The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-11

to the gentleman from New York, Mr..
Cox.
MIR. Cox-Mr. Chairman, I do not pro
pose TO take more than ten minutes. This
bill of itself ought not to involve a large
debate 1t should be amended. / am not
now certain that it may be amended ex-
cept in regard to the articles specified In
the bill ITSELF Therefore / confine my re- |
marks in reply to what has been said by |
the gentleman from Massachusetts, aud to !
the multifarious character of this bill.
The gentleman says this bill 80 far as it |
brings anything in the Treasury really |
amounts to nothing as to revenue, in the
aggregate, substantially nothing | am
sorry to hear that confession made by the
chairman of the Committee on Ways and
Means-Ways and Means, whose business
it is to raise means" and eontrive ways "
Mr.. Dawes-That is the most gratifying
feature Of the whole bill to me.
Mr.. Cox--lt should be gratifying to the
gentleman not to raise taxes; but | look
on the tariff in somewhat different light
from that Of the gentleman. Many of
these taxes in the shape of custom duties
are actually prohibitory ; many of them are
so high as to be pro tantO prohibitory
many do not pay the cost of collection
many contribute to smuggling and fraud.
And 80 we come back to the proposition
which sent to his committee at the be-
ginning of the session, that if we would
put money into the Treasury topay our de-
fciencies and save us from bankruptcy, we
might well reduce the tariff and thus en-
nance the revenue That has been dem
onstrated in England, and could be demon
strated by the Committee on Ways and
Means if they gave it proper and patient
examination.
This bill, sir, amounts really to nothing
as to revenue and otherwise What sub
stantial relief does it give to the country?
When our industries are dead or at least
paralyZed when our shipping is almost
gone when English ship owners take what
is equivalent TO SIS, 100000 out of our
pockets every year for foreign transporta-
lion when our laborers cry aloud in the
streets when our farmers are complaining
in regard to the small prices for their pro-
ducts and the high prices for their trans
portation, it is, sir, at this time of continued
panic and disaster that we patiently listen
to the statement to the House through its
organ that their legislation really amounts
to nothing nothing, nothing!
Sir, this committee should have given in
this long session abundant care aud unre-
hitting attention to the reduction of the
tariff If they would relieve the people,
and at the same time add to the revenues,
why do they produce such an abortive
meaSureY
have discussed this matter ever since
1851; ! have debated it again and again !;
not always truitlessly. ! have seen some
reforms made and some progress in public
opinion. | have never yet been discour-
aged as TO the ultimate verdict Of an intel,
ligent Congress, properly elected, on this
and other revenue questions. / can see
that even New England is approaching
free trade. Her interests are drawing her
into the domain of honest economy. II
we cannot altogether sail into a star,we can
sail by 1t. The great principle Of Il reve-
nue. tariff, or in other words, Of free trade
Of removing the slave shackles from trade
and commerce, to use what might be less
Objectionable language-this principle i,
progressing in New England and in the
West,
Years ago, in 1864, when a member Of
Congress from the West, 1 urged
That the West could take care of itself 1t i.
nch by nature in its resources; and If the people Of
Pennsylvania cannot live by working their forgcs
with their own natural resources and i. the people
OF New England cannot live by working their spin
dies, with their natural ingenuity. without the aiG
OF other classes of industry and the bounty Of tn,
Government, let them move 20 he West and thrrr
the God Of nature will protect them in the cu!tiya
ton of the soil II they have the industry To work
and the frugality 10 save.
At that time | laid before the House
certain carefully framed general pro
positions, and which ! maintain now as
l did then were in the interest Of agricul.
ture and commerce | will say here tc
gentlemen on the other side that these
propositions will enter into every canvass
this fall. You cannot escape them mol
will Congress escape them. | remember
the repeal of the corn laws in England, in
lo4G, and remember that for thirty year,
one man-Mr Nilliers-came forward in
Parliament at every session and brought In
the same old motion for the repeal of the
corn laws amid derisive cheers until al
last the flood came. and with it Golden
and Bright, and Ebenezer Elliot, anC
statesmen like Sir Robert Peel, swept By
ITS vehemence came forward and destroy
ed the obsolete ideas Of the monOpolists
and gave England cheap loaf" under
free trade In the light of such an exam
pie it will not do TO be discouraged Let
us keep on fighting for the liberalities OF
commerce and exchange Time and sci
ence work with us. We have between oui
States a perpetual emphasis to these doc
trines IN their cordial and prosperous in
tercommerce
But, sir, let me come to the propositions
referred to, which / shall perhaps take the
liberty OF illustrating when it comes to the
hye minute debate on amendments.
lac element of cost upon merchandise
imported from foreign countries into the
United States are First, the first cos
abroad second, difference of exchange
third, duty fourth, freight, insurance apo
other charges OF importation aud fifth, the
importers profits on all the preceding
items, which we reckon at 10 per cent.
At this point Of cost the imported arti
Gle comes IN competition with the cores
pOndlng article Of the home manufacture
in the American market. And the aggre
gate OF the items above mentioned consti
tutes the protection or bounty which the
tariff system gives TO the manufacturer
The consumers of the domestic article, o
course, pay this bounty to the manufactur
er; This is now reduced TO an axiom il
political economy. 1t is as clear as tn,
proposition that the object of a tariff fo
protection Is to increase the price Of tn,
article. Ii this were not the ease VIII,
would care for protective bounties? No
the manufacturer, certainly. If not he
who then?
l might show you what particular sec
tons OF the country are benefited bv this
particular mode of making, or rather. as !,
tins bill, OF not making revenue Bu. a.
thing is sure, that on some articles g s, on
Tor instance, New England is mo, sing, as
nnnl I L