Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-11-01
BLAINE ON THE MILLS BILL.
Mr.. Blaine on the Free Raw Material Fea-
ture of the House Tariff Bill-Democratis

ture of the House Tariff Bnl-Democratto
Monopolists.
BUFFALO, v. Y, Oct 23.-Hon. J&z.es G.
Blaine addressed large audience here
last night. In referring to the Mills bill
he said:
One Of the most frequently repeated argu-
ments Of the Democrats in favor OF what they
term tar:n reform is the necessity for the sd
mission of oil raw material free of dnty- They
leave il to be inferred that the Mills bill at
tains this end, and their failure to explain all
OF the provisions OF that bill amounts to sup
preston Of the truth. Let me ask some Dem
ocratic speaker or some Democratic journal to
tell the puollc how far and for what reasons
raw materials are admitted free by the Mills
bill, aud in the meantime ! will contribute
few facts to the discussion.
Let US take the raw materials in detail
Coal is a raw material OF immeasurable value.
The original design was to admit coal free OF
duty but the Democratic Ways and Means
Committee were plainly told that II they took
that step they would endanger the supremacy
OF their party in old Virginia in West Virginia
and in Maryland, anG therefore their project OF
making coal free was abandoned. Iron is one
of the raw materials about which We heard
much at the beginning Of Congress 1t was
proclaimed on all hands by Democrats that
iron ore must be free, for iron ore lay at the
basis OF all forms OF iron and steel fabrics, and
its prices must be lowered But il was
found that Mr.. Barnum, of Connecticut chair
man of the Democratic National Committee was
the owner of the largest mines OF iron ore
in the Lake Superior region, and that the chair
man of the executive committee, Mr.. Brice,
with his political associates, owned and con-
trolled q road which received large sums from
the transportation of this ore. 1t was further
known that Mr.. Smith Weed, ONE OF the most
prominent Democrats, was also largely inter
ested in iron ore and in the manufacture of
iron Upon the statement OF those facts the
Democratic Ways and Means Committee at
once abandoned the idea Of putting ore on the
free elist-abandoLed it not because they thought
the step unjust but because they found it
would injure the business interests of promi-
nent Democrats. Now for another article.
Lime, which is one OF the essentials in
all building operations, was upon the
free list IN the first publication of the
Mills bill The largest supply of lime comes
from the county Of Knox in the State OF Maine.
Knox happens to be the only county in the
State that ordinarily gives a Democratic ma
iority. The Democrats of Knox memorialiZed
the Ways ard Means Committee remonstrat-
ing against their proposed action and giving
The committee to understand that il they
wanted TO wipe out a majority in the last
Democratic county in Maine they should put
lime on the free list. The old duty
stored on lime, but the Democrats of Knox
were naturally so justly elraged at the
manner in which the Ways and
Means Committee had trified with so large
! and-to thcm-vtal an interest that they
turned around in the September election and
gave good sized majority to the Republican
ticket by way Of rebul1ing an attempt to re-
form the tariff on the lir.s Of partisan
division. They will vote still more heavily
against Mr.. Cleveland in November. Wood
pulp is treated as raw material and put on the
free list in the Mills bill as originally framed
but it was soon discovered that Mr.. Don NJ
Dickinson, Postmaster-General, and I. NJ
Weston, chairman OF the Democratic
State Committee Of Michigan. owned
valuable patent for an improvement
of the manufacture Of wood pulp and
that the patent would be rendered
worthless if wood pulp was put on the free list;
and so back went the former duty. The value
Of Mr. DickinSons patent was preserved to
him by his Democratic friends Of the House of
Representatives. Mark you-the duty was not
restored because in the belief OF the Demo-
cratic Committee of Ways and Means sound
policy required it. but it was restored because
they did not wish to do harm to leading Demo
Gratis who were expected to deliver the cleo
toral vote of Michigan to President Cleveland.
Here is another case. Marble OF all kinds in
block, rough or squared was on the free
list in the Mills bill as reported to the
House, but was afterward removed from
it. probably because it gave ofense to some
conspicuous members or the ''unconquerable
Democracy" of Vermont. do not actually
know the real reason in this case but doubt
less Mr.. Bradley b. Smalley. the keeper of
Democratic conscience in Vermont, can state
it. But in one more instance OF proposed aboli-
ton of duty on raw material being promptly
considered and the duty being restored by the
Ways and Means Committee. Glue was treated
as a raw material in the first draft of the Mills
bill because it is prepared as an essential for
many handIcrafts. Glue was therefore report
ed on the free list, but it was soon found
that Democratic syndicate in the West made
pretty much all the glue for that section, and
that the Democratic heirs of the late venerable
Peter Cooper, of New York. made nearly ell
the glue for the rest Of the country. 1t was not
in the hearts OF the Democratic Ways and
Means Committee to strike down an interest
that could afford large Democratic contribu-
tions in the West and that had so prominent
and influential Democrat interested in its
manufacture as Mr. Edward Cooper. late mayor
OF New York City, and consequently glue went
of the free list and back TO its old duty.
Another case IN point although not connected
with the free list presents the same extraordi-
nary course on the part OF the Ways and Means
Committee. Every one Of you who have paid
attention to the tariff discussion knows that the
one subject with the free traders INCREASINGLY
harped was that OF the monopoly Of wood
necticut They had denounced it through all
the moods and lenses OF denunciation. 1t
was TO be expected, therefore, that the
duty wood screws would be seri-
ously reduced if indeed the Democratic Ways
and Means Committee in their wrath did not
put the article on the free list But this inter
est was found to be so important in Connecti-
cut and to be in such large part in Democratic
hands that the Democrats of the Ways and
Means Committee were advised that if they
hoped to carry Connecticut for Mr.. Cleve-
land wood screws must be let alone. So
this great odious monopoly" as they had
for many years described and denounced |
it. was left undisturbed by the tariff reformers, |
and with all the naked and time -honored |
abuses under Republican rule which they had |
imputed 10 il. Another case comes very near |
TO you in Buffalo. Cement Roman, Portland |
and all others, was put on the free list in the |
original draft OF the Mills bill. 1t was taken |
OF and restored to the old duty at the in |
stance and by the influence of your fellow \
citizen, Hon. Daniel Lockwood. United |
States district attorney. He appeared as
either 4 stockholder in the cement |
company or attorney for stockholders-I
cement from the free list am not expressing |
dissatisfaction with the conclusions which the /
Democratic Ways and Means Committee 1
reached in these cases. but am proving from
the changes made in their own bill in its differ
ent stages, that they shifted around, turned /
and dickered on the various provisions in It /
just as the personal and pecuniary interests of
leading Democrats outside of Congress de-
manded. and that, in several important |
departments OF manufacture, they shaped
their action and reached their conclu-
erations other than those which affected the
pockets OF distinguished Democrats, the pros
poets OF political influence or the results Of
forthcoming elections.
81 like Dore's picture welt en-
Al h,,4 II 7 Il |