Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-05-24
THE TARIFF DEBATE.
Tho Discussion of tho Mills Bill
Drawing to a Close.
sJnopse- of Speeches Delivered in the
House of Representative by
Messrs. Randall. Mckinley
and Breckcnridgc.


Messrs. Randall. Mckinley
and Breckcnridgc.
At ii:ni a. m. Mr. Randall tral was rccog-
nized- The floor was nilcd with members
and the galleries crowded with spectators.
many OF the diplomats corps being in their
/ gallery. Mr. Randall opened by reading
i portion tf the Presidents message
and drawing thercfrom the Inference
that the President was aversc 10 any reduction
| Of internal taxation and desired the whole re-
| duction Of taxes to fall on the tariff He dif-
fercd from the President on these points. and
ssivcea,ed~ the total repeal Of all internal
| taxes Republican npplauscl, except the reten-
tion of a tax OF ffty cents n gallon on whisky
not used IN the arts, and the collection OF this
| .ax he would transfer tn the customs officers
| Tie would also revise the tarin as promised by
the Democratic platform Of 1881 He discussed
IN detail the principles Of the bill iutroduccdby by
himself on these lines
| Mr.. Randalrs voice became so inaudibie that
| members shouted louder" Promptly at the
expiration Of his hours time twelve o'clock)
| the Speakers cavel fell. Mr.. Randali's disap-
| pointment was plain.
There were cries OF Go on" Go on
Mr.. Mills walked down tho aisle and shouted
| "Iohiect'. Groans and cries of "Oh. h.-dont.
| don't" came from both sides OF the House. and
| members focked around the chairman ot the
| ways and means committee ana begged him to
| withdraw his objections and permit Mr.. Ran
| DAN 20 proceed. but Mr. Mills incxorable.
| Finally. Mr.. Randall asked "a personal favor
| that he be given a few minutes more.
NO, will not withdraw my objection" said
| Mr.. Mills. II must draw the line. and draw IL
here"
Al this there were renewed groans Kisses and
| exciamntious OF 'oh OH.
| In the midst of the confusion. MIR Mckinley.
| who follows Mr.. Randall. arose and said he
| would give the gentleman from Pennsylvania
| fifteen minutes Of his lMekinley'sl time. This
| was received by tremendous applause.
Mr.. Breckenridge 1Sy.l who follows Mr.. Nc
Kinley. then proposed TO give an equal amount
| OF time from his hour, and Mr.. Randall re-
| sumed his speech.
He quoted from Edward Atkinson 20 show
| that since the close OF the war. and even since
| the so-called panic of 1874 Their. had bee
| greater progress In the common welfare among
the people OF the United States than ever be-
fore. The statements OF Mr.. Atkinson. Mr..
Randall thought, seemed To settle the question
rs 10 whether We should adhere TO the bcnevo-
lent policy Of protecting home manufactures.
| II demonstrated urmtstakabiy the truth that
| 10 increase wages products must he increased.
for in the end. wages were but the laborers
share Of the products. While n dollar might
buy more in another country than here. day
labor here would obtain more OF the comforts
Of life than anywhere else. Under free trade
| this advantage To labor disappeared II was
| impossible II should be otherwise II the tar,i
itself did not give higher wages TO the laborer.
IL did preserve from foreign composition the
industries from which the laborer received
his wages
Referring TO a fundamental proposition
| which.had been advanced in this tariff discus
sion-ihai the duties were always added 10 the
| price TO the consumer. Mr.. Randall said that
on articles not produced in this country this
doubtless vas true general rue, and meas
urably true on articles in part produced in this
country, but not in sufficient quantities. 10 sup
| ply the home market But on all commodities
| produced in sufficient quantities TO supply the
home market a different principle controlled.
In these things competition determined the
price. and the foreign producers came into
this market. where prices were fixed,
and the duties were what he paid
for the privilege OF coming into the
market Another erroneous proposition
that had been put forward was that duties on
articles produced in this country were n tax or
| bounty, which the consumer paid TO the manu-
facturcr. by which the manufacturer derived
large profits. Monopolies. Mr.. Randall said.
| existed without the tariff. The Standard oil
| Trust and other trusts were not produced by IT,
He for protection OF labor In all States.
| Referring to the late Secretary Mannings re-
| ports on economic questions, he sad that they
| were maryels OF honest, conscientious and ef.
ective labor. He quoted extensively from
them. He then took up the criticisms that
: ,ad been made on the metal schedules of his
| own bill, and quoted figures sustaining his po-
| sition
| In critcizing the Mills bill, he said that n
| large number OF articles were placed on the
free-list, supposedly as free raw material.
| which were really manufactured articles.
| These were lumber. glue, oils, clay. china, etc.
The bill placed on the frec-list as so-called raw
materials various articles which It would he
impossible to manufacture in this country ex-
| eept by reducing American labor 70 worse
| condition than that Of the laborer OF Europe.
He asserted that instead OF reducing customs
| revenue fifty-four millions. the effect would be
| to largely increase the revenue. while 1t would
destroy an iuealculable amount of
| material wealth. He stated that the
| bill would give free tin plates TO the
Standard Oil Company, and would impose a
duty of one hundred per cent on rice. Itwould
| make free the animals imported by the gentle
men OF the turf. and free statuary TO the mill
| ionaire. He said that he did not think the
| adoption OF the committees bill would make
| sure Democratic control OF the Federal Gov
| ernment. He wouli not be coerced by party
caucus. The period OF the political caucus had
| departed, never to return. and yet the party
should confer aud have unity. IL possible.
| In conclusion. Mr.. Randall spoke OF indus
| trial development In the Southern States. a
new era of Industrial enterprise, he said. had
already dawned upon the South No section Of
| the country possesses greater natural auNan-
| tages than the South. with her genial climate; !;
her limiiless raw materials; her mines of coal
and iron. with abundant labor ready 20 develop
| them. Considering what has been there
achieved in a single decade, what may not a
century bring forth. under a system calculated
| 20 favor the highest Industrial Development
| "When read the history OF my country, aud
| consider the past and present, and reflect on
| what is before US. not believe that the
| idea which went down in the convulsion of ISL
will ever again dominate the destinies OF the
| Republic"
| He analyzed the metal schedule OF the Mills
bill. and declared IL would bring about meal
culable injury TO the industries OF America
He could ind nothing in the bill which gave a
return for free wool He found many inequali-
ties in IT, and discovered few features intended
10 relieve the poor or the laboring man. As he
dwelt on these features OF the bill, his voice
grew louder. and he became almost eloquent.
| He referred 10 the declarations OF his colleague
(Mr. Scott, who sat near, as supercilious, and
said he would consign them TO the obscurity
| they should be cast into. He pleaded with
his Democratic friends not to undo the good
| which has been done the manufacturing in
| dustries by the protective tarir. and read
from jefferson. Monroe and other Democratic
forefathers 10 prove that protection was a
| fundamental Democratic principle. He closed
| wish a tribute to the results and principles OF
protection, and asked that they be maintained
and maintained through tho efforts Of the
| pa ty that instituted them.
| Messrs. FOran (O.l Dem, Wise, (Va-) Dem
| and Kelley (Pa.l Rep, were first to- ex-
tend congratulations TO Mr.. Randall at the
/ ecnelusioL OF his speech. Unanimous consent
was granted that the time TO be given Messrs.
Mckinley AID Breckinridge be extended with