Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-12
THE NATIONS
Senator Morrill, CritiCiSeS the
Administration,
Denouncine the Democratic Tar
if Policy, and the Mills
Bill in Particular.
Little Progress Made on the Dakota Bill,
but the Warren Monument Bill
Passes.
The House Still in a State Of ''InnocuOuS
DeSuetude" on the Senate Direct
Tax Bill.
A Recess Taken and the Democrats
Hold Party Caucus.
A Recess Taken and the Democrats
Hold Party Caucus.
WAsHINGToS, Apr. IL.
Senate.


Senate
| Mr. Riddlebergers resolution to Request
the President to furnish information relative
/ To the dispute between the government o1
Venezuela and the government of Greal
Britain, was adopted.
The Senate on motion of Mr.. Frye at l2 sc
o'clock, proceeded to the consideration OF
executive business
When the doors were reopened, the Sen
ate took up the motion to refer the Presl-
dents annual message and was addressed by
Mr. Morrill,.
He began by contrasting the last annual
! messages of Presidents Washington and
Cleveland, the former giving encourage
| ment to manufactures, and the latter beng
unfriendly to and denouncing manufactures.
Mr.. Morrill,, continuing, said: tariff
for revenue only was synonym for free
trade. Henry George, the free trade propo-
gandist, had characterized the message and
the Mills bill as deadly blow TO that ugly
fetch, protection. There was no encour-
agement in the message for the wool grow
ers, for any new or Old enterprises, for any
growing city or town, or for opening up new
fields OF labor. On the contrary 1t would
slaughter all present Industries. Free trade
digious loss to landed estates. Since secur-
ing power the democratic party had reversed
its platform. If this anti-tarrt raid was sue
cesstul the fondest hopes of the new south
would disappear forever. The chronic fail
ure of the democratic House, during the ten
years of its power, to reduce the revenues,
proved that the republican party could be
best trusted with that work. The net ordi-
nary expenditures of the republican admins
tratIon for the four years ending with 1858,
were S79l $40, 1888, against SSl3, ,73O, PA for
the democratic administration during 1856
81, and their estimates for $50. The in
ternal revenve taxes were war taxes. They
should be abolished except such as are nee
essary to meet the war debt He favored a
reasonable reduction of the revenues but
deprecated the attempt to create pane over
the expected surplus SO long as there re-
manned debt of 5 POO, 900 900 which the
treasury was authorized to pay at any time
There could be no congestion of the treasury
save by the wilful refusal to pay the public
debt. There would be no opposition from
his side of the chamber to any reduction that
didn't PROSTATE or ruin the great industries
and reduce wages. All parties professed to
seek a diminution of the surplus revenues,
but it was preposterons to suppose that the
Simple TtuuCtlOu VI uutlts Oil tOufPtlIlR iii
ports would reduce the revenues AS the I'M
ports would be increased thereby. Expert
ence had proved this particularly in the 1888
revision. Another vitality important matter
was the preservation of the b-metallic coin
age system.
If the duties were so far reduced as to make
the imports exceed the exports, the bal
ance of trade would be against US and gold
would soon command premium and go
abroad. The standard dollar would be based
on silver alone and represent only the COM
mercial value of that metal. The revenues
would all be paid in silver.
Business arrangement and reduction of
wages would follow to the extent of the diff
ference between the nominal and the intrin-
sic value of silver coin. A general disaster
had nf1exibly followed an excessive tariff
reduction in America, as in the years 81,
A, 81. general pro sperty as invariably
followed the rise of duties, especially by
the 1861 tariff. The results of that bill alone
indicated the protective policy. No consti-
tuition could be found to favor it, after a
resolution which did not provide for protec-
ton Madison championed the theory till
his death. Protection originated with the
far seeing farmers who wanted constant and
sure home markets. 1t should be maintain
ed by them. 1t brought the manufacturer
| and the farmer together and enabled the
country to support two men where only one
had been supported before. 1t had increased
the wealth of America the past 20 years and
the great source of public felicitaton. Our
Savings bank deposits exceed those of all
other countries. From - to SO they in
creased from 5000 200, 900 to 81 .235 900, 900
while S947 100000 of the public debt was
! l. 4 1
would more than pay the national debt. This
showed that domestic production had
| largely increased while the laborer'
share of the profits had increased relatively
more than the capitalists share. The adj
vent of 4 ,222 900 emigrants from Great Bri-
tain during the past thirty-fve years. had
branded as false the assertion that the cheap
er cost of living in Great Britain compen-
stated for the lower rate of free trade wages
! Low wages and poor living in Great Britain
/ expelled last year PSI ,4s7 British subjects
seventy-two per cent. of whom came to the
! United States. 1t was beyond all dispute
that wages were higher in the United States
than in any other country of the world, while
the cost of living here was increased only by
its higher grade and more generous amount
I The attacks on the protective tarlt were
aimed at the wages of the laboring men. L
was not wholly true that Americans can d,
more work per day than the people of any
other country. If true, then the extra wea
and tear of human life should not go unre
warded. 1t was the lower and unequal wa
ges of foreign workmen alone with whicl
the America Is had to contend. The protect
i've tariff vastly increased and diversified tn
American manufactures, aud had made thei
economical aud multiform production a pro
found study among the people of every Stat
of the Union, and had excited tn
brain power of men of science an
inventive faculties among the great multitud
of practical workingmen and had promote
their happiness and thrift. New invention
had diminished the hours of labor for work
ingmen and increased their wages. Tn
busy race of American inventors should ne
perish for the lack of friendly care. The
were necessary in peace and indispensable i
war. Inventions in the arts of peace woul
fill an encyclopedia, In the diversity Q
, employment, resulting from protection
} American women had been elevated an
made much more independent, largely pa
ticipating in the worlds useful work. Fa
more than the fortunes of men would til
fortunes of women be adversely affected
any steps towards the British goal of fire.
trade.
The Mill bill if it should be enacted woul
cripple many manufacturers, destroy other
= increase revenue and force sacrifices /
farmers. 1t was free surrender of II
( Dor, er markets to those who would not allo
Americans 10 fish within three miles of the
shores. He hoped if it reached the Sena
the latter would so amend it that the tar
would be American. not British.
The Senate then resumed the codsider
b ton of the bill to provide for the admissit