Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-04-18
THE MINORITY REPORT,
Answer Of Republican Members Of
Ways and Means to the Fres
Trade Proposal
The Glaring Inconsistencies OF the
Mills Bill Pointed
Out.
The Evil Consequences that Would En-.
sue Were It to Become q
Law,

Law.
The report OF the minority COMMITTEES
on Ways and Means ON the tariff bill was
prepared by Mr.. Mckinley and is signed
by all the Republican members of The COM
mittee. The opening paragraphs are as
follow:
came to the committee, and the total lack Of
consideration given to grave . matter by
those charged with tts Investigation. demand
sido Of the committee, and reached < not by
the reference OF the House, which il the usual
channel through which committees obtain
ready made by the chairman Of the committee
was framed, completed and printed without
the knowledge OF the minority, and without
consideration or discussion in full committee
If any consultations were held the minority
were excluded. Thus originating, after three
months OF the session had gone, il was submit.
to to the comm ttee. Since there has been
no consideration Of it. Every effort upon the
part OF the minority to obtain from the MAORI
ty the facts and information upon which they
constructed the bill proved unavailing q reso-
luton to refer the bill to the Secretary Of the
Treasury for a statement of its probable effects
upon the revenue, together with a statistical
abstract which wo,ild facilitate its conside era-
tion by the committee and the House, was
voted down by strict party vote.
The industries Of the country, located in
every section of the country, representing vast
lHteTebts CLOSELY related 10 the prosperity Oh
the country, touching practically every home,
and every fireside, and which were to be af-
fected by the BILL were denied O hearing, and
the majority shut the doors of the committee
against all examinations of producers, con;
sumers, and experts, whose testimony might
have enlightened the committee. The farmers,
whose Investments and products we're to be
uisastrously dealt with were denied an oppor-
tuntty to address the committee. The work
fngmen OF the country, whose wages were at
stake, were denied audience. Their Represen-
tpf ffyA fhn AS,<,r rx,ft
mitted to voice the wants OF their constituents
Proposing a grave measure which would affect
nll the people in their employments, their
labor and their incomes the majority persist.
emily refused the people the right Of hearing
and discussing, denied them the simple privi-
lege Of presenting reasons and arguments
against their PROPOSED action.
But as this bill is avowedly political one
beloved TO represent SO far as 1t goes. the
views OF the President and his party associates,
bill which with the Presidents free-trade
message. is to constitute the issue and be the
platform OF the party, it may account for but
will not justify this extraordinary course Of
procedure The minority protested without
avail in the committee, aud now announcing it
TO the House. rs they feel constrained to do
accept the issue rendered by the bill, accom-
panied with some OF their reasons for opposing
it, and make their appeal from the people s
servants to the people themselves.
The bill is rad cal reversal Of the tariff
policy OF the country which for the most part
has prevailed since the founiatio of the
Government and under which we have made
industrial and agricultural progress WITHOUT d
parallel in the world history, III enacted into
law it will disturb every branch of business,
fetard manufacturing and agricultural pros
perity, and seriously impair our industrial in
dependence. 1t undertakes to revise our
entire revenue system substanti ally all Of the
tariff schedules are affected both eiassit,ca.
tion aud rates are changed. Specific duties
are in many cases changed to ad valorem,
which all experience has shown 1. productive
OF frauds and underva1uatons. 1t does not
correct the irregularities OF the present tariff !;
1t only agtravates them. It introduces uncer-
talnties i'll Interpretation, which will embar-
and litigation, and give to the customs officcfu
latitude OF construction Which
VIII produce endless controversy and con-
fusion II is marked with a sectionalism which
every patriotic citizen must deplore. Its con-
struc5ion takes no account Of the element OF
labor which enters into production, and in q
advanced product free or dutiable at u less
rate than the materials from which it is made
"The poor mans blanket, which the majority
mas made q burning issue for SO many years
is made to bear tho same rate OF duty as the
rich mans. More than a third OF the free Ii ct
Is made up from the products of the farm, the
forest and the mine. From III ducts which are
now dutiable at the miniruum rates, ranging
from to % per cent, ana even this slight
protection, so essential, is to lie taken from
the farmers, the lumbermen, and the quarry
men.
The American farmer will appreciate the
vicious character of the bill as applied to him,
when he is apprised of the fact that while the
products OF the land and labor shut out
from Canada by protective tariff imposed by
the Canadian Government, the Canadian farm.
er can send many OF his products here without
the payment OF duty under the proposed bill.
now long Will the rate OF agricultural wages be
continued in the United States under such
legislation? What sort Of reciprocity is this 2
This will be direct benefit to the Canadian
farmer, and most serious blow to the Ameri-
can. The whole bill has that tendency, and
seems to be subject to the criticism that it as
Framed to benefit other countries rather than
our own. Nowhere I'm the bin is the ultim ate
purpose of its authors more manifest than its
treatment of wool 1t places this product upen
the free list and exposes our focks and heeces
to merctless competition from abroad In this
respect the bill is but the echo of the Presi.
dents message, and gives emphasis to the set
tied purpose OF the majority to break down one
of the most valuable industries Of the country
IL is public proclamation that American policy
OF protection. SO long adhered to, and under
which has been secured unprecedented pros
pefity IN every department OF human effort, Is
Why have the majority put wool on the free
list? Let them make their own answer. We
quote from the report I'VE say. to the manu-
facturer we have put wool on the free list to
enable him to obtain foreign woods cheaper
make his goods cheaper, and send them into
foreign markets, and successfully compete with
the foreign manufacturers"
!. The purpose is to bring down the price Of
wool. II this should be the result, we inquire
at whose expense and loss? 1t must be at the
loss who, at present prices and with the present
duty, is being forced out of the business by
ruinoas foreign competition The injury, by
the confession OF the majority, will fall upon
the American wool-grower He 10 to be the first
victim. He can find no profitable foreign mar
kct If he is unable to hold his own, and it Il
product at home with the wool OF the world
ciowding our shores unchecked by custom
house duties There We're ia 100000 pounds Of
wool imported into this country the last fiscal
vxry,7 ,7srrt = naxstA
even with @ dnty Of 10 cents q pound on the
higher grades, was diminished to 2s5, coo. 90
pounds. The bill will greatly increase inn
portations of the foreign product and dimin-
ish, If not wholly destroy, our own production.
Every nation ought, Ii possible. to produce its
clothing as well as it's food. This nation can
do both IL the majority will let it alone II
should be borne in mind that our wool pro-
ducers cannot compete with countries
where no winter feeding and but little summer
cheap. unless their industry has Just and sde-
quate protection. Is labor in manufacturing
more deserving Of the considerate concern of
agriculture? Both are useful and equally
honorable and alike merit the thoughtfuI con-
siderataon OF those charged with making laws
The majority report asserts that we must pro
duce our woolsn goods a. lower cost and be
able to undersell the foreign product. And
after this, how 10 the lower cost to be secured |?
First BY heecing the wool grower, and next by
reducing the labor cost in the manufscture.
How arc We to undersell the foreign product?
BY making the manufacturing cost Of our
goods loss than theirs, In other words, by
cutting down the wages OF our skilled and
unskilled labor, not TO tho foreign standarl
simply. but below 1t. for the product must
cost US less il we undsrsell our oompetitors
The American farmer will not quietly
submit to this injustice. The Amer.can
worktngman will Indignantly repel this
etfcrt to degrade hts labor. The majority
graveiy inquire In their report: II Congress
grants the request Of the wool-growers, what
are the people to do for woolen ciothins?" We
beg to suggest to the people OF this country who
purchased woolen cloths during the existeuce
Of the tariff OF 1867. and the tariff proposed by
the wool conference is substantial II that tsrifi
that they. were never better clothed. and never
better able 70 buy them. It rpuld be instruc-
tive to the majority to compare the prices Of
woolen clothing in this country during the per-
iod from ls45 TO 1856, under the low tariff then
prevailing. with the prices now prevailing and
they would pc profted also BY comparison
OF the scale q wsees then prevailing with those
disclose the wretched eondition of labor in ShN
former period, the starving prices than received
and the inability of thousands of worthy work
men 70 get work q any prices. Clothes It any