The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-09
Hon 3. 8. Cog ON Taxes and Tariffs.

tariff bill in congress, on the 10th ult. MIR.
Young, of Georgia, offered an amendment
to section OF the bill, so as to allow farm
ers who produce less than 500 lbs. Of leaf
tobacco, the right to sell to their employees
or others upon the place where it is grown |
in quantities less than 5 pounds, free of
any tax. After Mr.. Young had given his
reasons for the amendment, Hon s. S.Cox, |
ofNew York, got in five minute speech, |
as follows:
Mr.. Cox.-This amendment is in favor
OF the farmers of the country. Members
OF the house do not seem to take quite as
much interest in the farmers as they did
before the last election. There was great
deal OF talk in favor of the farmers then
and as represent city rus IN ur6e. and
as l moved yesterday to tax champagne, |
and being, like the gentleman from Massa- |
chusetts, illimitable as a representative, l
propose to say something in favor Of the
farmers. And show it in this way
When the gentleman from Illinois Mr.
Ward same here and growled about our
not putting an income tax upon the rich
men Of the east ....
Mr.. Fort.-I want to introduce it now in
few minutes,
Mr.. Cox.-Did you get up to say that ?
When the gentleman from Illinois a mo-
ment ago growled ABOUT our not putting
the income tax upon the people, believing
that 1t would fall especially upon the east
ern section of the country, asked him
why he and his party friends for the last
ten years have been sitting under this bur-
den of protective tariff legislation with
scarcely whimper from them.
Mr.. Ward, tof Illinois il was not here.
Mr. Cox.-Gentlemen know that the
farming interest produces over $4,000, OOO,
600 worth Of productions annually
thirteenths Of all the productions of this
country. / could give you 6 list of the ar
ticles upon which you have supposed so high
a tax that it becomes burden upon the
agricultural people of this country. Yet
you are all the time seeking to place new
burdens upon that interest. The farmer
might well make reduction of the price
of his pork per hundred pounds, and of
other things, provided he did not have to
buy everything except his food under the
burdens Of taxation which you have i'm
posed upon him with your abOminable pro-
buy pair of shoes for his wife without
loads of potatoes. If he gets a dress for
his wife, fifteen acres of corn will hardly
pay for it under your scoundrelly Pennsyl-
vania system of protection. / can scarcely
think Of anything connected with our man
utactures, either hosiery, blankets, or any
thing made OF copper or iron or wooden or
cotton goods,on which the farmer does not
have to pay tax of from GO to 16O per
cent, of its value by this insiduous mode
of taxation.
In the past eight years by our peculiar
system of paying the customs duties iu
gold we have drawn from the people mil
lions and millions of money. If you
will only look as our importations, and con-
slider that we have not the currency of the
world, and OF commerce, that our taxes are
paid in gold and silver, and that we have
to buy the gold in market on an average
of Is per cent. premium during the last
eighteen years, you will see that there has
been at least 81 Az, 100000 of money rob.
bed from the people by your peculiar sys.
tenn of legislation. 80 .,,,.r -
Now, am friend of the farmer. AL.
though l do live in the city, l cannot for
get my old relations and associations.
Now, to come back to the amendment OF
my friend from Georgia, Mr.. Young
which thought in the first instance
would oppose; cannot in my heart doiit
as it is in the interest of the farmer. And
although rose to talk against his amend
ment, I think if had five minutes more
could straighten it all out for him,
Here the hammer fell.
Mr.. Youngs amendment was rejected
Later in the day Pig Iron Kelley, O.
Philadelphia, wanted to raise the duties
10 per cent all around, and in the cours,
OF his remarks he read from a newspape
showing the suffering of the poor in New
York.
Mr.. Cox-If l understood the obiec
of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, MI
Kelley it was to put on this extra 10 pc
cent, to animate industries. They hav,
had their percentage running from so b
600, aud now they ask for war percentage
in time of peace. The gentleman read
established there by the benevolent peopl
OF that city. ..tt
Now, l say to the gentleman from Penn
sylvania, with all earnestness, and to thi
house, that if there is one cause more thar
another, the cause of causes, for the i'm
poverishment of the poor people of thi
country, 1t lies at the door of that gentle
man more than of any other man in thi
house; but L SUPPOSE the gentleman
thinks he is decorated by such an allusion
Why MIR. Chairman, you, sir, of Maine
knowing well--you know it too well-tha
your commerce and your shipping wer.
cut up by the roofs because these cormo
rants clamored for more protection on iro,
and all the materials that enter into shin
ping. l cannot speak with the full vol
ume of voice that belongs to the gentle
man from Pennsylvania, Mr.. Kelly. Blu
If my voice were ten times louder an,
stronger and more eloquent than his,
would have it reach the farmers of thi
country and let them know what it is tina
gentlemen propose to do when they eadd l,
per cent, more to the present high rat,
OF taxation. can give you items tina
come right home to the everyday bust
ness and convenience of our farmers an,
our poor people. Take hosiery, take,
at 96 per cent blankets, LOG per cent.
fannels, 1l3 per cent. calicoes, 81 pc
cent. /; thread, IS per cent. carpets, 5
per cent. yarns, "a per cent. balmorals
93 per cent delaines, 80 per cent. poI
Inns, 81 per cent. wool hats, l0l pc
cent. ; clothing, As per cent. earthen
ware, 40 per cent pocket knives, As pc
cent. {; soap, 46 per cent. sugar, SO De
cent I; and now you are adding q littl
more to it, making it SO per cent, if
understand the gentleman from iowa
salt In bags, SO per cent And all thes
sare articles in daily use. No wonder tina
the people have panics. No wonder tina
they are beginning to find out, as show