National Republican., 1883-02-08
THE SENATE AND HUUSE.
Another Day Devoted by Both Houses to the
Tariff Question.
A Long Speech by Senator Lamar on the
General Issue.
A Few Cheerful Remarks on Fellow Member by
BarbarOssa Belford,
The Senate Nearly Through with Its Bili
"A Night Session OF the House.
THE SENATE.

and urging action to prevent the destruction
of game there. Referred to thecommittee on
territories.
Mr.. Frye presented resolutions of the leg
islature Of Maine favoring the abolition of
compulsory pilotage.
At the close of the morning business the
senate, on motion of Mr.. Edmunds held a
brief executive session. When the doors
were reopened
THE TARIFF BILL
was taken up.
braoing women's and children's dress goods, coat
linings, Italian cloths and goods OF ike descrip-
the warp OF which is made wholly of cotton;
linen, ramie, China grass, or other vegetable ma
terials, or Of combination Of them and the weit
wholly or In part, of wool worsted the hair of the
alpaca goat, or other like animals and to substi-
tute for II the classification OF the existing law,
the rates Of duty per square yard being reduced
one cent.
Mr.. Morrill, opposed the amendment rs in
congruous with the rest of the bill, and said
that the classification in the existing law APP
piled to goods now out of fashion.
Mr.. Beck, in support of his amendment,
read again the statement which he read on
Monday from New York merchant, charg-
ing that the effect of the provision in the bill
would be too lay the highest duties upon low
priced goods.
Mr.. Lamar made an argument to show that
the protective policy is delusivc, and that its
maintenance is not necessary for the existence
or the development of American manufac-
lures The discussion and the votes on the
pending bill showed clearly, he said, that it
was impossible to make any material reduce
tion of taxation, and at the same time to
maintain the protective system. The two
things were incompatible, and one or tho
other must be given up. The peoples demand
for reduction of taxes had put upon the
party in power delicate and difficult task to
the performance of which that party had ad-
mitted itself unequal by the creation of
the taaiff commission. This expedient need
not have been resorted to If the only ques-
tion had been the relation of taxation to
revenue. There could be no easier or more
grateful task than that of lifting from the
people burdens universally admitted to be un-
necessary, and probably no other people in
the world were ever needlessly taxed for u
series of years merely because their rulers
were unable to devise method of reduction.
All through the present debate the senate had
been concerning itself, not with the relation
of taxation to revenue, but with the relation
OF American manufacturers to the mode of
collecting the revenues, and as each article
came up the question asked was not how low
q duty could be laid upon it, but how high u
duty was needed to protect our manufacturers.
The advocates of protection had been for years
insisting that it increased the profit of capital,
raised the wages of labor, and cheapened the
prices of manufactured products, and they
could not take step in tho direction
of the popular demand without contravening
the doctrines upon which their system rested,
for, If it did produce all these beneficial re-
suits, then to repeal or modify it would be to
diminish these blessings. The time had come
to deal explicitly with the American people
oil this subject.,to tel them plainly that pro-
lection and low taxation are incompatible,
that a protective tax is high tax, and that a
tax so low as not to check importation is non
protective. The people of this country wero
always willing to be taxed in proper manner
for any legitimate object. Therefore, why not
say to them plainly, "If you want protection
you must consent to pay the cost of maintain
ing that system, and scorn the allurement of
low taxes and cheap foreign goods"
The chairman of the commtte on finance,
in introducing this bill to the senate, had
stated that it was based on the report of the
tariff commission. That report, with the ac-
companying testimony, was an interesting
document, presenting u striking exhibit of the
progress of manufacturing industries in this
country, but it also contained indications that
this growth was not quite healthy, and that
the protective system had, after all, disap-
pointed the hopes of its advocates. 1t was
remarkable fact that all the accredited rep
resentatives of the manufacturing industries,
most eager for protection, who appeared be-
tying that these industries were depressed,
languishing, or on the verge of insolvency,
and similar testimony was borne by
every advocate of the protective sys-
tenn on tho floor of the senate.
This raised suspicion that the protective
system which exhibited our manufactures in
such grand and stately procession was at last
system containing some inherent vice which
blighted these industries in all their branches
Here was vast organization of capital and
labor proclaiming itself us not planted in the
material and natural conditions of the coun-
try, but depending for existence upon the
taxing power of the government. 1t was inn
possible to overestimate the Importance and
gravity of this fact. The great evil in our
unreformed civil service, as pointed out by
Messrs. Calhoun and Webster, was the de-
pendonce of SO large a class of the people upon
the direct action of the government but here
was declaration by the advocates of protec-
tion that the government, through the pro-
tective tariff, had got control of the manuiact-
uring capital and labor of the country, and
made them dependent upon it for their
existence. Such a relation must affect ser-
ously and dangerously the action of the gov
ernment upon this question. III, as result
OF this discussion, congress should at last
reach the conclusion that commercial freedom
would be the true policy for this country they
would hardly have the nerve to bring upon
all our manufacturing industries the disaster
which tAese gentlemen said must follow such
a change. The demand of the people for re-
duced taxation might become so imperative
that it could not be disregarded yet how
could any decided step in the way of ruduc-
tion be taken in tho presence of these great
industries, whose very principle of existence
consisted in high taxation, pelethoric treas
uTy, and extravagant expenditures? The
great question, therefore, was whether the
protective system is really essential to the
existence and maintenance Of American manu-
tctures-whether a diversified industry Is
otherwise unattainable in this country of such
infinite variety of climate and soil, and of
material and moral conditions?
In arguing this question Mr.. Lamar re-
viewed in detail the history Of manufactures
in America Getting Bishop, an avowed pro-
tectionist), and the history of our tariff logis-
lation, and came to the conclusion that long
before the protective system was thought of
as u national policy manufactures had sprung
up in this country; that through periods of
free trade and protection, of prosperity and
depression, they had continued to grow ut a
pace corresponding to our wants, and had
taken no step backward and therefore, that
II tho senate wished TO respond to the de-
mands of the people for n reduction of taxa
tion apprehensiOns as to the effect of such re.
duction upon the future of our manufactures
need not stand in the way.
Mr. Beck's proposition was then taken up
and discussed generally at some length Dur
ing the debate Mr.. Aldrich took occasion to
crticise the tabular statement presented by
Mr.. Beck ONT the previous day, saying it was
unfair and misleading, Incidently he men