The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-18
DEBATING THE MILLS BILL
Opening of the Debate on Tariff Reduc-
ton in the House Of Representatives.
Mr. Mills Thinks the Passage Of the Bill Will
Comfort the Poor Man, and Mr.. Kelley
Says 1t viii ParalJze Many Industries.


for the location of a branch soldiers home IN
Grant county, Indiana.
Bills were reported for the erection of public
buildings at Sioux City, Ia; New Orleans. La;
Brownsville. Tex; Hot Springs. Ark; Helena,
H. T.. and Racine, Wis.
The bill to create boards of arbitration for
setting controversies between common carriers
and their employees wasnreported, Was the
bill prohibiting the importation of convict made
goods.
resolution was reported and adopted asking
the Postmaster-eenera for information concern
ing the rates of postage seeds, and whether
Canadians given advantages over Americans
en- gagged in the seed business.
Mr.. Mills. of Texas. then moved that the
House go into committee of the whole for con-
sideration of the tariff bill. No opposition was
made to the motion, andis was carried without
division-Mr. Springer. OF Illinois, assuming
the chair.
During the war;" said Mr.. Mills, as he took
the floor to open the debate, sthe expenditures
required by the enormous military establish
ment demanded that the burdens of taxation
should be laid heavily in all directions author
lied by the Constitution The internal revenue
tax and the direct tax had been called into
requisition to supplements the revenues arising
from customs to aid the treasury to respond to
duties imports had been raised from an
average of Is 81 per ceneein 1861 to average
of 40 70 per cent. during the five years from 1862
TO 1866 inclusive. This had been recognized at
the time as exceptionally heavy burden. IL
had been stated by the DISTINGUISHED gentleman
who presented the tariff measure at that time
that this is intended q measure.
and we must such give it our
support More than twenty years had
elapsed since the war ended generation
had passed and new generation had appe AIRED
on the stage since peace had returned TO bless
our common country; but these taxes still
remained, and they were heavier to-day than
they were the average during the five years
OF the existence of hostil1ties. The average
rate of duty during the last five years amounted
average was A. 10. After this large Increase
had been made, Congress had imposed slight
direct or internal revenue tax upon domestic
manufacturers. and that tax had brought into
the treasury, in 1866. 1927. 900. 000 That
but a 1.-THE of the heavy burdens that were laid
upon imports. 1t amounted to about per
cent. on the whole manufactured products of
the country IN 1866. 1t was thought to be a
reasonable taZ to impose on manufacturers whip
were receiving large bounties from the govern
ment in the enhancement of the prices of their
products But that tax was gone. 1t could not
live. 1t was tax on wealth. Il was tax that
came out of the pockets of the manufacturers
1t was q tax that came from those into whose
pockets the government had brought large
bounties Congress had imposed tax in
comes to help carry the war, and there were
460. 10 people in the United States in 1866 that
had $7O7, 600 600 of net income upon which they
were assessed duty which brought into this
Treasury in 1866 500, 000, 600; but that tax had
gone 1t was tax wealth. 1t was said to
be onerous tax 1t said to be in
quisitorial in it's nature. 1t was said to be op-
pressive. 1t thought TO be just by those
who had charge Of the administration of the
government to take off those burdens and place
them the shoulders of those whom the
Official reports showed had nothing but living
And tax 10. OF s3oz per per os cent. on net in.
but the war tax clothing, upon food and
upon labor still remained. Every effort that
had been made to bring the exactions of the
government down to q peace esrablis b me t had
been resisSed step by step, and every effort had
been defeated The Democratic party had been
trying to reduce taxation upon the necessities
of life, and it was charged by gentlemen on the
other side that it had not mplished any re-
duction. That would be grave charge if the
gentlemen who made it were not guilty of hav-
ing prevented the Democrats from accomplish
ing the reduction. 1t did not lie In their mouths
to charge the Democrats with failing to reduce
taxation when they had mustered their whole
strength to strike out the enacting clause Of the
bills presented by the Democrats Twice they
had acconp lished that, and twice they had re-
fused even to consider the question of a reduc-
ton was paid by hard daily toll.
Suppose q laborer with dollar a day
could buy a wooden suit of clothes for $40; 1t
required ten days labor to purchase it. but when
the tariff put duty OF 100 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 ten days Of labor been anuihiateda Either
il had been annlhilated or the proceeds of ten
days labor had been transferred from the labor
er TO some one else. But the greatest evil in
f1icted upon the people by the excessive taxation
on the consumers of the country was in the de-
struction of the values of exports. The great
body of exports was agricultural products From
70 to 80 per cent of she exports were such
products. War duties limited importation, and
tions were therefore thrown upon the home
market; It became over supplied and the prices
went down. 1t was insisted that If duties
lower and foreign goods were i'm ported our people
would be turned out of employment and the
rates of wages would be reduced. Nothing of
the sort would happen. If we had no tariff, if
government supported by direct taxation, there
would not be exceeding 10 per cent of imported
manufactured products consumed by the people
of the country. Why was it thatthis lIttle re-
duction the Democrats were asking for WAS
fought with desperation7 Whv was 1t that gem
temen of the other side not only resisted every
effort TO reduce taxation, but were now asking |
that the tariff on WOODEN goods should be raised
over 100 per cent, when they could be produced |
cheaper. and were produced cheaper. in this
country than in Europel II pig-iron, and scroll
iron, and hoop-iron, and cotton goods were |
cheaper here than in Europe why did gentle |
men resist evsry effort to naturalization lit |
tie to reduce the surplus in the Treasury 1t |
was said the high tariff made high wages for
labor; it was said if the tariff were reduced |
wages must be reduced 1t was saad that if the |
value of the domestic product was increased the |
Unquestionably. But did he do it, No. |
Jay Gould was able to pay his |
bootblack $780, but did he do in No; |
he paid his nickel, like little man. Wander |
bilt from his income arising from the immense |
amount of United States bonds he owned, could |
afford to pay his hostler $40, 900 year, but did
he 90 i'll Oh. no, he went out into the market |
and employed his labor s.t thu market values |
paid, the same as the hum lest citizen in New |
York did. High tariff did not regulate wages. |
w ages were regulated by demand and supply, |
and the capacity of the laborer to do his work. |
1t was coal, aud steafn, and machinery that |
made the high rate OF wages in this country, |
and the high rate of wages meant low cost of /
production
Mr. Mills then proc eeded with frequent cita-
tons from economical authors and from tabu- I
lated statements, to elucidate his argument that I
the high rate of wages IN this country was not
the result of the prdtectivs system We had I
grown rich, prosperous and powerful. not by the /
aid OF restrictions on foreign commerce, but in
spite of them. He wished TO show that the tar