St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-16
the artisan than his work" applause on

sold TO the industrial towns surrounding
BIRMINGHAM. Much was heard about free
raw material. He denied that the free trade
Democracy Of the country, as represented on
this floor was in favor of free raw material.
Under the present tariff, every element of
raw material which could be
discovered was already on the free list
The pending bill put 20 or 80
articles on the free list, but not one of them
was raw material. The raw material for salt
was brine, which was pumped out. Coal in
the earth is selling at so much per ton "un-
sight, unseen,n was raw material, but when
thousands and hundreds of thousands OF
dollars had been expended in making 1t ac-
cesslble to mans use, it was not. Aicohol
was raw material and only two Democrats,
Hewitt and Randall, were in favor OF putting
it on the free list. What was charged for the
use Of natures solvent, for which man had
held is covered, is no substitute. Be
fore the American farmer could advance
his raw material, corn, one stage IN manu-
facture. he had to pay 80 cnets peck. The
same was true of tobacco. 1t was tax on
the producing and trading classes. In the
rece for cheapness, production left the pros
porous countries and found its way to the
most oppressed, and those whose people
would work for the smallest mOdicum of
food and clothing. The United States had
entered on the work of banishing manufac-
lures, and he asked that the tariff rates be
rainstated, as he had hoped they would have
been by the majority at last congress. By
abosling the duty on quinine and salts of
quinine, the largest manufacturer in
the country had been obliged to send all his
stock abroad, and to employ cheap
rman labor and cheap raw material in its
manufacture. By putting a duty Of 2 ITO
cents per pound on tin plate the United
States had succeeded in establishing manu-
factories, but by the displacement of the
comma it had qeen held that only duty Of
l 10 cents had been imposed. The effect
of this has been to strike down the industry.
The sapent secretary of the treasury had
held that the word ''highest," in the last
tariff law meant ''lowest" and on account
of that ruling wire rod makers were import
Ing wire rods, pretty well made, from the
other side Of the water.
Mr.. Hewitt, Of New York, suggested that
q Republican and not a Democratic tariff
had done that.
Mr.. Kelly replied, if the 20 per cent. Demo
Gratis in last congress had united with the
Republicans, the tariff on wire rods would
have been placed a; such rate as to enable
Americans to manufacture them.
Mr.. Hewitt-''WonId you have allowed US
to fix the thing in conference committed"
Kelly-Yes, sir. No Democrat would serve
on that committee save Carlisle, who served
quietly, in order TO observe what was done.
Nary enc dared.,'
Mr. Hewitt-''Then the whole performance
Tas a Republican performance"
Mr.. Kclly-''The conference had to deal
with the materials you sent us Are there
Republicans in this house who propose to re-
duce the duty on wire rods 20 per cent!
Who voted for it to-day, the Republicans or
Democrats? Don't let us talk about what
occurred year ago. Let US go back only
two hours Kelly then repeated the asser-
ton he had made, that the productions had
outrun the consumption. Every reduction
of wages diminished the power of the masses
to consume, and magnifed the evil from
which the people of the whole industrial
world were now suffering. This
evil could not be righted by
90 per cent reduction. of
the tariff, now too light on good many
articles, which should be produced in the
United States, nor by blow at the agricul-
tural interest. The south of Russia was now
engaging Americans to erect elevators, to
build factories for American agricultural
machinery, and to aid in the construction of
TdllTOduS 10 SCdpOIlS, anu IL Guc IdIIlCIS VI
America did not care for their interests, and
did not strive, by proper legislation, or di-
versify their agricultural products, their mar
kets would be gone, and in comparison with
the price they now received for wheat, they
would receive a price little more than
nominal. He could see but two means by
which the markets could be increased, with
a third means glimmering in the future.
Stop all importation of cheap labor, send
back to whatever country they come from,
men or women who had signed contracts in
foreign lands, or on ship board at lower
wages than the wages of American laborers.
Applause. See that the wages were kept
SO high that the public schools might be well
sustained and the children reasonably well
educated. Protect American mothers against
degradation by becoming drudges of men in
glass works, iron FORCES and rolling mills, if
necessary, by declaring eight hours as the
longest period in the twenty-four that men
or machinery may run. He advocated pro-
due ion of sorghum in the west, and especial
ly i'll the southwest, as a means of diversity
ing the labor of the American farmer, and
enhancing the sale of his productions. Let
the country be isolated. 1t was unlike any
other. 1t was not a monarchy or an empire.
1t was free republic every human being
rights of a freeman, and with the duty
before him of helping to maintain the gov
eminent, which could only live as long as
virtue, intelligence and independence char
acterzed its citizens, and this it could not
do if it were to begin in the unholy race for
the ''cheap and nasty" under the teachings
of dismal science. Applause on the Re
publican side.
Mr.. Mills was the next speaker. The re-
duction of the taxes must come on some
thing, and the question presented for the
decision Of congress was as to the articles on
which the reduction should be made. What
article commended itself most strongly to
their consideration. What article
should be cheapened in order
that the consumption should
be increased among the people? Was it
whisky or food! Was it whisky or clothing?
Was it whisky or the implement of labor!
The demand for the repeal of the whisky
tax came from three classes, the distillers,
the holders of government securities and
the national banking interests, and they
were arrayed against internal revenue, be-
cause all three were deeply interested in
maintaining the national debt. He argued
against the repeal of the internal revenue
tax, and in favor of a reduction of the
tariff duties. The pending Dill was eX-
IRENE in nothing. 1t was exceedingly
moderate It would prove substantial re
lief from taxation to the people. But that
was only one half the good which would re-
suit from its passage. 1t would remove the
distractions in the way of the expectation
of American agricultural products. 1t would
increase inportations; it would increase ex-
portation; it would increase the value of the
exports. 1t would decrease the price of man
ufactured products.
He reviewed the tariff legislation of the
country to show the condition of the indus
trial classes, and the community
at LARGE were more prosperous during the