The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-25

which the bill under consideration had been
prepared. He hazarded nothing in saying
that If their wishes in this regard had been
complied with, and an attempt made to do
all the work in the full committee at odd
times when the House was not in session,
June would have been reached without any
bill before the House, for it would be re-
membered that when the request was made
for the committee to sit during the sessions
of the House, it had been opposed by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Burrows,
member of the Committee on Ways and
Means
NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.
What right had they to complaint The
question was not how, when or where the
bill was prepared, but was the bill good or
bad. They were in no attitude to complain
In any event, because it was well-known
fact that the very gentlemen who signed
the minority report in 1888, railroaded
through Congress and on to the statute
book, bill which was not only never pre-
pared by the Ways and Means Committee,
as contemplated by the constitution,
but was never read in the House.
The tariff law which the House now sought
to amend thus, became law without the
members ever having heard or read it.
Hence, he said, they were in no attitude to
criticize anybody for any method adopted
in the consideration of the tariff bill They
complained at what they were pleased to
call inconsistencies in the bill. Let those
Inconsistencies be what they may, they
were not teath or a huudredth part of
those found under the present law, which
these gentlemen had helped to force upon
the country.
THUMPING THE TRUSTS
In conclusion, he turned his attention to
the subject of trusts, and said: For years
we have had these halls ringing with state
mentS that by and by home competition
would give us the lowest possible prices.
The welkin has been made to ring with this
declaration, lterated, and reiterated, until
even those who first proclaimed it
have almost gotten to believe it,
But look at our unfortunate situation and
let this delusion be dispelled. While the
government has thrown up it's tariff walls
without, monopolists have joined hands
within for the purpose of putting up prices
and punderlng the people through devices
known as trusts; pools, and combines. We
have the steel rail trust, which cost the peo-
people of this country last year millions
of dollars 1t is not trust to increase pro-
ductlon, but to restrict it; it is not
trust to give cheaper commodities to the
people, but to put greater profits into the
pockets of the monopoliStS. 1t has closed
furnaces which were successfully running:
1T has, aided by the tariff, increased by
more than 81, 600 the cost of every mile of
railroad built in the United States for the
last five years it has thrown men out of
work and broken up the means of
living of thousands Of workmen.
Have the gentlemen of the minority
proposed anything better. No, sir. They
are mute as to the remedy; they are dumb
as to the relief. | tell them that policy will
never win with tax ridden, monopoly op-
pressed, trust pool, combine rid
den people. This is not do nothing
occasion. Ours is not do nothing
people l have no fear, Mr.. Chairman,
concerning the ultimate result of this con-
tiict between the people and the pool |
have no fear as to the outcome in the con-
test between the country and the combine
have no apprehension as to who will be
the victor in the battle about to be waged
between legitimate taxation and that op-
pressive taxation which is invoked to aid
trusts and make pooling profitable The
people have waited long and patiently
But at last they are aroused Their
voice comes laundering through these
halls demanding reduction of taxes. The
procession for the relief of the taxpayer is
moving. There are but two places about
this procession-one after it, the other
under it. Seek to-day, sirs, whether you
prefer to follow and aid it, or go down
under it and be crushed by it,
Mr.. BURROWS COMMANDMENT.
Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, was the next
speaker. Our tariff on imports, he said,
was to-day confessedly protective in that
it was levied, not for revenue only, but to
encourage American industry and protect
American labor. One wing Of the Demo
cratic party, under the leadership of Presi-
dent Cleveland, had assailed this system,
denounced it as vicious and illogical, and
declared it to be not only unwise, but un-
constitutional On the contrary, the Re-
publican party believed in a protective
tariff.
The Republican party insisted that the
present protective system should not be dis
turbed, except so far as might be necessary
to correct its incongruities and harmonic its
provisio s. If Congress follows the lead of
the President in his bold declaration and So
cured a reduction by such revision of the
tariff as he proposed Qeaving untouched as
he suggested the internal revenue system),
not only would the protective system be
but the nation would be out on
the highway of free trade. AS the members
were free traders or protectionists the bill
would be approved or condemned.
AN ILLEGITIMATE CHILD.
The pending measure stood without a
parallel in the history Of American legisla-
ton Conceived in darkness, brought
forth in secrecy, its parentage carefully
concealed, it was at last laid at the door of
the Committee Of Ways aud Means,
where the majority took il up as ten
derly as though it were legitimate
offspring, hurriedly brought it into the
House to be adopted by the Democratic
party and nursed by the harlot Of free trade
[ Applause and laughter on the Republican
side. But whatever its reatage, whether
either Of which was capable Of outrage
justice and fairness compelled him to state
that the public suspicion Of its parentage
did not attach to the members Of the major
iUy; and in further vindcation Of their
high character. it would be no violation of
the secrets of the committee room TO state
that when pressed on this point no member
of the majority was so lost to all sense of
personal pride as to acknowledge the
parentage.
RAP AT SECRECY.
Think of the majority of great COM
mittee Of the National House of Repre-
sentatives, charged with the duty of con-
sdering an 4 important message
from the President, hiding away
in secret places, taking counsel
probably Of enemies of our industries;
framing measure involving the well being
of 90, 900, 900 people; refusing TO enter into
any consideration Of its provisions, or dis
ba.ed; steadily refusing to answer any
questions propounded by the minority; sub
mitting 10 no notifications except