The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1870-04-22

Speech Of Mr.. Kerr-----Inimensc
sums forced from the People
for the benefit Of MonopOIies.

Al thc HOUSE OI Representatives, ON
the End instant. when the bill revising
the present onorous turiT on hnporta-
iions was under consideration, our Rep
lrescntative. Hon. NJ. T.. Kerr, obtained
the floor and said, as we find it reported
III the Congressional Globe:
Mr. Chairnan.l am as iIuch i'm favor of
free trade in tea,co,,cc. sllgar.ald everv-
thing else rs the gentleman from Iowa
Mr.. LorGHRIDGEi o. any other gentle
man. ! would admit everything free ii
. it were possible; but desire to say that
we are here. not acting in the capacity Of
theorists, but as prac.ical law-makers. -
II is our duty to do what we can to re-
licve the people OF this country from
the cnorm ous burdens under which they
arc now resting. H is no part of our
duty TO say in IA spirit of insincerity or
buHcombc that we will do what we
know We cannot do; and it is useless
for the gentleman from Iowa pointing
10 this side of the House to suggest that
he would make this thing free or that
thing free. and that we vote against it,.
He would do no such thing, and he
knows it. lie could not DO it if Inc would.
Why. then. does lie get up here and at
".
undertake to place honest men in false
attitude before the country.
! The gentleman knows as well as any
man iii the House that what he proposes
will not be done and Ina: his own friends
would not do il if there were not a De-
imocrat in the House or in the country.
lie is too intelligent. also. not to know
that with the political control of the
country where il is and the circum-
stances of the country what they are. it
iit would he impossible for him to make
coffee free without adding the duty of
l$lO.1U0CCO. which. he would thus lose,
to some other commodities OH which il
would be from four 10 tenfold more cx-
Ipcn>ive and oppressive to the people
THAN ii il on coffee. He well knows that
the duty collected on coffee is not at all
protective in its nature, and only costs
the people what il pays into the Treas
Jury. III other words, il is Il revenue
tariff strictly and properly, and the least
lDuricnsonic that calf be- imposed.
Now, let /, IL see what the facts are !.
The gentleman from Iowa knows, and
he vii! not deny il. that the duty now
imposed upon coffee costs the people of
this country only 20 cents PER cArITA per
'annum. an', pays in customs Sll.5iO. 7lS
in gold. lie also khows that The duty
winch Is imposed upon tic different l;.b-
Irics OF cotton costs the people of this
country - 81 PER cArITA per anIuni.
and only pays in revenues IS, ,1CU. 400,
Yet he would let That duty remain, or.
perhaps. increase il. lie knows tiat thel
duty now imposed on WOODEN fabrics
costs the people OF this country 81 ~
PEE CAPITA per anrun, and only, paysI
TO The Treasury $.6, NO,Ooo: and ye. be-
docs rot propose to reduce that, and il.
lic would he cannot do il TO any extent
which would relieve iliepcoplc, because,
his political friends would no;co-operatci
with linn in that effort. give him no.
lice now hat when that part OF this bill
is reached. this side of the House will
put his present professions to the test. =
We will see how much he will then vote
to relieve the people in those most op-l
prcssivc and protective parts OF this bill
which at the same time afford the least
10 the revenues and pay most in tribute
10 the monopolists. Let the reductions \
be made where they will most relieve
the people. That is what we want Of this
House. This bill. as as il stands, reduces /
the duty OH tea and coffee each ~ per 4
cent. below the present duty. That / 4
approve and will vote for. i
The gentleman also knows that the
people arc compelled to pay upon &c
fined iron an annual tax OF ST 13 PER
CAPITA. and that the rcyennc receives
only S6.29O.OO0 thcrcfrom and vet he
talks about making coffee free, although
the duty on coffee produces revenue
of $11.25O,OOO, and coststhc pco
pie PER CAPITA only 80 cents. The truth
is, tie duty OH and enhanced prices o:
these products Of iron on accoun. o. tie
tariff costs the people OF this country an
nnaiiy about s7O.cOo00U, and al! the ,
coffee CONSUMED in this country does
moi cost so much per annum by many .
millions. ,
Mr.. Chairman. cannot better or more
indicate the impolicy Of the
mode Of tariff reform proposed by the {
gentleman from Iowa than by present. ,
ing here u tabular statement prepared ,
by a very intelligent and competent |
gentleman to illustrate the relative c.-
I,c' of certain duties in producing rev. ,
rnuc. and in enhancing the prices Of {
consumed by the people
Let il be remembered now By every {
that the average FER CAPITA !
,ost per annum to the people Of tea is I
"a cents, of coffee 90 cents. and OF sugar |
II cents. and that all the increased cost 4
,n them by reason Of tho duty is paid 4
nto the Treasury and uone To the mon {