The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-11

constitutional powers of the Representa-
tives of the people. Taking up the denun-
citation of the Morrill, tariff in the demo
cratic platform of 1876, in which he said
the country was carried for Tilden, he as
serted that all the specific changes therein
contained were equally true yester-
day as they were then, except that in
the last few years the revenue from
the tariff had risen and had not dwindled
yearly. This, however, was not the cause
of, but in spite of protection and was due
to the scarcity in Europe and the album
dant harvest at home, the latter being slim
ulated by land grants to corporations and
settlers. Congress did not, for 1t could not,
prevent foreigner from selling at his own
price, but it did rob our farmers, who fur
nished nine-tenths of our exports, in max
ing them pay for things they bought in
foreign markets, where their sales were
made, at least As per cent. more than the
seller paid, and that much more than any
body else paid. The protection that gave
Congressional license to few wealthy
combinations to extOrt from American far
mers and labOrers large portion of their
earnings, was such protection as the wolf
gave the lamb Another evidence was our
commercial degradation, as shown IN the
loss of our carrying trade, thus compelling
US to pay foreigners $13, 100000 year
for acting as our carriers, brokers and
insurance agents in our commercial rela-
tions, together with the almost total disap-
pearance of our 10000 sailors of 1850.
That the present system has cut down the
sale of our manufactures and at home and
abroad was shown in the high prices, cur
failing sales at home, and the meagre ex-
ports of our manufactures That it had
swindled the American agriculturalist was
manifest in it's compelling a S6 week
laborer to pay Sc for coal, worth only S3,
and purchasable elsewhere in the world at
the latter prlce. That it had cost the peo-
Ele five times more than it had produced
to the treasury was shown in connection
with the passage of the bill of 1872, max
ing reduction of ten per cent. on certain
classes Of manufacturers. Then the state
ment was made by Mr.. Burchard that the
reduction upon but six classes lessened the
revenue not quite $40, 900, 900, butlighten-
ed taxation $54, ,000 600. This 10 per cent
protection taken off1in 1872 was restored
by the Senator from Vermont and his allies
in 1875, on a pretense, but the returns of
1877 show an increase of $4,000, 900.
revenue. That it has fostered smuggling,
enriched dishonest officials and bankrupted
honest merchants was shown in the inves-
tigation in 1874 into the moiety system.
This was system of which the Senator
from Vermont was so proud. The absurd
ity of any effort to absoye internal tax
alion in view of the present wants OF the
Treasury, and against the continuance of
which he lBeck) protested. After the
incongruities and inequalities of the pres
ent system and advocating tariff for rev.
enue. formed so as to be readily under
stood and adjusted upon ad valorem
principles as far as practicable. Mr. Beck
closed by criticiZing with some severity
the recommendations of the Secretary of
the Treasury for the withdrawal OF silver
certificates and placing the currency in the
hands of the national banks.
Mr. Morrill,, in reply, said he had never
attempted to make the tariff a party
question. Mr.. Morrill, combatted some
points presented by Mr.. Beck, and said
as to the cotton tax, of which the
Senator complained, that it was about
the only tax paid by the South. while the
North, East and West paid thousand
millions to support the government. If
he, (MorrilD, were a Southern man he
would institute that very policy to-day.
| That is to say of paying internal revenue
tax on every pound of cotton produced ex-
| cept that for family use, and making a
draw back of an equal amount upon man
ufactured articles, thread, yarn, etc, sent
abroad. He believed this would in q
short time double the total Southern ex-
ports.
Here the debate, which had been con
| tinued by unanimous consent, terminated
and the Vice President laid before the
Senate the unfinished Sherman funding
bill. Adjourned,