Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-10
AlABOR CONGRESsMAN'S VIEWS.
Hon. Henry Smith, of Wisconsin, Explain
Why He Voted for the Mills Bill.

Hon. Henry Smith, of Wisconsin, Explains
Why He Voted for the Mills Bill.
WASHINGTON, August 2.-Hon. Henry
Smith, OF Milwaukee, Wis, the only mem
Der of congress nominated by the labor
party and elected on labor platform
voted for the Mills bill, and his action eN-
cited much comment and attention all
| over the country, especially among work
ingmtn. He has not heretofore publicly
explained his reasons for voting as he
| Star, of this city, he has written the fol
| lowing letter, which appears in that pa
per, He cites fo1r specific reas-
| ons for supporting the bill, and
closes by saying that "between taking
| the tariff off the neCessaries of life and
| the internal revenue tax off tobacco and
| whiskey, shall vote for the former every
, time l get chance" His letter is as
follows:
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATIvEs,
WASHINGTON, July 81.
| To the editor of the Star:
SIR-In reply to yours of the 26th inst,
requesting my reasons for voting fro the
Mile tariff bill, ans wer as follows:
First-It is conceded by The represent
atives of the democratic and republican
parties, that the accumulation of large
surplus of money in the national treasury
is fraught with Danger to the business in
terests of the country by Withdrawing
that medium from the channels of trade,
which, if not stopped, will cause panic
and result in bankruptcy TO large ex-
tent. Being largely tinctured with the
greenback idea shat money should be in
circulation among the people, and not
cornered, and that money holds the same
relationship to trade that a mechanics
tools do to the mechanic; that by taking
the same from the mechanic will cripple
his usefulness and ability in performing
work; and as the Mills bill held out in
ducements to stop this Drain, and my re
publican colleagues did not propose any
measure to RENE ~ the evil, L gave the
bill my support.
Second-The bill proposes to place
saveral articles on tho free list that enter
in TO the necessaries of life, such as lum-
Der, salt, tin, wool, and several others,
and a slight reduction, not exceeding on
an average per cent, on articles enter
ing largely in home consumption. Now,
70 far as free and cheap lumber
is concerned, it ranks next to bread to
the person who seeks to make homs on
our great western preiries, and no doubt
- he in the Salt-thaf
bountiful gift of naturs--why tax that?
Tinplate is not made in this country, ard
it enters so largely Tito our domestic
uses and in canning the products of our
country. OF wool we do not produce
half enough for home consum ption, even
with all the so called tariff stimulation.
Why compel our people to pay for foreign.
made wooden goods, with tariff tax
added, when by permitting wool to
enter our ports free, our manufac-
turers would be given a chance
TO provide us with home made goods,
and thereby give twice the amount OF
employment to wage workerss My per
sonai experience has taught me THAI
cheap raw material never reduced wages
in mandatory, but, on the contrary,
it had the tendency to raise them.
Third do not believe that nation
can be made prosperous or happy by
taxation, nor should q republican form
of government like ours exact from the
people by taxation more than is actually
required for an economical administra-
ton of pubIic affairs. Again,
large accumulation of money
in the treasury breeds eItrava-
sance and becomes factor Of
decentralization in many ways. Il ia in
its action like malaria; it enters the sys
ten siyly until the whole body is pois-
oned. Ali taxation, of whatever kind
or nature, rests upon the products of la
Dor, for without labor wealth cannot be
produced, and as the existence OF civil
ized man rests upon the products of the
soil, i. is of the highest importance that
legislation should be framed SO as TO
place the least possible burden upon the
tiIler of the soil, thereby placing him in
position to aid his fellow laborers il
the shop and factory by becoming a
larger consumer of manufacture articles
and vice versa.
Again, find that in those states that
are supposed to receive the benefits of q
protective tariff there is more dissatis-