Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-24

ANOa I<<O
pressing him at any period Of our history In
any section of our land
| VINO SUPPORT rms BILL?
| Who are the supporters of this bills The
men who few years since did not believe in
the Republic and do not believe in PROTECTING
its industries now ; they who wrote in new
constitution of new Confederacy which they
attempted to set up within the domain Of the
Union these words: Nor shall any duties or
taxes on importations from foreign nations
be laid to promote or foster any branch Of
industry" These men dominate the Democ-
racy to-day as they did prior to the war.
They were then and are now recognised in
England and here as free traders; they srs
now, as then, the American pets of the Brit
ish free-trade aristocracy. They and their
Northern followers constitute the present
Democratic party, and they support this bill
for the destruction of American industries -
they did the measures taken for the destruc-
tion of the American Union twenty five years
ago; and l confidently predict that their
present project will fail as completely and
fortunately for the country AZ did their for.
mer one.
Let it be admitted. if you please, that they
were honest in their undertaking then, but
the conflict which il precipitated was none the
less terrible for that; and their success, had
they been victorious, would have produced
consequences no less disastrous. II they be
honest in their present purpose they are no
less deluded now than then; they no less fail
to comprehend the right aud wrong Of the
situation; and their success, could they
achieve it, would bring ruin hardly less COM
plete TO the nation.
Secession and free trade were born Of the
same parentage and reared in the same
school. The one has had its day and died,
smothered in the blood it caused to flow and
amid the throes of civil war which il Great
ed. God forbid that such calamity shall be
in store for us as that the other shall ever have
its day in this country. If it shall have It, then
it will meet with like defeat; but what pa
triotic man does not deplore the wrecks IL
must necessarily make in the mean time?
A BETTER WAY TO REpucE THE REvH-
NUEs.
There is better way than that proposed
in the Mills bill to reduce the revenues and
prevent the continual accumulation of sur-
plus in the Treasury. We are now paying
duties amounting to $5S 900 900 annually
upon imported sugar. l introduced early 10
the session bill to repeal this sugar duty,
and to pay bounty equal to the present rate
of duty upon sugar raised in the country.
The bounty would amount to not more than
So, 900 900; so that those S52 200, 900 Of
taxes would be saved to the people and the
surplus reduced to that extent. This would
destroy no American industry. 1t would
leave su., ar protected just as it is now and
be sure to reduce the surplus, something that
the Mills bill will not do, because 1t Is very
certain to increase the revenues by increasing
mportations rs much Ms 1t curtails them by
its free list.
But you fear the word "bounty." Then,
let us reduce the sugar duty TO $1,000 900
per year, and let that sum, or so much Of II
as may be necessary, be paid to the Ameri-
can sugar planters to equal the rate Of duty
now upon the sugar they produce. This will
be AS much duty as If VIC collected the
SOS, ,0OO, 200 which we now do. II will
remedy all the trouble about the surplus and
harm no one. Indeed it will do more "
stimulate experiments in making sugar from
sorghum and beets as well from cane than
duty now imposed, The sugar interest
of France, Germany, and Italy has been de-
veloped by direct bounties, and several
States of our country have resorted to this
method with good results and no harm done
to any one. This policy would more than any
thing else quicken the efforts of our people
to invent new processes of manufacture as
well as to try new materials for the produc-
ton of sugar.
And this plan would not be sectional in its
effects. Sugar is consumed equally In all
parts of our country. 1t is an article OF prime
necessity in every State and town in the land,
and it equally affects all classes. The use
sugar is confined to neither poor nor rich,
nor workman nor employer. II is the largest
f,nI I.I,a ina fan, anil tlAra il
article of consumption the cheapening of
whose cost would be so generally and sensi-
bly, felt. The reduction of the duty would
be very large, the present tariff being 76 per
cent, and therefore be greater saving to
the people than could be made upon any
thing else. Indeed, il would carry more
comfort to more American homes than any
change in our revenue laws which can be
made.
And this plan also would be entirely in
line with the protective principle. The in
dustry is to be protected. 1t is not proposed to
protect it by high duty, because the prime
object of a protective duty, namely, the
growth and expansion of the industry pro-
tccted, and the competition arising there
from, can not, at present at least, be secured
in the case of sugar. The sugar growing
territory of our country is limited, and we
produce no more sugar now than we did
thirty years ago. The bounty will stimulate
the experimenter and inventor, and when he
shall have found the process of producing an
unlimited amount of sugar in our country ut
fair cost, the duty may be repealed IL IL
shall then be found to be desirable to have II
done. The repeal of the sugar duty and
protection of the sugar industry ut the same
time, in the manner which have stated, 10
American in its policy. 1t does not sacrifice
any industry to the foreigner, nor any one
industry to any other industry or interest In
our country.
OUR POWER TO PROTECT LABoR.
The gentleman from Mississippi Mr..
Hooker when he argues that 1--WE have no
power to protect labor" mistakes the plan
and purpose of protectionists. We do not
seek to protect one product Of our own
country against another, but all Of them
that require and deserve it from
foreign competition. And this has proved sue
cessful beyond measure. 1t has raised the
price of labor; has given us asplendid home
market for our products, diversified our
industries and made us as independent in
dustrlally as we are pOlitically 1t has
stimulated the creation of new industries,
caused competition among our own people,
and reduced prices to the consumer below
what he heretofore has paid for goods from
abroad; it has developed our resources and
| given labor to our workmen and brought 70
us prosperity never before realized by any
people among the nations of the earth.
! Under protection we have recovered from
the destructive rayages of great war; have
| paid thousands of millions Of indebtedness
and interest on the same; covered our land
with thriving towns, fertile farms. and great
cities; and quadrupled our national wealth.