The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-22
MlIis,s Tariff slashine.

L The CONSIDERATION OF the Mills tarln Dill by
the ways and means committee has been
concluded and the bill is now in condition
for presentation to the House. 1t was read
by sections, as rapidly as the tongue of the
reader would permit-as rapidly, probably,
as Mr.. Sidney Moor Heath read the Consti-
tuition of the United States to the Wateryile
Frenchmen who had been refused naturali-
zation because they were not familiar with
that document, and who were supplying the
deficiency--and promptly as the end Of each
section was reached Mr.. Mills directed roll
call. No opportunity whatever was given to
the Republican members of the committee to
make suggestions or ask explanations.
l"Vote," shouted cir. Mills, and the commit
tee voted, the Democratic majority always
in the affirmative, and then passed to the
next section. And this performance tie
Democrats call revising the tariff. Mr.. Mills,
who is its director, is lawyer from Texas. a
State in which industries are few and far
between; and his ignorance of what is going
on in the country in the manufacturing line
was clearly demonstrated by his assertion
in the House that the manufacture of seam
less stockings was unknown in this country.
Mr.. Mills, however, has big head, and his
deficiency of knowledge is more than COM
pensated for in his own estimation by the
circumference of his skull. He cats and
slashes with little regard to who or what is
hurt, provided the Democratic party escapes.
AS to what would injure that organization he
has taken advice, and incantous in every
thing else, he has been very cautious in that
I..f< =
Republicans could not be expected to seek
first the interest of the Democratic party.
The advice of manufacturers in Republican
States Is not wanted, for the Democratic
party has nothing to hope for in those States,
What cares Mr.. Mills if the lumber business
and lime industry in Maine are ruined?
What difference does it make to him if the
Maine farmer is subjected to the disastrous
competition Of the farmer over the border.
and the latter's products are let in to our
markets, while the products of our farmers
are shut out of the Canadian markets by
high duties? Maine is Republican State,
and the Democrats have no hopes of carrying
1t. Neither has Mr.. Mills any hope of get
ting votes for his bill from Maine Maine
therefore, is good place to cut deep
with the tariff reform knife. So for the
same reasons are Ohio and Illinois and all
the other Western States. But when Mr..
Mills approaches the Democratic States how
cautious he becomes. The sugar industry,
which protection has failed to build up. is
cealt with very gingeriy. There is slight
reduction, but not enough to seriously affect
the political convictions of the Democrats of
Louisiana, who have been In the habit of
contributing some Of the electoral votes
which Democratic Presidential candidates
need. Iron and coal are dealt with very ten
derby, indeed the latter is not touched at ALL
1t win not do to ALLEVIATE West Virginia.
That is a Democratic State. Indeed Mr..
Mills's whole bill has been constructed with
a view to reforming the tariff without hurt
ing the Democratic party. Reckless in his
assaults upon the industries of the country,
tyrannical in his refusal to allow represen-
tatives of those interests to be heard. he has
been exceedingly careful at every step to
consult the interests Of the Democratic par
ty and very cautious not to put in the knife
where it would draw Democratic blood The
Republicans are accused of being obstruc-
tionists because they have scnght to arrest
the progress Of such q performance as this.
Well, they ought to be obstructionists; and
continue to be until Mills is driven to con-
suit the interests of the whole country, and
not of the Democratic party alone.