Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-05-11
Watohman 6 journal.
WEDNESDAY,. MAY hi. $50.
Speech of Hon. C. W. willard.

In the debate in the House Of Representa-.
tiyes at Washington, in Committee of the
Whole on the tariff, last Thursday evening,
Gen. Butler pressed some amendments to the
bill, looking to a reduction Of the duty on
some raw materials used by the manufcto-
ries in his own district Western gentlemen
were urging that fax and hemp, and other
products Of the soil, should be protected as
well as the products Of New England manu-.
factories To this Gen. Butler had replied
that he desired to see manufactures confined
to New England he wanted all the duty he
could get on the manufactured product, but
he wanted to get raw material as cheap a,
possible and that he never wished to see the
time when manufactures would flourish at the
West This selfish doctrine struck New Eng
land members and the House with astonish-
ment. Several members from New England
at once ropudiatcd this narrow view Of pro-
lection, and used the FIVE minutes allowed by
the rules to any one speaker to disclaim any
sympathy with Gen. Buffers views. In tho
course Of the debate, Mr.. Willard spoke as
follows
Mr. Chairman, ! rise for the purpose Of express
ing, as Representative of u New England dis
trict, my amazement at the very bold statement
Of the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Nlr. But
ler), as 20 his policy with regard % protective
tariff His idea of protective tariff seems b bc,
that it * for the purpose of building up "a few
manufactures 10 his district, and ol destroying
manufactures everywhere else, SD that everybody
in the country must pay tribute 10 his c0nsttu-
ents. Certainly, sir, If we should follow hi,
views in this respect, we cannot turn round and
say that he has misled US by false prctonces. lie
has stated with sufficient clearness and boldnes.
the ground on which be bases his proposition.
Now, sir. believe in protection not protec-
tion to American manufactures merely, not pro-
lection merely for finished and complete product
ready for use but protection b. American indus
try wherever that industry is employed, whether
on the farm in raising wool or cotton, wheat OF
corn, flax or hemp, or in the shoe manuact0ry at
Lynn, or in the manufacture Of hastings for max
ing shoes or IN whatever other form the industry
of the country may be employed. II asked here
protection for any industry in my district and at
the same time refused protection % an industry
in any other gentleman district, should feel J
was acting entirely from selfish considerations
that had thrown aside ala pretension 10 states
manship in my action upon this question that
had abandoned the idea that | was citizen OF
the whole country, and was settling myself d1wr
into the conviction that was merely a Represen
tntye of a district in Vermont, and was legisat
/ ing only for the interests of that district.
There can be no correct system Of protection ir
this country unless il c0ntemplates protection 8,
all industries The argument Of the gentlemen
on the Democratic side Of the House that an ia.
dustry giving employment 10 900 or 10000 oI
20 900 peopeis not 10 be protected because Oh,
product Of that industry is cOnsumedb by million
| and by such n tariff the few will be protected a
the expense Of the many, is in itselfa sound ar
gument and if protection stopped with the ad
yancement Of a single industry, that argumen
could be answered. But, sir, protection does no
/ stop with the building up OF q single industry -
/ We are endeavOring % protect all industries, q
/ protect the consumer everywhere as well as th
producer, to protect the product Of the man VIII
raises tax hemp and wool, as well as the tinishe'
/ product Of the manufactures BY protection up
on such products the producer Of them Is enable
10 buy shoes manufactured in the district Of th
gentleman from Massachusetts, By the prOtec
ton which we give 10 a man growing some pro
duct which comes in competition with a ioreigi
product, we enable him % pay the enhanced cos
/ Iii protection enhances the cost Of any article
which he may have 20 purchase, and which il
like manner comes into competition with for
eign product, and needs and receives protection
In this way we make our protection general. w
DO not protect a special interest merely we pro
tect all interests. When we adopt such a system
the argument that protection iavors only specin
interests that il is class legislation calculated 6
enrich the manufacturers only, aud 10 make mon
cy out Of the pockets Of the aboring classes fall
entirely to the ground. can see NJ reason an
no justice in voting for protection for particula
industries, unless | am prepared 10 vote for
protection.
(llere the hammer iell)