Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-19

its own tariff and undertook to regulate
its own trade. The results were most
disastrous. Great Britain, seeing thai
as a nation we were helpless CONNER
cially, not only refused to negotiate a
commercial treaty with us, but by an
order in council peremptoIly excluded
our ships from her West India posses
sions, between which and the United
States there had grown up, partly
! through some relaxations in the act Oh
navigation and partly in violation OIL
that act, large and profitable trade.
We were in no position to retaliate. AS
q nation we had no power to exclude
her ships and thus force her to her posi-
| ton of reciprocity. The States passed
various and conflicting laws. III
Massachusetts, for example, laid duty
ON certain goods and Rhode Island DID
not, very little revenue would Massa-
| chusetts draw from that source; the goods
were imported into Rhode Island ana
then struggled across..the border. mir
| teen independent States regulating the
commerce of our seaboord induced end
less confusion, and there was no power
| to remedy it,"
1t was TO remedy these among other
defects in government that the Federal
convention of 1887, which framed our
present Constitution wascalled. The new
House of the Representatives nnder that
Constitution soon commenced TO dls-
cuss and frame a tariff bill. The princl-
pie of protection was admitted, but as
subordinate to revenue, and the Dill
was passed in the year l7S9, known as
the Hamilton tariff.
The second tariff act was passed In
1916. John c. Calhoun was one OF us
advocates. Under this tariff We entered
upon the protective system.
The third tariff act was passed in 1874,
and was known as the Clay tariff. IL,
too, recognized the protective system.
The fourth tariff bill, which became
law i'm 1928, was also upon the basis OF
American protection.
In 1899 the fifth tariff act, called the
compromise tariff, was enacted. IL
adopted a sliding scale in referenceto
all duties, providing for their gradual
annual and biennial reduction In each
succeeding wear until 1911 or 1912 This
bill was brought forward by Mr.. Clay,
and met the approval of Mr.. Calhoun.
InlSio Congress passed the high pro-
tectivc tariff of that year, the sixth IN
the series OF tariff acts. Inder IL vast
amounts of capital were invested IN
manufactures, especially i'll iron ana
glass, and a new era OF prosperity
opened up to the manufacturer; but I'M
happily these duties were abolished III
few years by Congress, and thousands
of men were thrown out of employment,
millions of money lost TO the manu-
acturers, producing financial distress III
the country.
In 1916 the seventh tariff bill, reduc-
ing the duties on imports down to about
the standard af the compromise tariff oil
1888, was passed. 1t Disseminated,
however, as the compromise act dlq not,
between articles that could be produced
at home and those that could not.
In 1857 the eighth tariff bill became a
law, lowering the duties on various artl-
cles and largely increasing the free list.
In 1861 the ninth tariff bill, called the
Morrill, tariff, also protecting home III
dustries, was passed. The subsequent
legislation upon this subject Is fresh III
the minds of Congress and the country,
and / therefore need not refer to it.
Thus it will be seen, Mr.. Chairman,
| that the systmen of protecting Amerl-
can industries has been recognized,
entered into the legislation ofthis coun-
try, from its very organization down TO
| the present time.
The REVISION of existing tariff laws is
demanded by the protectionist and
free-traders alike, but from different
stand-pOints and for different reasons:
The rapid growth and constant and
ever-changing development ofthe coun-
| try require that the tariff should from
| time to time be revised to accommodate
| itselfto the demand of the times.
1t may be safely said, Mr.. Chairman,
| that ifthere is any one question touch
ing the policy of this Government upon
which the great mass Of the people are
| i'm accord it is the enactment OF such
tariff laws Us will protect American
| industries.
1t should be the policy of this Gov
eminent to protect, foster, and en-
| courage manufactures Ofall kinds, with
a due regard to the welfare of the people
| at large, especially the laboring classes
| who are the chief consumers OF our pro-
! duets, and whose interest should be
| equally protected and their rights as
fully secured.
The laborers of this country, skilled
and unSkilled, are citizens, while the
lahOrers of European countries are
| subjects. 1t is the duty Of Congress to
elevate the plane of the American Ia
berorer. Make him an intelligent citizen
and he will become useful one. From
the ranks of the labOring classes have
come up to Congress and to other high
positions many distinguished men,
while in the mOnarchies OF Europe nC
such inducements are held out, and nc
such honor or preferment Is Within
their reach.
1t is a patent fact, Mr.. Chairman
that low interest and cheap labor III
England enable the English m anufac'
turer to undersell the American manu-
facturer. And who in this House VII
proclaim himself in favor OF reducing
the American labOrer to the Standard
may say the vasSalage, of the European
laborer;? Who would withhold from hin
the means of educating his children
acquiring home and securing to IN
family the advantages and comforts &c
which as an American citizen he Il
entitled?
With these views, Mr.. Chairman
/ shall give to this bill my hearty
support as the wiSest measure, IN Ill.
opinion, that Congress can now adopt.
NoTE-The following schedule of prices 10
| weekly labor in different European countt ne
| and the United States will amply show TN
| greater pay for like service in this country: