Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-18

floor in opposition to the bill. He said its
enactment would paralyze the en-
terprise and energy OF the peo-
pie, overthrow our manufacturing
supremacy and rednce our COM
manding commercial position to the
colonial. 1t was studiously designed to
produce these direct results, and nicely
adapted for its purpose. 1t was confessedly
Q partisan measure, and was formed in the
interest of party whose leaders appeared
to be obliyious 10 the overwhelming social
and economic changes wrought by the
abolition of slavery. The gentlemen who
framed this bill, and could brook neither
modification nor discussion Of it's pro-
visions by their associates in committee
were, with but two exceptions, Representa-
tives of what was the slave Territory. The
bill was an anachronism. 1t had no relation
to era. 1t belonged TO the saddest epoch in
our national history. During that period
slavery dominated our national councils
and guided the administration of national
affairs in hostility to the nations interests
Free trade twice threatened war By
putting wool on the free list the bill would
abolish sheep husbandry and destroy the
immense capital embarked therein, and
lmpoverish more than a million of men
who re employed in the care of sheep,
and by working this ruin it would dimin-
ish the supply of a cheap and healthful
animal food now furnished by the wool
growers to the manufacturing laborers of
the country.
1t would also hinder the production of
American tinplates and cotton. Ii would
though it maintained the existing duties
on coal and iron ore, close @ majority of
the bituminous coal fields and ore banks,
which are now giving profitable employ
ment to hundreds of thousands of laborers
not only in the Northern States, but in
the South. To illustrate the puerile ab-
surdity of President Cleveland's assump-
ton that the duty was always added to the
cost, not only of imported commodities,
but to the price of like commodities pro-
duced here, Kelley invited the Presidents
attention to the fact that, though the duties
on sugar when reduced to the ad valorem
standard, were never so high as now, the
prlce OF sugar was never so low in this
country as now. The progress of sugar.
making in Louisiana since 1869 might be
cited as an illustration of the yitalizing in
huences of protection duties.
Coming TO the subject of the surplus
Kelly said he would so legislate on the
question of the surplus. and the sources
whence 1t flows, as to increase the wealth,
power and dignity of the country by pro-
noting the development of its natural re-
sources and the dlverSihcation of its indus
tries, and thus diminish its dependence
upon foreign importation, upon which du-
ties are collected He would derive the
national resources from customs duties so
adjusted as to stimulate and defend home
production, while preventing combina-
lions, trusts and monopolies of any
kind. Reduction of taxation should
be effected Immediately by the abolition
OF sources of income, receipts from
which may be computed month by month.
If not absolutely day by day. The politics
OF this country are now dominated by
whisky trusts as absolutely as they were by
slavery before the war, and King Alcohol
is proving that he is as hostile to national
development as King Cotton ever was
In conclusion, Kelly said 1.-THE perpetu-
alton OF internal taxes is theiss presented
to the American people by the President in
his free trade message and by the five
Southern gentlemen who have dominated
the councils of the Committee on WAYS
and Means. For myself, l will stand for
the protective system and the maintenance
OF such rates of duties as will insure the
development of all the resources of the coun-
try, increase the number of its industries
and perpetuate its national independence,
commercial and industrial, as well as polit-
lcal. This cannot be done if the internal
tax system is to be maintained, for the sur
plus IS In condition that cannot be per-
petuated with safety to our republican
institutions. The purity of government,
the safety of business, and the morals of
the public demand the abatement of the
surplus by the repeal of the internal taxes
from which it is derived
Kelley spoke for two hours, and when he
returned to his seat was loudly applauded
and received the congratulations of bis
party friends.
The committee then rose, and the House
adjourned