Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1888-04-18
GREAT AND LIVE ISSUE.
Chairman lllls Talks en-
the Tariff Question.
The Pvt Measare 81 Tie Dsno noeraey h
Considered hy the Hsase -
csanlttss Il the whole.

WAsRIx0rox. April 1.-The hoes.
vens into . committee Of sbe vhoIs
With Ar. springer. ef Illinois, in the
chair for the consideration Of shs sar,6
osu No opposition vaa made TO Mr,
Aiils's motion 10 this eject.
NJ. 1ttis began bis speecs By saying
thAs the great increase Of duties made
during the gar bad been ii the tiue
they were made vas stated 10 be Only
Temporary, Jet . quarter Of . ceusury
later theee cutiss vere Aieher than shey
sere during the Gar and they noe aver
ase &J-io per cenAon the imposfs. An IN.
come tax bad been tmposed 10 meel the
var expenses. It vas eone. ID uaa .
ssx 90 wealth and $4,000. coo annually
reAiizsd from that source vas sveps
away. bot the var tax on cloahius, food
and implements Of labor remained and
the was vas still being prosecuted
against the people, . fiscal var which
Vas exhanstinR IN ita demands. and
every edost 10 removs or lower
that TAXATION had been fesssted and de-
fsated. The Democrats had been tauut-
cd With the charge that they had failed
70 redues taxation. This charge had
been that they vere guilty Of prevent
log action on the many bills bseasht
Into THE house by the commistee on
vsys and means. Mr.. Mills tarued his
attention to the woslen manufactures,
and argued that the public al large vas
injured By the present excessive
eAxes and nobody was bsnefitei.
High duties prohibited and limited im.
portasions and sxportatious. We we're
feeding she people Of Europe and when
we put high duties on goods they cent
us IN exchange for food. Il Amounted %
taxing our own agricultural exports.
A reduction Of duties would not, a. o.
serted. oheok manufacturers and cramp
labor. We always imported more
goods when prices were nigh. Under
lover duty ve could export more goods,
the manufacturers would run steadily.
Labor would b. continually emplsyed
and not more than 10 per cent OF the
goods consumed in the United States
would be imported II all the custom
houses were torn down and the govern.
mens supported by direct taxes. Tue
ffotectionises argus that manufactured
articles were cheaper here than In any
other country AZ result Of protection
Is vas not 80. bat supposing that Il vss,
Why then shoaid they resiss 60 strenu-
onsiy auy effort 10 lower the duties II
they we're able 10 underseli Europeau
manufacturers. Did the mauufsctuters
p,y higher wages because protection
enabled them to do it3 No. jay Gouid
vas able 70 pay his boot black eSO0, bat
did be do itr He paid the mar ket price.
He paid his nickel like Q little man.
Higher wages we're made By coal, steam
and machinery, and higher wages meant
q lower cost OF production. This 40
counted for the fact that free trade Eua.
land paid higher wages than pretection
France aud Germany yet controlled the
Werld's market. he had requested the
present chief of the labor bnreau TO a.
certain u there vas hny exception 10
tee rule that wages depended on the ef.
6niency OF labor and the result Of highly
paid, efficient labor vas & low
COST Of produce. In answer be read
tabnlated statement prepared by Mr..
Wright giving the result Of the inquiry
To q number Of cases which appeared
TO folly bear out the rule. Mr.. Mills
closed bis speech amid applause. Az
$50 o'clock Mr.. Kelly. Of Pennsylvania,
took the door to reply.