The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-29


dustries.
Congress was
TEE BILL OF Mr.. MORRISON,
which was presented in the House in 1875,
but wasso vigorously opposed that 1t never
reached the dignity Of square vote upon
its merits. Two years aitsrward
Mr.. WOOD UNDERTOOK
the preparation Of tariff bill which great
ivrednced duties on most articles Of foreign
manufacture, and which he confidently
boped might become law. This bill pos
sessed more vitality than that Of Mr.. Nor
rison's, and It was with great difficulty
thst The friends OF Protection were able to
secure It's defeat. In the early as well as
The latter stages Of the struggle there was
no uncertainty about the position Of Cen
eral Garfield; he was against the bill. On
the 4th OF June he delivered an elaborate
SPEECH AGAINST IT
in Committee Of the Whole, in the course
Of which he said:
l would have the duty 80 adjusted that
every great American industry can iairly
live and make fair profits. The chief charge
make against this bill is that II seeks TO
cripple the Protective features OF the law.
He further said, In concluding MS
speech:
A bill so radical in its character, so dan
Verous 10 our business prosperity, would
work infinite mischief at this time, when
Ii q country is Just recovering itself from a
long period OF depression and getting again
upon solid ground, just coming up out o.
the wild sea Of panic and distress winch
has tossed US so long.
Let It be remembered that twenty-five
per cent OF all the laboriDg people Of this
country are artisans engaged in manuiac'
lures. Their culture has been fostered BY
our tariff laws. 1t is their pursuits aud the
skill which they have developed that pro
duced the glory OF our Centennial Exhi-
bition, To them the country owes the
splendor OF the position it holds before the
world more than 10 any other equal mum
Der OF our citizens. II this bill becomes 3
law It strikes down their occupation and
throws into the keenest distress the bright
eat and best elements OF our population.
When the first paragraph has been read
| will propose TO strike out the enactin
clause. II the Committee will do that we
can kill the bill to-day.
On the day following the delivery oil
Gen. Garfeld's speech his suggestion to
strike out the enacting clause was carried
into effect, upon motion oil MIR. Oonger
and
TIE BILL WAS KILLED;
yeas, 1874; nays, l2l. The majority against
the bill was only IS.
During the recent session Of Congress q
vigorous effort was made to break down
the tariff by pieCemeal legislation. Di
vide and conquer" was the motto OF the
Free Traders. They were defeated II
every effort to reduce duties, and in every
instance they encountered Gen. Garheld's
opposition. Iron and steel Manufacturers
have good cause to remember his vote II
the Ways and Means Committee las
March on the bill OF Mr.. Covert to re-
duce duty on steel rails. Gen. Garfield
voted with Judge Kelley and Messrs; Con
ger, Frye, FELTON,, Gibson, and Phelps
against any reduction, and that was the
/ emu oil 0lr. OOVeTL ullI-Lue WIZ oSAhb
against to 9 in favor OF 1t. Had the bill
prevailed the entire line OF duties on iroI
and steel and other manufactures would
have been seriously endangered. Such II
GENERAL GARFIELD's TARIFF RECORD,
and, as we have already stated, it is en-
tirely satisfactory to Protectionists. He
has been charged with being member o.
the British Free Trade Golden Club, Blu
he has repeatedly declared over his owl
signature that the use OF his name by the
Golden Club was wholly unauthorized BY
him and that its Free Trade doctrines die
not meet with his approval. II the clut
thought, by the comforting OF an empty
compliment, to entrap him into an ex
preston OF sympathy with its philosophy
OF selfshness and greed, 1t failed signaliy
Z. General Garfield is candidate Tor the
Presidency. With that We have nothing
to do, Our readers will vote for or agains
him as they please. ButGeneral Garfield
has rendered great service to the cause o
home industry during his public career
and we would have been untrue 10 our
selves and to every individual member o
this association If we had not testified a
we have done to the excellence and full
ness Of that service, now that his tarit
record has been misrepresented. Amer
can iron and steel manufacturers hav,
found him wise friend in time OF need
and we say so gratefully"