National Republican., 1883-02-20

/ yOnu inc nNefRRe btbnuhTu OI pIOHuN IN Ill ln-
dustrial avOcations of the country. All
classes Of labOrers would suffer II tho scale OF
remuneration was broken down by with
drawal of protection, because tho persons
whose wages were thereby reduced would
necessarily overcrowd other and more re-
munerative employments. The rapid build
ing up Of q great manufacturing industry on
the Pacific coast illustrated the wisdom, not
of revenue, but of q high protective tariff. It
was often said that there should be no other
protection than that which was incidental TO
duties imposed for revenue. 10 was true that
revenue duties necessarily involved some de.
gree of protection, but the principle that duties
should bo imposed for no other direct purpose
than revenue was entirely unsOund. IL was
a haphazard and wholly unscientific proceed
ing TO leave protection to follow rs q mere
incident Of duties levied for anotherand quite
distinct purpose. If protection was wrong
in principle incidental protection was wrong
III revenue alone was wanted everything not
produced in this country should be taxed. FREQ
trade between nations was in its nature wholly
unlike free trade between citizens of the same
country, among whom there was substau-
tial homoNcnity of habits and ideas, and where
the accustomed scale of living was nearly
the same. The same general course of
reasoning which governed us in determining
what laborcrs we would admit into this
country, and what lnborers we would exclude
ern the question of admitting the products
of foreign labor. He was opposed to free
trade which subjected the people to the very
competition TO avoid which either they or
their ancestors underwent the hazards aud
hardships of Immigration hither. lie was on
posed to free trade which gave to foreigners
an the advantages of this country without
subjecting them TO any of its responsibilities
He was opposed to q free trade which re.
duccd the wages OF the American laborcr to the
level of the cheapest country in the world, or
which lowered its condition to that of old and
worn out countries. Ho was in favor of free
trade among our own citizens, whore tho
only competition wassbctwccn persons whose
standard of comfort was the same. lie was in
favor of protection, because il diversified in
dustries, brought producers and consumers
nearer together, and established a just distri-
button of the population among different pur-
suits and enabled us to escape the transporta-
tion charges and other wastes of foreign trade
except as to tho very few articles to the pro-
duction of which the country was not adapted,
but which we had acquired the habit Of using
Protection cheapened production, while
free trade cheapencd producers He
was in favor of the high protective duties
which had existed since the beginning of tho
civil war because they had stood the best test
that of experience, because at no time in our
history had the country been so prosperous as
rather than backward, believing with Bishop
Berkeley that times noblcst empire is its
last
After further debate the amendments offered
by Mcssrs. MCPHERSON and Hoar were rejected
the latter by vote of ayes 10, noes "a; the
former by n vote of ayes 5, noes -.
Mr.. Morgan moved to strike out all the
schedules and insert provision that after the
first Of July, 1888, tariff duties shall be re-
luccd 10 per cent, and after the first of July |
1884, there shall be further reduction of 10 |
per cent.
Mr.. Morgan's speech in favor of his amend |
ment gave rise TO short and spicy remarks by |
Messrs Morrill,, sherman, and COckrcll, in |
which charges and countcrchargcs, crimina-
lions and recriminations were exchanged as
10 where rested the responsibility of delaying |
The passage of the bill.
Mr.. Brown moved to place salt on the free
list. IOst-ayes 2i, noes 26.
Mr.. Vance offered an amendment repeating
30 much of the internal revenue laws as re-
lurcs storekcepor and gauger TO be ap.
pointed to distillerics having capacity of
less than thirty gallons per day, and provid-
ing that such distilleries shall obtain u license
therefor.
A long discussion ensued as to the propricty
Of the adoption of the amendment, Messrs.
Vance and McDill being the principal speak
Prs, and the debate being confined almost en-
tirely to the conduct of officers of internal
revenue in the 9th district of North Carolina.
Mr.. Cameron, of Pennsylvania, took occa-
sion, during lull In the proceedings, to
make brief speech on the general subject of
.hc tariff He did not believe in the asser-
ion that there was demand for general
readjustment of the tariff. There was no such
lemand. What the people needed was relief
from internal taxation. They did not believe
hat protection was really taxation He did
not believe that this discussion had been
beneficial. 1t had paralyzed trade for months
md would probably paralyze it for q year or
more to come. Let the senate devote itself
% tho reduction Of internal revenue, which
which would take off all in
ernal taxation, but stop at that
md let the tariff alone. He was inclined to
his opinion because he wanted the republican
,arty to be the party Of protection and Of |
protection for the whole country. There had
'ecn too many individual interests at work
rying TO control its adjustment, and which
anne here and asked for something for them
elves He did not believe in this kind of
protection. He believed in protection as q
principle, because he thought IL was the only
way that this great country, in all its sur
and characteristics, could have
prosperity. Protection meant prosperity for
or the Carolinas in their rice, Georgia
n her cotton, Louisiana in her sugar, Vir-
,inia, Pennsylvania, New York, and all the
'thor states in whatever industries and pro-
luCtions were best suited to them. Believing
n this however, he did not believe in trad
ng. lie would never trade one interest in
lis state to help gain the interests of another
tate. He had no right to criticise the actions
# other senators, nor had he the slightest in
ention to make any personal reflections, but
10 wanted to say that the republican party
or more than twenty-five years had pro-
laimed protection from the housetops, and
: was principle which had saved IL over
nd over again. Yet when senators came to-
ether here they acted simply each man
or the particular interest of his own
onstituents. That was unfair and unreas-
nable. If individual interests were
o control on the readjustment of the tariff,
ach bargaining and arranging with the other,
hen he was against this whole measure. He
vas protectionist not in the interest of this
r that industry, but for the welfare of the
Ihole country He was in favor of the ut
lost freedom of trade, but of the highest
possible protection against other countries for
we could produce ourselves. But
his protection must be framed for the benefit
I the country at large, not of certain
pecial interests and not by agreements
etween those interests. Let there be no
ttempts at q bargain. If there was any at
empt ut trading, il there was any attempt to
lake compromise he was against ID as abso-
ltely and unqualiiedly as the most extreme
rec trader in the senate. Let there be one
hing or another. Let there be free trade or
rejection. Let the senate be courageous
nOugh TO do what il believed TO be right.
n conclusion he moved TO recOmmit the bill