The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-25
THUMPING THE TARIFF
McMiIlin Lays Bare the FaIIa-
cies Of Protection.
BURROWS STRIKES BACK

The Tennesseean Has the Best Of the
Argument Because the Facts are all
in His Favor-Pig Iron Kelley Puts
in a Word or Two in Futile Effort to
Parry Some of the Democracy's
Home Thrusts.
WASHINGTON, April 24-In the House
today, Mr.. Mills, of Texas, asked unani-
nous consent that all gentlemen might be
allowed to print in the Record any remarks
upon the subject of the tariff, but Mr..
Reed, of Maine, objected.
Mr.. Hopkins, of New York, objected to
sreouest from Mr.. Mills that night ses-
sion should be held this evening, and then
the House went into committee of the
whole, with Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, in
the chair, on the tariff bill, the floor being
accorded to Mr.. Mcmillan, of Tennessee.
Mr.. McMillin opened his speech with a
declaration that next in Importance to the
question of personal liberty was the ques-
ton of how and how much the people shall
be taxed. As it pertained to taxation, it
was no new question, but was with us in
Luc D6Sluulls VI Jul EONCl cAuU
would be with us to its close He who
advocated the presAnt tariff favored a tariff
rot for revenue, not for protection merely,
but a tariff for a surplus and tariff for
trusts. We were confronted with
an anomalous state of affairs. We
had locked up in the Treasury
beyond the demands of Government about
Sl40,000,000, or SO 50 for every inhabitant.
What was the cause of this overflowing
What ba of chic
emulation, besides which that of all other
countries sinks into insignificance? What
was the cause of boarding in the Treasury
more money than was gathered in the
Treasury of any monarchy, kingdom, or
deSpotism under the sun.
THE ANSWER.
The answer to all these questions was
that the people have been taxed beyond the
reasonable demands of the government
Robbery of them under the forms of the
law had been perpetrated, and to-day they
stand moneyless-the tax gatherer still
starring them in the face-and demanding
relief at the hands of Congress. He CON
gratulated the country that we have
reached a point where there is
fair chance for consideration of
bill looking to reduction
Of the taxes on the necessaries of life. Here
tofore the favorite method pursued in the
/ killing of tariff bills was either by refusing
to consider them or by moving to strike
out the enacting clause. But Congress was
fortunate in having before it now a bill
which it dare not refuse to consider and of
which its members dare not be rash enough
to strike out the enacting clause.
FORMER CONGRESSES CRITICISED.
He referred to and criticised the action of
The former Congress in shifting its RESPONSE
6lty for tariff reform upon a commission.
The Congress that appointed the commits
son, finding that the rate of taxation aver
aged about 43 per cent, under the pre-
tense of revising it, left it so that
had since reached AZ per cent, and
the people have had no relief. 1t was higher
today than it was at anytime during the
late civil war. Worn out with waiting
dlsgusted with the hesitation of Congress
that misrepresented the best interests of the
country, they freed themselves from those
who appointed the commission and refused
to heed its recommendations, and sent here
different class of. representatives, and to
the White House a man of a different po-
ltcal party.
RUIN INEVITABLE.
Commenting on the surplus, Mr.. Nc
Nillln said: 1--WE are drawing money from
commerce and locking it up in the Treasury
Al such rate that it is only question of
.'iAS " hOh obl Will Stb pd1lCo DG-
GIN, and ruin follow. We are robbing not
only commerce of its ife-blood, but the
people OF the means of paying their taxes
~ ~ thelr Yernments-munlcipal, county,
State and Federal-and their debts to their
creditors All sorts of jobs are proposed to
congress and all sorts of jobbers are flock
ing here. There is nothing conceivable
more corrupting to government than ple-
tlorlc treasury. 1t revives stale demands
fGe,y ,f tAN,.c
long set at rest.n Quoting from what he
ermed the able and characteristic speech of
ge gentleman from Pennsylvania CMr.
Aehey) demanding total repeal of the inter
~ u revenue system, he declared that the
1epubhcan party was responsible for that
ysVem, and commented on the fact that
T,qen That gentleman was chairman of the
ays and Means Committee he did not
epeaI internal revenue taxation.
Mr.. Kelley admitted that the Democratic
arty mad not enacted the law, but declared
u3I IL mad made it necessary for the Re-
uollcan party, which remained IN Con-
eSS curing the war, to provide sinews for
uaI war, and thus forced that party to
sort to internal taxes and all the hard
ups resulting from them.
WHERE THE BLAME LIES.
Mr. McMillin replied that the gentleman
91 only lnaugurated the internal taxes of
men men ne complained, but lie pu5 a tax on
airoads and.income and'capital and the de-
sis OF banks. But these later had been
.,oNed, and those which the gentleman
NJ worked hardships had never been re-
oyel' The gentleman had not done the
iy tning which he said the Democratic
NY was responsible for not doing. He
w. McMlllin) remembered the gentleman
oIsIug before the House and saying that
,eVored the repeal Of the system but
LAY LAY uIs caucus had determined otherwise,
s4 ne had bowed his neck TO the yoke
,vpause on tNe Democratic side1
W, heley-Has not that been done now
I9ur Democratic caucusl Applause on
republican side.
lr " &acMillin-Why does not the gentle
oI sI Ver VlIer a substitute now which does re-
o the taxl
& gt Kelley-When we come to amend
1S you will find that | will offer one,
n make you vote on it.
AcMlllln-Does your party favor
NJ repeal of the internal revenue system9
u heley-I speak for myself.
V lLaughter.)
Loss OF FOREIGN COMMERCE..
@uchlng upon the decay of our for
TiT w iherce and attributing it to the high
ipgo.,.h .hr. McMtllin was interrupted by Mr..
gSo with question whether that com
ion ,o nao not fallen off from 1853 to 1861,
Nr the enactment of the high tariff
McMillin admitted that there had
- af I...N 4. A.