much of what he had said. The re-
port was document setting forth doc
trines in political economy such as never
before had been promulgated by any au-
thorized officer of Government, and the
positions there assumed were such as had
startled the country. Itwas therefore ma
nifestly proper and highly obligatory on
this body that it should give as prompt an
expression as possible of its views and
intention in the premises. Mr.. S. pro-
posed TO draw forth to view, and to pub
lie examination, in as brief manner as
he could, some of these opinions.
The first doctrine which he should no.
tice. and which was most distinctly avow-
ed in the Secretary's report, was that the
protective policy was UNCONSTITUTIONAL,
and if so, there must be an end TO it,
The Secretary said expressly that the ta-
riff of 1912 was "too unequal and IN
Just, too exorbitant and oppressive, and
too cleahvi conflict with the fundamen-
tai principles of the Constitution.
8 These were the express words, that the
tariff of 1872 was clearly in conflict with