Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-18

Sdflu puLS duty OF one hundred per Cent.
the suit would cost $40. Then it required
twenty days labor for the man to secure
what he could otherwise have secured
for ten days labor. Had not ten
days labor been annihilated? Either it
had been annihilated or tho proceeds of
ten days labor had been transferred from
the laboIer to some one else. But the
greatest evil inflicted upon the people by
the excessive taxation on the consumers of
the country was in the destruction of the
values of exports. The great body of tx
ports were
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
From rs to 80 per cent. of the exports were
such products. War duties limited i'm
portation and that limited expectation
The surplus of productions were therefore
thrown upon the home market. 1t be-
came oyer-supplied, and the prices went
down. II was insisted that if duties were
lower and foreign goods were imported our
people would be turned ont of employment
and the rates of wages would be reduced.
Nothing Of the sort would happen. II we
had no tariff, if all the custom houses were
torn down and the government supported
by direct taxes there would not be
exceeding ten per cent of manufactured
products consumed by the people Of this
country. 1t was said that high tariff
made high wages f,r labor; it was said
that if the tariff we're reduced wages must
ne reduced 1t was said thst if the value
of the domestic product was increased the
manufacturer was enabled to psy higher
wages Unquestionably. But did he do
it? No. Jay Gould was able to pay his
boot black $500, but did he do it? No,
he paid his nickle like little man. Van
immense amount OF United States bonds he
owned could afford TO pay his hostIer S10,-
900 year, but he did not do it? Oh, no;
he went out into the market and employed
labor at the market value, and paid the
same as the humblest citizen in New York.
Old high tariff did not regulate wsges.
Wages were regulated by demand and sup
ply, and the capacity of the laborer to do
his work 1t WAS coal and steam and ma
chinery that made the high rate of wages
ia this country, and the high rate Of wages |
meant the low cost of production.
In conclusion, he said that he hoped |
that the bill, which the committee had |
presented-which had met with favor |
throughout the country-would receive
majority of the votes af the House, though |
it was not all that the committee could |
ask. 1t was very modest bill, yet it
would send comfort and happiness into all
the homes and bosoms of the
poor laboring people of this country,
and be asked the House in behalf
of these people to consider their claims and
help to reduce the burdens that had been |
loaded upon them. Applause and cries of
vote. vote, from the Democratic side Mr.. |
Mills spoke about an hour aud three |
quarters and he took his seat he was sur
rounded by the crowd of Democratic MEM |
bers who pressed forward to shake his |
hand and tender their congratulations.
KELLY REPLIES.
At the close of MI. Mills address, Judge |
Kelly, of Pennsylvania, replied. He said
said that the enactment of this bill would |
instantly parslyze the enterprise and ener-
gy of the people. Under the blneful in
tluence of such law the report or the ceu-
sus of 1890 would announce the overthrow
Of our manufacturing supremacy and the
VI OuI
position to that of colonial de-
tendency. II was studiously design
ell to produce these dire results,
and nicely adapted for its purpose. 1t
wss confessedly partisan measure and
was framed in the interes. of party whose
leaders appeared to be oblivious to the
social ana economic changes
wrought by the abolition OF slavery.
Mr.. Kelly spoke for two hours, and
when he resumed his seat was loudly ap-
plauded and received the congratulations
of his party friends.
The committee then rose aud tbs House