The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-05-24

manufactured articles most potently affected
by the bill. were treated In detail. and in a
similar manner Continuing, he said that o
tarff for protection is tarif which raises n
revenue sufficient TO pay the legitimate ex-
penses OF the Government and is tax on for
egn products, so levied as TO give protection to
the chosen industries OF the home people.
1t is simply notice to foreign producers that
II they would enjoy the privileges OF our mar
kets they must pay for them-must pay tribute
TO our Government. Free trade between the
States OF this Union was on basis Of recipro-
cal advantage Harmony of laws, Of interests
and of destiny justified and required IL. To
this. foreign nations could not. and should not
be admitted Free trade With foreign nations
was antagonlstic to the fundamental principles
OF the Republic.
The bill under consideration owed its sup
port TO the plea that il would reduce the reve-
nue.. This was not true. The reduction OF rev
enue from the extended free list would be more
than Offset by the increased importatons un-
der dutiable provisions. Few men on the Dem
oeratic side of the House could have thor
ough knowledge of the contents of
this bill. Few OF the speakers
on the Democratic side of the
chamber could know that this bill incre ased by
fifteen per cent, the duties on steel billets.
That according TO their theories it added TO the
price of every pound OF wire fencing and TO
nails, and to other articles-that it Increased
upon which the President stood, and which he
was trying to force through the House by coer-
cion and the use of patronage. His organ said
there was an Allentown for every Sowden--a
threat and intimidation over every Democratic
member who did not support this bill
The duty on wool was swept away Every
benefit to the farmer OF the protective system
was cut out. Yet every thing he must buy was
left subject to duty. The shears must pay
forty-fve per cent, the sheep bell must pay
forty-fye. There was but one item In the en-
tire bill for the farmer. He could get sheep
dip free OF charge.
The afternoon would not afford time to call
attention TO the Inconsistencies of the bill.
The fve-minute debate would afford better op-
portunity. He would turn to the internal-rev-
enue provisions of the Mills bill. The tobacco
provisions were generally accepted. The pro
visions as to Illicit dIstilling removed all the
safeguards OF the present law. If
this bill had no other defect,
its substitute OF ad valorem for specific duties
was alone sufficient to warrant the rejection OF
the bill. Under an ad yalorem system, honest
administration would be impossible. Every
European nation had rejected it. The customs
officials of the United States were unanimous
in their condemnation OF the ad valorem sys-
tenn. comprehensive review of the history OF
this country would show that the domination
OF protection principles had always caused
prosperity; their overthrow or neglect had al
ways brought ruin.
Mr.. Mckinley cited numerous examples of
American and foreign manufacturing estab-
lshments OF similar character, which showed
the American wages to be often three tunes as
large as those OF the European workmen.
Mr.. Leopold Morse, interrupting with some
questions about wooden clothing, Mr. Mckin-
ley turned the laugh on him by producing a
suit OF all-wool clothing purchased from Morse's
store in Boston at price which answ cred the
a Ata
posed of Mr.. Mills fearful tale OF the working
man toiling for o twenty dollar suit
Mr.. Mckinley continued at length his COM
parisons tending to show the increased
wages of American laborers under protective
tariff He concluded with the statement that
the verdict of the people had never been given
for such bill as this. and that if the Demo-
cratic party would adopt it as their platform,
the result could not be other than crushing
and overwhelming defeat. He challenged the
Democracy TO make this issue. No Republican
had any fear of the result.
Mr. Mckinley concluded amid burst of ap-
plause, and cries OF "Vote," 'Vote," from the
Republican side and Mr.. Breckinridge took the
floor. He said:
We do not pretend that this bill is scien-
tiflc measure. II is a bill framed to meet
the present conditions, not to fit any
particular theory. The changes proposed
by this bill are designed TO give
are raised, amarket for his breadstuffs and for
raw materials, which are only profitable when
he has a prosperous manufacturer for n pur-
chaser; to the laborer, the hope of q constant
market, and 10 the manufacturer, freedom from
unnecessary burdens. We have, therefore, put
upon the free list, as far as we felt 1t was just
the materials necessary for the manufacturer.
We have reduced the rates. where
ever we have touched them, to
a point that gives to the home
consumer the hope of fair competition, when
ever demand has been made by an internal
trust 10 advance the price beyond fair consid-
GRAFTON for the article TO be sold, and yet
we have left the rates so that the protection af-
forded is greater than any necessity, and makes
all competition OF foreign manufacturers upon
terms of great advantage to the American man
ufacturer. 1t was determined, in response TO
what seemed 20 be the sentiment of large
part of the country TO propose the re-
peal OF the taxes on manufactured tobacco.
The committee have thought IL wise to repeal
so much of the internal revenue as was not
necessary to the proper administration Of the
system and the collection ofthe revenue under
it. Our belief was TO that exempt fruit
brandy and alcohol used in the arts
would eIectually, destroy the in
ernal revenue system, and were this 10 be
done, we preferred to do il or have II done
openly, and thus fix the responsibility for it
upon those who accomplished il, The yenera-
bic gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelley
may be assured that no criticism he may per
nit himself 10 make upon Kentucky Will be
held TO be any answer TO the bill under consid-
GRAFTON.
Mr.. Breckenridge, having denied the state
ments about Kentucky made by Mr. Kelley in
his speech, said: when the gentleman's
speech is read by the citizens Of those coun-
ties called paupers' by him, who have held in
afIeotionate remembrance the name OF my ven
erable friend, they will think, II they do not
say, 'Etts, Bygae and fear they win not re-
member that the last word is Latin, and word
OF two syllables,'
II this bill goes into operation, one OF its
beuehcent results and not the least, viii be
the emancipation of American politics from the
domination OF the so-called wool growers, and
the freedom OF the representatives OF the peo-
pie from the control OF those who profess 10
speak in the name OF the million OF fiock-mas
ters am not one OF those who ascribe 70 the
protective tariff oil those troublesome problems
which press upon US for solution. But there
are evils which protective tarin either pro
duoes, or, uniting with other causes, aids in
producing Thirty years ago the American
flag was seen in every port. All this has
been changed; partly it has been caused
by the substitution Of the iron vessel
for the wooden vessel; but largely caused by
system of taxation which rendered II impossi-
Bile for an American TO carry on trade with q
foreign natlon. The annual freight PAID on
our foreign trade TO foreigners has been vari-
ously estimated from one hundred and forty to
two hundred million dollars This enormous
annual tax now paid TO foreigners ought to
have been ours; and the aggregate sum which
we have thrown away IN our selfish folly since
1865 is much larger than our public debt. The
advocates OF the present system vehemently
deny that this gradual and fatal decay has been
caused by ii. They can not deny that as a rem
edy this policy has been wholly inefacacious.
Since 1855 this decay has gone on under the
protective system. We can hope for no relief
from IT,
Mr.. Breckinrdge then went into long phil
osophical argument showing the advantage
that would accrue from policy OF free trade,
and In conclusion, said. Seventy per cent. OF
the cotton which England turns into finished
product and sells an over the hahitable globe,
grows upon American soil Her annual in
crease OF receipts over the price that she pays
us for our cotton Is not less than twelve