West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-05-10


Congressional District have reason to
be proud of the Hon. w l.. Wilson,
who on Thursday of last week covered
himself with glory by making what is
conceded TO be the most eloquent, Wig
orons and able speech on the tariff that
has been heard in Congress during this
session. We give the following ac-
count from the Washington dispatches
to the New York Star:
The House has not listened to finer
tariff speech than that by Mr. Wilson
of West Virginia to-day. 1t was brill
liant in many parts, and full of sound
reasoning and carefully culled statistics
all through. The Democratic members
were nearly all in their seats, and sit
ting in the midst of them were the two
West Virginia Senators, Messrs Kenna
and Faulkner. The speaker was fire.
quently loudly applauded, and when
he concluded he received an ovation.
Mr. Wilson is a member of the WAYS
and Means committee, and in a point
of scholarihip is one of the notable
men of the House.
An interesting feature was the pas
sage between him and Henry Cabot
Lodge, in which, very much to Mr..
Lodges discontinue, Mr.. Wilton read
from that gentleman's life of Alexan-
der Hamilton passage applaudiug
Hamilton for tariff views which oppose
the taxing of many to put money in
the pockets of the few.
Mr.. Wilson also silenccd the bump
tious and noisy Mr. Boutelle, of Maine,
who challenged statement made by
the former that the laborers in Maine
go' third less pay than those in the
other New England States. Mr.. Bou-
telle, in bullying sort of way, denied
the truth of-the statement and demand
ed that Mr.. Wilson retreat ignomin-
iously from it Mr.. Wilson paused
moment, smiled piteously on the blus-
tercr and then said Il present the
gentleman himself as an explanation of
why the men of Maine are worth
third less than those from other New
England States
The shout that followed this reply
was deafening. Mr.. Boutclle flushed
and tried to make some reply, but was
jeered on all sides, and finally dropped
into his seat a crushed tragedian. Mr..
Wilson is the hero of the hour.
Mr.. Wilson started out with the as
sertion that the bill was an effort of the
people to recover the right to tax them
selves. Twenty-Five years of protec-
ton had so intrenched private interests
in the tariff that they regard it as their
exclusive domain, and resent the in
trusion Of the people as those Of tres
passers. While our tariff rates were
running up from Is to 4S per cent.
during the war and Immediately there
after, every interest that wished to be-
come a parasite upon the people was
permitted to dictate its own terms, and
those terms still remained The So
called revision Of 1883 soon turned
into q struggle between the captains Of
Industry for an increase Of their own
bounties, and was finally thrown into
a secret conference whore higher rates
were given than either House bad dared
10 vote in public, and was then bur-
ried through Congress without being
satisfied or read.
Mr. Wilson claimed that all the re-
ductions that had been made we're those
affecting property, and had thrown the
burdens on those least able to bear
them Protection acted on the rule Of
the Ohio politician to claim everything.
Hc declared that protection had no
more 70 do with the present prosperity
Of the country than IL has to do with
the planets or tides But those things
for which it irresponsible, IL studiously
ignores II says nothing Of the grow
ing antogonism Of capital and labor, Of
tho 20, 600 strikes and the 1000 lock-
outs in The past six years; the long in
dustrial dcpressions; the building up
Of great wealth by avoriteism, which,
in order to retain The privileges, was
ever ready 10 cOrrnpt the ballot-box.