San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-08-02
7HE TARIFF BILL PASSES THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Mills Discusses the Measure II
Details.

DeCullbs
WASHINGTON, D. O., July 21.-When
the House met this morning the gal
leries were filled with spectators at
tracted to the capitol by the an
nouncement that to-day would wit
ness the close of the great tariff de-
bate, and the vote on the final pass
age of the Mills bill. Promptly at
11:3O the bill was called up, and Mr..
Mills, after offering offering the
amendments intended to correct ty-
geographical error in the bill, moved
the previous question on them and
they were adopted. He then pro-
ceeded to address the House, begin
ming by stating the finances of the
government, placing the surplus at
$129, 100000, This, he said should
arrest the attention of the country.
It represented unnecessary taxation,
drawn from the people and piled up
in the Treasury. 1t was taxation ley
led upon the product of labor. 1t was
an iniquity. This enormous amount
of money was constantly lowering
prices, and piling an enormous load
on labor, and increasing the benefits
of the privileged classes. How long
would it be before stagnation would
occur, and bankruptcy and ruin lock
together over the land7 The MAORI
ty had attempted to bring before the
House bill to reduce this taxation
and lessen the inflow OF money into
the Treasury.
By the amendments which had
been made in committee of the whole
the total reduction of duties had fall
en- from $53,OOO,000 to $50,00O,O0O,
and the free list from 1922, 100000 to
2O,OOO,OOO. The relative rate of
duty had fallen from 47.10 not to say
$40 but to $42.49, and yet this meas
ure, so very moderate, was character
lied as q free trade measure. Was
$42.49 on every 500 free trade? 1t
was an enormous amount of taxation.
It was tax which the wealth of this
country would not permit to stand
for O moment. State taxation was
levied on lands, houses, stock, bonds,
horses and cattle and the property
owners would not permit any party
or administration to remain in power
an hour which would levy tax of $5
on the 500. Yet this bill, carrying
a taxation of S42.49, was character
lied as free trade measure, The
term free trade seemed to have q
double meaning. Some gentlemen
seemed to understand that free trade
meant the absolute unfettering OF
our foreign commerce from all taxa.
ton. The democratic party had used
the term free trade as q term ex-
pressing the freedom OF our com
merce from all obstruction save that
of Just and necessary taxation to sup
port the economical administration Of
our government. Applause. The
tariff of 1876 had been called u free
trade tariff. and he had himself spok-
en- of the decade from 1850 to 1860
as the free trade period, because in
that time commerce was not restrict
ed by distractions thrown in its way
by capitalists and monopolists.
CHEMICALS.
he then proceeded to take up and
discuss in detail the various scbed-
ules of the bill, beginning with thUse
dealing with chemicals. The present
duty on chemicals, be said, was 32.S7
per cent The proposed bill placed
it at 26.17, a reduction OF little over
"a a hundred. Gentlemen called that
free trade. The next was the earthen
ware and the glass schedule. The
duty under the existing Law was s59.-
55 on every 500. The bill fixed it
AZ s52I7. That was free trade, too,
be supposed. II $50 taxation on ev-
cry sl0O was free trade, in God 9
name would some one tell HIM what
was meant by the term protection.
TApPlAuse-l
Sugar was found at a duty Of STS.-
Is and the committee reduced It 10
S62 81 There Was nobody making
a A -