The Portland daily press., 1884-02-14
Morrison's Tariff Bill.
senator Hale Points Out What Would bo
its Effect On Maine Industries.


A Bangor gentleman has received the FOL
lowing letter from Senator Hale:
o. s. SENATE,
My Dear Sir:
Your letter of February 7th has Just been re-
ceived and, In compliance with your request,
enclose copy OF the new tariff bill, Introduced
oy Mr.. Morrison, the chairma IN OF the commit
tee on ways and means, in the House.
1t Is the result OF long study and preparation
on the part OF MIR. Morrison and his associ atss,
who represent that large majority OF the
Democratic party in the House Of Represents
tives which nominated and elected Speaker
Carlisle.
1t is an additional piece OF evidence to that
election, showing that whatever Controversies
may arise in the Democratic party upon the
subject OF the tariff in the end the free trade
faction Is sure to come out ahead.
Mr.. Randall, with his long experience and
acKnowleged skill In managing personsl poll
tics aud with the uudoubted support of many
OF the great leaders in the party outside OF Com
gress, was unable to make stand against this
prevailing sentiment.
IT there Is anything that the Democratic
party today believes in and is willing 10 maks
light for It is free trade or. what is the near
est approach to IL possible, tariff for revenue
only. There are many individual exceptions
to this OF course, aud there are States, like
Pennsylvania, where the local sentiment ia too
strong for this natural bias Of ths party: bat
that bias controls the party TODAY, and will
shape lis action wherever it gains any lod1-
meat IN the national government.
The indoctrination OF the party before the
war, when the entire South was for free trade.
ls influencing and controlling it's seutimsnt 10.
day. No matter what evssive and double-
deallug resolutions Democratic State Couven.
tions may pass or Democratic National Con-
ventlons may set up as their platform in order,
as General Gordon, 10 his oit-quoted letter In
favor OF Mr.. Rand alls nomin naLlon as Soeaker.
puts Il, 10 keep the real issus out OF sight I'M.
til after election" whenever such election Ia
over and the Democratic party has succeeded
IA getting power, as 1t did in the elections OF
1852, In the House OF Representatives, it will
proceed to make nominations, select leaders
and lsgisate against the Republican doctrine
OF tarln for revenue only, with the distiuc-
tive feature OF projection excluded.
IL is worth the while for the people OF Maine
both Democratic and Republican, 10 examine
this new tariff bill, in order TO see how this In.
evitable DRIFT of the Democratic party affects
Maine industries.
Ii our people had been selected as an in
stance OF aisc.eline and punishment to be ad-
ninistered because OF their repndiasion OF the
Democratic party, no tariff bill coufd--haye
been framed mora obnoxious and dangerous
to them.
Look at section q which provides 'sTha. ON
aud after the first day uf July, 1884, the List
OF articles following shall be placed upon the
iree list, and DO exempt from duty" That
list Includes:
Timber. hewn and sawed and timber used for
spars and in building wharves
Wood, uomanufacGured not especiallv snnn,ara-
ted or provided for in this act.
Hay.
Lime.
DeAtrine burnt starch, gum substitute. or Briti,s
gum. - D4i'"
Extract of hemlock and other bark. used for tan
this act -
Under this bill, the lumber camps and mills
OF Maine, her lime quarries along tho shore,
tne Starch factories in AHoostook and eyerv
farmer in his bayfield, are thrown into unnro.
sectd composition with the products Of New
OF the world
The product OF the cheaper labor, outside of
ouI ooroers, is thrown at once upon our mar
kets, to compete with our labor.
II needs no argument or illustration, with
our name people, to show the effect OF this
IL Is In startling contrast with tue result of
last years legislation, in q Republican Con-
gress, when the tariff bill, passed by that Com
gress Tor the purpose both Of reducing the raw
enues and OF setting at rest that tariff aeita-
t'on which always disturos business, provided
Tor the protection of Maine industries, 90 thas
Maine interests were cared for in common with
other industrial interests throughout the coun-
try.
every one OF these items, in which the peo-
pie OF Maine have such deep interest, oamo
up Tor discussion and controversy, daring the
consideration OF the bill in the Senats, and noe
one OF them was struck at, when the bill was
passed.
The Morrison bill is a menace to . large part
OF the labor OF Maine, and it Is probs bly, bettor
that the people of the State should learn, AZ
this early day. what they may expect at the
hands of the Democratic party, should il ever
be intrusted with the control Of the national
government.
About all that is needed further, to crush ont
our industries in Maine, is the adoption Of the
iree ships" policy, urged By Mr.. Cox and
other Democratic leaders.
Yesterday, when Mr.. Frye reported the bill
for the relief of American shipping, Mr.. Vest,
the Democratic Senator from Missouri, antae-
onized it with proposition for free ships, snd
that question has get to be settled when ths
bill comes up for action.
Yours very truly.
EUGENE HALE