The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-04-05
DEMOCRATIC BILL OF RIGHTS.

The Right of Hearing and Discussion Dc.
MEDIA Protest by the Republicans of
| the Ways and Means Committee Against
the Report of the Free Traders Ap.
peal to the People.
The report of the minority Of the ways
and means committee on the Mills tariff
bill was presented in the House Mon
day.
| 1t says the extraordinary manner in
which this bill came to the committee
aud the total lack of consideration given
to so grave a measure 10y these charged
with its investigation demand notice
and comment. IL was fashioned out
side the committee and was present.
ed ready made by the chairman, was
framed, completed ard printed without
the knowledge of the minority and
without consideration or discussion in
the full committee.
II any consultations were held the
minority were excluded.
Thus originating, after three months
of the session had gone, it was submit
ted to the committee. Since there has
been no consideration of it. Every effort
upon the part of the minority to obtain
from the majority the facts and infor
nation upon which they constructed
the bill proved unavaiing,
The industries of the country were de
MED hearing and the majority shut
the doors of the committee against all
examinations OF producers, consumers
and experts, The farmers whose in
vestments aud products were to be dis
not npoIxy lnalf with haH m fy
to address the committee.
The workingmen of the country whose
wages were at stake were denied audi
ence. Proposing grave measure which
would affect all of the people in their
employment, their labor and their in
comes the majority persistently refused
the people the rig hit of hearing and dis
cussion.
But as the bill is avowe1ly political
one, believed to represent 80 far as il
goes. the views of the President and his
party associates, bill which, with the
Presidents free trade message ought to
constitute the issues and be the platform
of the party, may account for but will
not justify the extraordinary course OF
its proposal, The minority protested
without avail in the committee and now
announcing it to the House as they feel
constrained to do, accept the issue ten
dered by the bill. accompanied with
some of the reasons for opposing it and
make their appeal from the peoples ser
wants to the people themselves.
The bill is a radical reversal Of the tar
if policy of the country which for the
most part has prevailed since the foun-
dalton of the government, and under
which we have made industrial and
agricultural progress without parallel
in the worlds history, If enacted into
law, it will disturb every branch of bus
mess, retard manufacturing and agri-
cultural prosperity and seriously impair
our industrial independence.
In the free list the report says the
American will appreciate the vicious
character of the bill as applicable to him
when he IS apprised of the fact that
while the products of his land and labor
are shut out from Canada by a protec- |
tive tariff imposed by the Canadian gov
eminent, the Canadian farmer can send |
many of his products here without the
payment of duty under the proposed
bill
Some of the articles named are already
on our free list and yet they are dutiable
under the Canadian laws and no procla-
nation of reciprocity has yet been made
by the GovernOr-General, and it is pro-
posed under the bill to increase the free
list with farm products upon which
tariff is now levied by the Canadian
law.
Nowhere in the bill is the ultimate
purpose of the authors more manifest
than in its treatment of wool, 1t places
this product upon the free list and ex-
poses our hocks and theeces to merciess
from abroad. In this respect
the bill is but the echo OF The Presidents
message, and gives emphasis to the set
tied purpose of the majority to break
down one of the most valuable indus
tries Of the country.
The minority then enters into the
different schedules and argues that the
effect of reducing the tariff would be to
1urtail our productions, close many Of ,
our factories and to lower the standard
Of wages paid to that in foreign coun- ,
,ries. Another effect will be to increase
'ather than diminish the income of the a
government from customs, sources and
support of the position instances the
% per cent. in 1887 producing an in
creased revenue to the treasury OF $500
400 over the former year. 1t oritlcses
he President for not using the surplus
money to purchase outstanding bonds Il
md blames the House for not abolish d
ng at the beginning of this Congress
he tax on tobacco and on alcohol used :
n the arts and manufactures which
would effect reduction of nearly $40.
400. 900. f
The report points out that between S
S66 and 1888, during which time the
republicans controlled the House,
otal reduction of 1894 0OO, 900 was made
n the internal taxes.
In conclusion the minority saw, If
lsaster results from the failure of the
President to use the surplus now in the
as the law authorizes him to do
In the payment of our existing debts,
and if the majority in the House, which
alone can iginate bill to reduce the
revenue, ills to send to the Senate a
bill OF that character, the responsibility
will rest with them
The fact that Governor Proctor and
Hon. John W Stewart were among
those who were refused a hearing be
fore the Democratic Ways and Means
Committee, as representatives of the
marble interest, will not increase the
vote for free trade President in Yer
mont, There are nearly 1000 laborers
and artisans employed in the marble
quarries and mills in Rutland county,
and the capital invested in the business
to millions. The passage of
the Mills bill would be a serious blow to
this great interest and the party which
backs such a measure will lose votes
among the marble workers in Rutland
OF course the administration
cares nothing for that, The free trade
Democrats would rather strike a Yer
mont industry than not any day.
WHY AMERICAN ART Is so IN