The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-02-23
TARIFF DISCUSSION IN RHODE
ISLAND.

The Commercial Club of Providence,
at their regular monthly meeting re-
Gently held had as their guests the Hon
VIM, w. Grape of Massachusetts, and
Representatives w. p. c. Breckenridge
of Kentucky and R. Q. Mills of Texas.
The latter is, as our readers well know,
the Chairman of the Co mittee on Ways
and Means of the National House of
Representatives,
Mr.. Mills in addressing the Club, &C
cording e. the Boston Journal, said that
one reason why we can pay higher for
our labor than Europe is because 1--WE
turn out more manufactures to the man
than any other country He enforced
this statement by reference to the results
of the Investigations of James Thornley,,
sent here by English manufacturers to
see how the Americans made many of
their things so cheaply. He found that
articles that cost 20 cents apiece to pro.
duce in England cost only II 26-100 in
Rhode Island; articles that cost % 4-10
cents in Stockport, Eng, cost 10 SO 100
in Fall River. This resulted from the
uperiority of American labor, he said,
and he might have added from that
protection which the tariff afforded, so
as to allow manufacturers to so perfect
their machinery as to make it accomp-
| lish all this.
Hon. Mr.. Grape followed Mr.. Mills,
He alluded to the surplus, and said that
the important question was the DISPOSE
ton of it and the remedy for it. When
the war was over, said he, surplus be
gan to accumulate. The Republican
party. to remedy the evil, began to re.
duce the taxes, and within few years
the taxes were taken off the people equal
to $780, 000, 900 or $40, 000,0 a year. The
taxes were taken off watches, safes,
matches, etc. These reductions were
oppose by our tariff reformers, men
who today are weeping bitterly on ac-
count of our surplus. Matches paid a
tax of $4,000, 900 year, three.tifths of
the duties on all the foreign wool
brought into the United States. The tax
on matches was war tax, The Govern
ment did not need it, but Speaker Car
Isle voted against the repeal. My friend
from Texas (Mr. Mills, for whom l have
the greatest respect, voted no. And
these men are the leaders in the move.
lnent in the tariff reform today. The tax
was not repeated then, but it came up
again in 1889, and again Mr.. Carlisle and
my friend from Texas voted no. 1t
passed the House and went to the Sen
ate, and the man who stood up and OPP
posed the bill was Mr.. Bayard of Della
ware.
The President makes no suggestion
about taking the tax off sugar. My
friend from Texas did not mention that
the tax on sugar last year netted $5S.-
0O0 900. Ribbons, laces, etc., paid $40.
100000. Other articles made total of
Sll4, 100000. and from them you are to
take 800 900, 900 year, and when you
take that off, have you not come pretty
near free trade? Was the President right
when he said that the question of free
trade was irrelevant? 1t ia idle to say,
in view of these figures, that all that is
intended is a mere revision of the tariff
to correct its errors 1t is more than
this. 1t is direct step to free trade. He
now recalled time when he heard his
friend from Texas rise in Congress and
say, 81 move to so revise the tariff as to
make il tariff for revenue only" APP
plause Our tariff is not what college
professors dream of. 1t is something be-
yond idle fancies. Protection is the
best policy for this country, and we do
not see IN it any morality or immortality.
In the last II years we have prospered
in every way. The President has called
our attention to the burdens imposed
upon us by the tariff law, and says that
they have irritated the people. And
yet, in spite of that, he ventured to as
sert that the people physically, morally
and spiritually occupy higher position
than those of any other country. They
earn, spend and save more, and are the
best fed, clothed and housed on the face
of the globe. If tax has become pro
hibition, do not wipe it out. but amend
and adjust it to the necessities of the
present. If the importation of wool has
become menacing to the wooden indus
tries of this country, then say revise it
by making it higher, and give our home
workmen more employment. If the re.
ductiOn of the tariff will deprive our
farmers of the industry of wool grow
ing, then say keep the wool tax where
it is. In reforming the tariff, don't de
s,roy it. Rhode Island may be small in
acreage, but she is great in manufac
lures and density of population. You
pay your laborers more than $25. 900, 900
year, The question is not what per
centage you shall pay on your invested
capital, 1t goes farther and deeper, for
it affects your whole business and the
welfare of the whole people. Were it
not so should not have occupied your
time so long. Great applause.