Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-08-16
A FREE-TRADE VICTORY.
What an Influential Gerninn Journal
Thinks of the Mills Bill.

| What an Influential Germsa Journal
Thinks of the Mills Bill.
July 81, 1861, at Bull Run, was
fought the first battle of the four years
civil war; it was a defeat for the North.
Twenty-seven years later, on the same
day, bloodless battle was fought in
the House of Representatives of the re-
united Nation; this also was victory
for the South Democratic party. a
Bull Run for the North.
For this is the real meaning of the
passage of the Mills Tariff bill.
In the closing speech which Mr..
Mills delivered he explained in great
detail that his measure was in no sense
purely free-trade bill. And in that
he is quite right. For with all the
changes and additions which were
made while it was being discussed in
the House, the mills BILL means
nothing more than strong tariff pro-
lection for the South and destruction
of the tariff for the North.
Even the last moments of the discus
sion were used to provide that no South
ern industry should remain unprotect-
ed. Every raw article that is raised,
or can be raised in the South, was re-
moved from the list of free wares. But
on all the articles and wares that are
raised in the North, though they paid
one dollar for every mark, every franc
or every shilling of labor that it would
cost to produce it in Europe, South
America or Australia, the tariff
was removed. There are, among
our readers, without doubt, a num-
Der of peculiar enthusiasts, who go
wild over so-called free trade;" not
because they have made study of the
meaning, purpose and working OF the
same in single instances, bnt because
they so clearly see the four letters,
FREE. Their entire proof consists
in the short question that they put,
and the short answer that they give
themselves: els not freedom some
thing beautiful. The same method of
proof would be convincing that the
freebooter and "tree fight were also
beautiful. But, aside from this, we
will endeavor to prove to the peculiar
enthusiasts of the Mills bill that it is
not free-trade measure, but what he
endeavored to hide-namely, protect
i've tariff for the South.
The apparent endeavor to decrease
the National revenues prove to be a
gross swindle. According to the fig
ures of the author of the bill, the re-
duction of the revenue receipts under
the Mills tariff would not amount to
more than $2O,00O,OO0. On the other
hand the simple removal of the pro-
tective tariff in the interest of few
planters in Louisiana, would increase
this reduction from $50, 900, 900 to $780,
000,0 900, thereby securing what was said
to be the real advantage Of the bill.
The bill will now go to the Senate.
1t is said this body will prepare a sub
stitute, which, while protecting the
revenue on all branches of industry
which without protection would go to
the ground or be crippled, will affect
reduction of the tariff in a more wide
spread manner than that suggested by
the Mills bill.
A true, genuine and just tariff con-
sists first, in the introduction of alb
solute free trade for all such stuffs and
articles which are not raised in the
United States at all or in small meas
ure only (say one-tenth of the total
sale, such as sugar.; secondly, in the
adjustment of the productive powers
of all such evidences of human labor
which our own country produces in a
raw state in such richness and large
quantities. Every duty that is higher
than is necessary for the adjustment
or equalization of such producing
powers is an evil, and must be cut
down to the proper standard.
This is the tariff reform that ap-
peals to every sensible, liberal-minded
and unprecedented man as the only
desirable one. It is not Democratic,
not Republican, but simple and sem
sible. But the swindle-reform, such
as the Mills bill Tariff for the South"
would, if it became a law, have no
other affect than to
l. Destroy number of the industries
OF the North;
2. Reduce the price of labor at least
ore-half in industries that were not de-
atroyed;
8. Drive hundreds OF thousands of
laborers and worknen 30 farming and
cattle-raising. and
4. Thereby reduce the price of bread
stuffs or meats, which Europe will not
buy. to very low figure, and destroy
the prices on all agricultural produc-
tons, such as grain and cattle, thereby
impoverishing the farmers, who are
badly enough off with the present
prices, to the state of the peasants
of Roumania, made poor by British
free trade Chicago Stats Zeittng
(Ind.).
t TARIFF AND SIJRpIiIS