The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-17

used in mixture with American WOODS, and thus
lessons the demand for American woods, instead
of increasing it, as intended 1t gives the Eu-
ropean manufacturer control of all foreign
woods. 1t thus causes the importation of foreign
wool to come in manufactured form, and the
more the duty has been increased the more dis
astrous has been the result to the American
ool-grower. It. has furnished a good excuse
for heaping heavy taxes upon the clothing of the
people, and it has taken from the wool growers
an amount far exceeding any benefit which they
might have imagined they would derive from
the tariff, without giving them the imagined
benefit 1t greatly reduces the wages OF the
workingman in the wool business; it ruins in
vestors interested in its manufacture; it has
greatly hindered our trade with our natural Gus
toners in Sonth America; it has made clothing
dearer in America and cheaper ir Europe: it has
injured all classes and helped none. The com
mittee therefore recommend that the resolution
lie on the table, but that the prayer of the tex
tile workers of Philadelphia should be granted
that the duties On wool should be repealed and
the duties on wooden manufactures reduced to at
least equal extent
The adverse report of the committee upon the
Wilkins resolutions declares against any reduc
tion of the duty on WOOL and is based upon a let
ter written to the chairman by John @ Smith,
formerly member OF Congress from Ohio and
at one time Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Mr.. Smith comments severely upon the letter
written to the Secretary of the Treasury by
committee purportlng to represent the wool
growers of Ohio in which they strongly favor a
restoration of the duty of 1867. Mr. Smith says
'"They are not ashamed openly and publicly to
declare the sentiment of the country is to be
controlled by the two selfish interests-wool-
growers and wool-marufacturers That it is ut
terly insincere in its pretense that it is laborng
to secure the prosperity of American industries
is made manifest by the open and bitter threat
that, in case they fail to get high rate of duty
OH wool, they will enjoy the compensation of
having free goods. In other words, it is men
acing threat mot without purpose) that if they
do not get their share of the plunder they will
see to it that the manufacturers shall not longer
enjoy theirs It is to be devoutly hoped that
wool will be made free, and that these men may
grow madder and madder, until the whole abom-
Unable business is swept out of existence, and the
millions of poor people of America allowed to
clothe themselves in the softest and warmest
garments that money will buy in any market of
the world. hope your committee will
give not only the wool tariff but the whole tariff
system searching investigation"
THE ARGUMENT OF THE MINORITY.
Representative Mckinley. of Ohio, on behalf
of the minority of the committee on ways and
means, submitted to-day report on the wool
resolution reported adversely by that committee.
The minority report says that the majority re-
port, while ostensibly made upon the resolution,
is, in fact, a supplemental report of the general
tariff bill, and evidently intended as defense
for the action of the committee in proposing to
place wool upon the free list The minority GO
into an exhaustive argument bristling with fig
ures, to demonstrate that the growth and devel-
opment of agriculture have not been obstructed
by protective tariffs. and the report then con-
tinues:
''Our political system differs from all Others
Universal citizenship and equal suffrage consti-
tute the foundation upon which our Republic
rests, and the real and wider question: therefore,
of the tariff is. what will best maintain our IN
dustrial pursuits and labor conditions suitable
to the high political duties of our people and the
exalted trusts which are confided to thema That
is the real question, in its comprehensive view.
1t touches the health and progress of the Repub-
lie, for it touches the condition-mora physical
and intellectual-of the citizens from whom it
must draw its force. and character. and strength.
You cannot affect the citizen, either for good or
ILL., without the Nation feeling il. The relation
of the people to the government and of the gov
ernment to the people is close and intimate
that you cannot touch the one without its being
quickly felt by the other. So long as Ameri-
can protective tariffs operate to foster
and cherish American enterprises, which are
enabled to provide profitable employment to
American labor, SO long should American tariffs
be upheld and defended, whether assaulted by
influences at home or influences abroad. We
cannot be healthy and vigorous as a nation, we
cannot successfully lead in the race of freedom,
progress and equitable citizenship, if the source
of power-the peoples neglected, iil-fed, i'll
paid, and without the comforts and deprived of
Cu0 ueaitnIul cOnQltlOnS which SnOulQ De enjoyed
by political equity. 1t is not question simply
of whether shall clothe ourselves in cloths
manufactured from American woods or in cloths
fabricated from Australian woods, but, how will
the Nation at large and the individual citizen be
affected by the policy which makes the latter
necessary if not inevitable2 1t is not the mar
row question of the cost of the clothes
we wear, or the food we eat, or the
lumber which gives shelter to our homes but.
what will be the general effect of such reduced
oil lxuh tch fnlI - o;&S
zenship, and ultimately its influence upon the
strength and character of our institutions? The
government which derives all its powers from
the people, must be mindful of their interests,
considerate of their character, and in every way
possible favor their preparation for the RESPONSE
bilities with which they are charged. 1t is 4
broader question than the price of the domestic
or the foreign product, and while the former
may, In some instances, cost a little more than
the latter, it is of little significance when meas
ured by the comfort and advantage of the masses
of our country, which cannot be secured without
the maintenance of an American policy, which
this proposed legislation is intended to over
throw.
''Free trade with every other nation of the
world means to us either the substantial aban-
donment of many of the chief industries of the
country, or. if they to survive it means
equal cost in the manufacture of competing
products. One of the two things must newt
ably result from free trade. and either, IN our
judgment, is most undesirable and wholly un-
necessary. In some departments of industry the
cost of production in this country is greater than
that of any other, and to remove the protection
which we secure by our tariffs will either sur
render our markets in those departments to our
foreign competitors, or, if we would hold them,
we must diminish the cost of competing prod
ucts, and that means-and there can be no other
resul.-a radical reduction in the wages of our
workmen Our duty therefore, is not limited
to the mere question of dollars and cents, but it
is deeper and more far-reaching 1t relates to
the power and capacity of the people to perform
their duties as citizens. Comparisons cannot be
made with other nations. This is a Nation of
citizens, not subjects. Whatever therefore,
will secure to the laboring masses their full
share in the joint profits Of capital and labor,
promote tho highest intelligence and largest in
dependence, should be adopted and become per-
manently part of our national policy"