The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-15
A Democrat on the Morrison Tariff.

A Democrat on the Morrison Tariff
In the House of Representatives on Il
1st inst, Mr.. Eaton, of Connecticut, @
pressed his views on the Morrison tart
bill. Mr.. Eaton is known as strict COZ
Stitutional DemOcrat--one of the hard-she
kind, who is never compromising ma
when his party creed or organization
concerned. The following reference t
his speech will, therefore, be interestin
to our Democratic friends, especially tn
Free Trade element of the party. 1t is ful
nished by the Washington correspondent
of the New \ ork Tribune:
Mr.. Eaton complained that in Connect
| lieut. he was attacked on account OF his sup
posed free-tr;ide views, while IN the Hous
he is denounced by Democrats as protec
ZIONIST. 1T seems that the candle is to b,
burned at both ends at my own expense,
he exclaimed. Well known, as he is to b.
astrict constructionisto OF the Constitution
MIR, Eaton remarks on the general wei
fare'' provision Of that instrument mus
have surprised some of the free traders
who have argued that Congress has NJ
right to collect duties except ..for revenue
only" The Morrison bill he declared tt
be utterly and directly opposed to thu
CONSTITUTIONAL staggering of political
inebriate.' Further on he described the
bill as "a misbegotten bantling, and said
"I'll have none of it, and the people will
have none of it, AS political measure
"the Morrison bill, sO-called, is unworthy
of the distinguished committee which
brought it before the House." The
present tariff Mr.. Eaton described as "a
miserable Republican bantling," and sale
that the Ways and Means Committee ash
the House Ito cut off the tail of this bant
ling and then call it Democratic meas
| ure.'' why" he continued, ''there Ii
not a car-driver on the streets who could
not make just as good tariff bill as this
| by taking his car-hook and cutting off {
piece of the present law.n
In expouDding the general welfare
provision of the Constitution, Mr.. Eator
said New England manufacturers buy
and consume every year $50, 0Oo, 900 worth
Of cotton from the South, and $50,0O0,0 0(
of breadstuffs from the West. Is it moi
| for the general welfare that the South and
West should retain that market But
tlIty WUttlu lUoc III IL NEW EuSldllu ulduu-
features should be closed. Would that
read from section of the Constitution OF
the so-called Confederate States, the pro.
vision which declared that mo dutiesi OF
taxes on importations from foreign nations
should be laid to promote or foster any
branch of industry" The Morrison bill,
in his opinion, is III strict cOnsonance
with this provision, and he remarked :''It
seems to me some of our friends think
they are acting under that Constitution
instead of the Constitution of the United
States''
Their arguments fitted the Confederate
Constitution and would have been appro-
pirate in the Confederate Congress in
Richmond some twenty years ago. a
Mr.. Eaton adverted to the offer made by
himself and other Democrats to Morrison
several weeks ago to assist in the prepare
tiOn and passage of tariff BILL Col. Nor
rison, who had been restless for some time
rose and asked .'Do you say that you
brought me the draft of a bill.'' Aa
mo If you desire Oh are willing can
inform the House of the exact nature of
the proposition submitted to you, and
which you refused to entertain.''
COL Morrison did not ask for the ex-
PLANTATION. , ai
Mr.. EatOn'S exposure of the incOnsist-
encies and contradictions of the Free
Trade speakers was keen and merciless.
Zone of them told us the Yankee manu-
facturers rob the South every year of 49,
900, 000, 900. Mr.. Welburn, of Texas. put
the amount. at 81 ,150, 200. 900 Mr.. Clay, of
Kentucky. at 81 ,250, 600, 900 another man
at 1856, 900. 900, and Mr.. Hurd at only
$450.000,000. BY the first estimate of 49,
900, 100000 was great deal staggered,
when remembered that the entire cotton
crop Of the South amounts to only $780,
100000. l wondered where the Yankee
manufacturers found the other $2,7O0,-
100000.
Mr.. Eaton said that some time ago a
little manufacturing village in his district
was visited by a professor belonging to a
neighbOring Connecticut college. "a free
trade theorist of the first water" who de-
livered an address. He assured a farmer
IN the audience that the manufacturers
were robbing and running him. why"
said the farmer, II came here few years
ago with $500 and bought farm. upon
which | placed a mortgage of $1,000. /
have paid off the mortgage, my farm is
well stocked and / have money in the saw
ings bank. did not know anybody was
robbmg me-" '.Oh WE'LL replied the cute
professor, s'you have managed to live
through it. But you are being robbed all
the same. Why, let me tell you that for
every yard of cloth in the shirt that you
are wearing you are compelled to pay
cents per yard more than you would have
to pay if it were not for the robber tariff. +"
"Now," rejoined the farmer, s'yeu would
not say that if you did not believe it but
you cannot prove it with all the algebra
and l0garithms in the world. Although
you might perhaps do so from Esop' s
fables. The fact is only paid 5 cents a
yard for that cloth.'' si ~
2 MI. Eaton took Oscar Turner, of Ken
lucky, to task for some slurring remarks
about ''the Yankees II am New
England Yankee, and proud of it., said
Mr.. Eaton. He defined the word sly an
kee,' and then went on with glowing
words to recite the history of Yankee
achievements. Referring to the battle Of
Saratoga, he applauded the conduct of
Benedict Arnold without mentioning his
name. A Democrat asked, ironically, to
whom he referred. ITO Arnold, who I
am sorry to say afterward became a traitor
to his country, but whose conduct on the
field of Saratoga was brave and patriotic.
A litter ran through the ex-Confederate
ranks and Mr.. Hammond, of Georgia,
seemed especially delighted. This at
tracted Mr.. Eaton's attention and he
blazed out: II see the gentleman from
Georgia is smiling. Let me say that Ar
mold was the only New England Yankee
ever heard of that was traitor to his
country. / think could go to other States
and find good many men who were trail
tors" Half the seats on the Democratic
side were occupied by Republicans, who
loudly applauded this sally, which the
Southern free-traders by no means enjoyed.
The speech produced great effect, but
whether it will promote harmony or the
general welfare" of the Democratic party
may be fairly questioned. When Mr.
Eaton had concluded, he was Immediately
surrounded and warmly congratulated by
Democrats who share his views on the
tariff question, as wei, as by Republicans
and it was at least ten minutes before or.
der was restored so that Mr.. Hammond
could begin pOnder0us free-trade speech
which quickly emptied nearly every seat
on both sides of the House.
The New York Sun, which favors nc
Republican candidate for the Presidency
gives the following estimate of the
strength of the persons named before the
Republican National Convention, on the
LIST ballot. 1t is merely an estimate, but
looks as reasonable as any we have seen :
Arthur. ............. 1928 Hawley .............. L