The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-25
"REPEAL rs THE WORD "-WHIG
CHORUS.-"THE TARIFF PANiC''

Remarks Of tLe Mr.. Bayiy Of Yirginio, in the
House 81 Representatives.. July 81. 1916.
| Mr.. CHAIRMAN: The gentleman from Connec
,icut, (Nlr. 1. Smith,) who has just taken his
seat. has rated the gentleman from Alabama. (Mr.
/ Hilliard.) verv rouudly for the manner in which
he spoke of the circumstances under which the
Tariff act of 1912 was passed, and he has drawn
a contrast between the manner in which that act
was passed. and the which has lust become a
! law, very unfavorable to the latter. And in an
other wing of this Capitol, we have had the at
tent'on OF the public very formally called 10 the
fact' that Democratic Senators were unwilling Ia
vote .or amendments TO the bill as it went from
ms House. even in cases where it was supposed
they would make it mnre acceptable. These.
Sir, are the first steps towards the PANIC which is
attempted to be gotten up. and of which we have
| naa notice given in the Senate, and the leading
| wing Journals Most Of us hero, Mr.. Chairman
recoIlect the manner in which the act of S42 was
passed. II was buffet,ed about fur DAYS in this
Hall. where the Wings had large majority. II
| was several times rejected. once by the casting
vote of the Wing Speaker and, at last, to carry
! IL ov lis meagre majority, members were literally
pressed into the service, as | am told. by those
who were here at the time And subsequently,
| we had a controversy between a distinguished
gentleman from Kentucky, (Mr. NIarshall,) and
another from Pennsylvania, (Mr. McKennan, y as
1 to whom the credit was due for resusciating its
llfeess corpse. Passed by this House in this
| manner. 1t was sent tn the Senate. where Wing
committee proposed sundry amendments But in
the meantime it was found that if il ever came
back to the body. which. under the constitution,
has the sole right of originating revenue bills it
would be lost; and the wing members of the com
| mittee deliberately voted against their amend
| ments, for fear. if the bill came back to this
House. it would abandon their work with which
it was known they were dissatisfied; ard at last
il was carried by Democratic Senators, who voted
oT 1t under protest, as they were of opinion if no
bill passed, we would be left without any law
providing for the collection of revenue In wha,
favorable contrast does our action of this session.
which is sought to he so much condemned stand
with that OF the Congress referred to2 Our bill
] passed this House by the easy majority Of nine
een-the largest majority given for any tariff
! law. save the compromise act. II went TO the
Senate. In that body, il was true, there was an
| lndIsposiiOn on the part of the Democratic Sena-
| tors to amend it, The session was far spent: the
day of adjournment fixed, and was near at
hand. There was no time for the deliheration
| necessary To make any radical changes. Besides,
1t was in the main acceptable; and the democratic
Senators were too much of practical statesmen to
expect that each one could get the bill precisely
as he wanted. But there was no voting down by
committee OF amendments which it had itself
proposed there was no fear of trusting this House
i
adopted; the bill came back here, and we all
know its fate. 1t underwent twice the ordeal &C
this House, on each occasion by the same ma
| jority
| Now. sir, in reference to this panic which is In
he gotten up, desire to address few remarks TO
the manufacturers, particularly of my own State.
Before they engage in this business, they had bet
ter first count the cost. and ascertain the prospect
OF success We are told that the people are to be
agitated upon this subject through the Summer
and Autumn, and that on the first day of the next
session bill rs TO be introduced to repeal the law
we have just passed, before it has got in opera
ton before il is tried and the Tariff act of lS42
relnstated. beg the manufacturers, before they
| throw away their time and contribute their money
TO this business of agitation, to reflect what
chance they will have of success. By this panic
You may do great mischief; you may derange bu-
siness; you may. before the bill has yet gone into
operation. create a great deal of unnecessary
alarm. fou may-and that is the great object
| OF the politicians who are most active in getting
up this panic-to a small extent impair TIE conf,
dence OF the country in the Democratic parfy.-|
But will yon do this permanently ?-and above
all, viii you prevail upon this Congress. at it's
/ next session, to undo what it has so lately and
deliberately done ?-and that, too, without irving
the measured Can any man in his senses expect
this? ! ask gentlemen TO consider a moment.
| and tell me how the thing is to he done? We
passed The bill by nineteen majority in this House
To change the result you have to change ten
members. Are you likely to do this? Where
are they from? The South and the Southwest
No one expects this. We now where we
have been for long time and no one can calcn-
late upon snch an extraordinary revolution Is
the change to be in The great and growing West
II is precisely there that the restrictive policy has
most steadily and rapidly lost ground The West
presented almost undivided front in favor of The
tariff of 1924. So it did of that Of 1928 The
protectIoDlsis were much stronger in 1912 than
now. This change is the result Of obvious causes
and it will progress. Our magnificent internal
Improvements and her majestic rivers have omen
ed to her the commerce of the world Her soil
is teemlng with productions which are in demand
the world over, and she will never consent to be
shut out Of lis markets. She grows in great A.
bundanco. the articles of commerce, and she is moi
suited for manufacturing. Free trade is and ever
will be her interest and her policy The change
there in favor of this policy has not been irregular
and sPasmodic, but it has been steady and progress
slVe. And 1t will continue 10 be so. 1.-THE change
IS not to- come from that quarter, whence is il a.
From Pennsylvania The whole of her deleoa
ton, with one gallant exception, voted against US
The same is the case with New Jersey. Do YOU
expect change of ten among the n. York mem
bers4 Does anybody, who knows these gentle
men, expect ten Of them to change? New England
went against Us, except New Hampshire and
Maine do you expect change of len there
Or, Indeed, is there any ground To expect any
change at all? Besides. before the next session
Iowa and Wisconsin will be admitted as States.
Vt the precedent in the case Of Texas is followed
as presume IT will be, we will gain four mem
hers there adding which to our present majority
oi ~ and 1t gives US %, requiring change Of
~ votes to change the r. It, Where is that
change be effected7 But suppose it done, and
your repeal bill passed by The House-how will
1t iare IN The Senate BY the admission Of Iowa
and Wisconsin, we will gain four Senators; you
may gain one in North Notwithstanding our