Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-02
TARIFFREFORM BILLPASSED
Chairman Mills Makes a Speech in
Favor Of II.
The Vote Stand. Iee t,I4e

After the house had been called TO order on
the 2lst inst, Mr.. Mills, the author, rose TO
address that body in support of the bill
which has occupied its attention for 80
many weeks.
He began by calling attention to the enor-
nous surplus locked up in the treasury, and
declaring that il was contracting the circu-
lation and obstructing the wheels of COM
merce, and that the longer IL was permitted
to increase the greater would be the con-
traction of the results of labor, and the more
keenly would grow the depression of trade.
Mr.. Mills briefly outlined the financial oon-
dition OF the country, and the tendencies of
the nations capital under the influence OF
present tariff laws, and then entered into tho
merits OF the measure under consideration.
He said there was no state in the Union
that has tax equal TO that levied by the
federal government, which amounts TO s.
on the 800 at the present time. And yet
this bill is characterized as a free trade
measure because IL proposes to reduce this
tax to 80 per cent. He declared in favor OF
tariff tax which would simply pay the ex-
penses Of an economical administration OF
the government. The tariff law of 1916 was
denounced as free trade measure and yet
IL became necessary TO reduce that tax. He
made various comparisons between the
present tariff taxes and those proposed by
his bill, and inquired, as each comparison
was made, if this was 'free trade" Especial
attention was given TO the reductions on
hemp, flax and woolens, explaining that
they were for the consumer as well as the
manufacturer, and that the duty retained
on these articles was amply sufficient to af-
ford proper protection to tho producers
and manufacturers. He could see no free
trade tendency in any of the reductions of
duty. The free trade was represented in
the free list. A strong defense was made
OF the free list, which reduces tho income
so, 000, 900 a year. Free wool, he said, was
but an Offset TO the free cotton provided
for by the republican side Of the house.
Nothing was said about free trade when
the republicans put cotton on the free list,
but when 1t was proposed 10 put wool on
the free list the combination was struck.
Wool is q necessary article for man and for
beast. II is the basis for alharticles of
clothing. God never intended that il
should be taxed. 1t should be free So
should salt, which is on the free list. Salt
is a necessary. For the preparation of
many kinds of food it is Indispensable, and
it should and must be free. But any and
every reduction we make is charged TO us
as free traders" And yet we are not in
favor of free whisky Hong and enthusiastic
applause on the democratic sidel. Item by
item the free list In the bill was noted
and comment made upon each.
Mr.. Mills speech was just an hour in
length, and amid storms Of democratic APP
plause the previous question was called on
the democratic bill.
Mckinley demanded separate vote on
the amendment placing cotton ties on the
free list. The amendment was adopted,
ayes 170, nays 1913.
The vote was then taken on the final pas
sage Of the bill and resulted-yeas l62,
nays l49.
Mr.. Sowden of Pennsylvania, Greenman
and Bliss of New York (Dems.) voted
against the bill, and Mr.. Fitch of New
York, and Mr.. Nelson of Minnesota (Reps.)
voted for it. The four independent mem
bers also voted aye.
OF the Michigan delegation, Chapman,
Fisher Ford and Tarsney voted for the
bill; Allen, Burrows, Brewer, Cutcheon,
Seymour and O'Donnell recorded against
II. Whiting failed to reach Washington in
time TO cast vote.