St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-09
Like Jay Gould, He Is on All
Sides Of All Cues
tons.
Lengthy Arguments in Favor
Of the Pennsylvania
Idea"
He Will Vote to Consider the
Mills Bill--The Flax
Question.

your recent favor, enclosing series of
resolutions alleged to have been adopt
ed by the Farmers Alliance of Mobiles
county, and demanding an immediate
answer to them. Without assuming to
find fault with youa alliance for con-
demning me without a hearing, OF,
charging me with dishonest motives
and intentions without aseertaining
what my intentions and motives are, |
shall answer your letter in the same
spirit [ would have done if you had
seen fit to request my views before pass
ing judgment. Neither do I find fault
with your treat, as such. 1t is your
right to threaten as it is to condemn, if
you see fit. In responding to threat
ening communication of this character,
the party answering is at adisadvant-
age. If he expresses assent to the pro-
position urged upon him. it enables his
adversary to claim that the threat was
effective. For that reason, and to pro-
tect myself against the charge of hay
ing been forced to express views which
l did not entertain in order to placate
my constituents, | feel compelled to
answer your resolutions by quoting
from letter which | wrote to E. j.
Hodgson, of st. Paul, on the 10Th day
of July, 1856 as follows: ''That you
may understand me and my views the
better, will state to you, that while l
am Republican, do now and always
have believed in country first and party
second; that while | have always taken
considerable interest in political ques-
tons | am not in any sense of the word
a politician, and although / received the
nomination without much effort, and
hope to be elected, nevertheless do not
1nrOnOco tO cxuarva FROM, what 7 haliaua
to be right, to cater to any notion or
prejudice, even if such refusal should
cost me enough votes to cause my de-
feat. If / go to congress propose to
go there
UNTRAMA1ELED BY ANY PROMISES
the fulfillment of which would be at the
expense of my own convictions. But
from this, l do not wish you to under
stand me as intending to belittle the
views of the power that sends me. [
shall seek to remain their representa-
tive only so long as my views are in
dorsed by the majority of my cOnstitu-
ents. Again, let me call your attention
to the fact that there is no reason on
earth why l should favor the East to
the detriment of my own section. This
will be the more apparent when you
consider that my interests are wholly
and exclusively in this state, and that
all of my ties of friendihip, kith and
kin are here. Much more so than even
in your case. Hence you will see that
if 1 should differ with you it is an hon
est difference of opinion. The rumor
that has gained currency that am
believer in high protective tariff is
UNFOUNDED AND FALSE.
The only public utteranee that had
mr. M
in the Lyon county convention two
years ago, when | introduced a resolu-
ton approving the course that Messrs.
Wakefield and Strait had taken in vot-
ing for the consideration of the Morri-
son bill then pending. Some of the OPP
position candidates, who knew of moth
ing else to say against me, started the
''yarno that [ am thigh protective
tariff man." The tariff plank Gin the
platform adopted by the convention
which nominated me) reads: "That our
interests demand that it may be adj
justed to the present wants of all parts
of the country, and that all items of
tariff the Outgrowth of the necessities
of the war be eliminated, and that all
necessaries Of the producing classes, es-
pecially those which compete with none
of the productions of this country, be
placed on the free list This eX-
presses my views pretty accurately. l
believe that tariff on imports affords
the most convenient methods of raising
revenue for defraying the expenses of
the government. l further believe that
in exercising this right of taxation
congress, under the constitution, has
the absolute right to levy such revenue
in such manner as to encourage and
protect domestic industries and COM
merce. The right to exercise this power
depends upon the condition of the
country and its Industries; and reduces
itself with me to question of eXpe-
diency and national economy. That a
protective tariff has
SERVED A GOOD PURPOSE
in this country, and on some industries
is serving such purpose to-day, | firmly
believe. History proves it. The pros
perity of the French people owes its
start to the policy of Colbert, crude as it
was, in many respects. Even Mill, who
is an out and out free trader, admits
that a nation may be so situated that
protection is necessary and beneficial
Book 5, chap. 10). That the fostering
policy of England gave her the start in
manufactures, and her navigation laws,
in commerce, you do not doubt any
more than do. But protective tariff
may cease to be benefit, and may re-
suit in actual injury. That some feat
ures of our tariff law are antiquated
and directly detrimental to our pros
perity, and to the fullest development
of our resources and industries, appre-
ciate as fully as any one. That in many
respects our tariff presents items that
cannot be justified on any theory of
legitimate revenue, or even as en-
enlargement for the development of our
manufactures, but are wholly traceable
to the revenue demands OecaSioned by
the late war, is also true. To the re-
moval of these evils and the reforma-
ton of the tariff in these respects / have
pledged my vote and efforts ii elected.
The most dangerous feature of pro-
tective system is its tendency to create
monOpolies. But, on examination it
will be noticed that these monOpOlieS
are to great extent limited to the pro-
duetion of the mines and the forests.
The reason, in my opinion, is this, that
these sources of industry are usually
owned by few individuals or syndi-
Gates. Ii new mines or supplies OF coal.
metals or oil are discovered, the syndi-
Gates obtain control of them and con-
tinue their exactionS. Hence l would
NC Ill ldNOl VI dlltl OClICfO Ill lIC IL
duction to tariff for revenue at least,
on all productions of this class Gin the
state of raw materiaD. Very little labor,
comparatively is employed in produc-
ing pig iron, or in the reduction of the
ores or in the output of coal or oil. If
these things cannot be proftably pro-
duced and those industries carried on
without high protection, let natures
riches remain in store until they can be
extracted with profit. A
REASONABLE PROTECTION
on manufactures, however, is different.
The making of implements and utensils
and machinery, (after the patents have
expired), or the weaving of cloth, can
not be and is not monopoly. As long as
you and l and every other man has the
equal opportunity to embark in the
business. To illustrate, as / went to
dinner to-day l saw self-binding har-