River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-01-12
SHERMAN'S TARIFF TALK.


dents Yfews-A Strong Argument In
| Favor Of the Protection of American In
dustries and American Labor-Au Analy-
sis of Cieveland's Message.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 -Shortly after noon
| yesterday Senator Sherman arose in the
senate and delivered a speech criticislng
President Clevelands free-trade message in
an able, yet respective manner
The President OF the United States Che said)
departing from the practice of his illustrious
Predecessors, dropped from his recent annual
message all reference TO the foreign re.
lations OF the country and TO the In
teresting questions OF international affairs,
even emitting the usual recognition OF
the Supreme Ruler of the universe, and
postponing all things, celestial and terrestrial,
until the surplus revenue be got rid Of This
extraordinary message he CMr. Sherman felt
called upon TO consider; to inquire whether the
dangers spoken OF in ii were exaggerations or
noti and TO examine the remedies proposed. The
existence Of a surplus revenue had been a con
slant occurrence before and since the close OF
the war. Instead Of its being danger, IL was
an indication OF the continuous increase OF the
domestic productions Of the country, and its
foreign and domestic commerce, and the
steady improvement of its financial condi-
ton. When, in 1906, President Jefferson
had the good fortune OF a surplus revenue, he
asked, in his message to Congress, to what
RoAPNNS AAt ipiuh snoulu DC dpplleu. ana GN-
pressed his belief that the patriotism of the
people would prefer the continuance OF the i'm
posts and the application OF the money ITO the
great purposes Of public education. roads, riv-
ers and canals"
General jackson, when he had the like good
fortune, recommended the distribution OF the
surplus among the States, and a bill for that
purpose had been introduced by Mr.. Calhoun,
had passed both houses by large maiorities,
and had been signed by President jackson
Larger SURPRISES had frequently been dealt
with wisely by Republican Administrations,
being either applied by the executive au-
thOrities to the payment OF the public debt
or its accumulation having been pre-
vented by Congress, from time TO time, by the
reduction or repeal of taxes. These simple
remedies had been applied in the administra-
ton OF each Of Mr.. Cleveland's predecessors
(since the close OF the war; without other mat
ters being neglected or cry OF alarm being
raised. Why had not the President followed
the example Of his predecessors, by using the
powers conferred upon the Secretary OF the
Treasury and applying the surplus to the
reduction Of the public debts
Senator Sherman charged the present Ad-
ministration with having changed the form OF
debt statement so as 10 conceal nearly 100000
300 as unavailable assets, in order that the sur
plus might be enlarged. Even without cutting
down taxation, the Ohio statesman declared
that the surplus revenues might have been
Jissipated by their application to great Ma
tional obiects-coast defeuses; the refunding
81 Sl4,OOO,0O) direct taxes levied upon the sew
eral States in 1862; the failure to appropriate
s10,OOO0OO for river and harbors at the last SEES
sion; the refusal of the Pres ident to sign the
Dependent Pension bill, and the refusal by the
House to provide for the proper building up OF
the navy, for commercial marine, for postal
communication with the South American
States, and for the encoura cement and support
of schools
The President had cast doubt upon the
power OF the Secretary of the Treasury to
enter the market and purchase bonds He
spoke of IL a "pretense," or a ''supposition"
But the second section of the Sundry Civil bill
OF March 3, 1851, gave the Secretary OF the
Treasury power, at any time, to apply
the surplus, or so much OF 1t as he might
consider proper, 10 the purchase or
redemption OF United States bonds-such
bonds TO be cancelled, and not TO constitute a
part OF the sink ng fund. That law had been
passed at his (Mr. Sherman's) request, while
he was Secretary OF the Treasury, TO meet the
very difficulty and 70 operate at any time.
Under IL the Secretary of the Treasury
could have, and ought to have, applied the
surplus, from time to time, TO the purchase or
redemption OF United States bonds Besides II
the dangers from the surplus revenue were so
great and imminent as the President said,
why had not the President convened
called the precarious condition Of finan-
cial AFFAIRS and the absolute peril at
handi What more extraordinary occasion
could occur for the exercise Of the power to
convene Congressy But the President had not
done this, and Congress NOW IN regular SEES
son) was not TO be driven pell-mell by an out
cry to reverse the country's policy for thirty
years-that policy being TO build up domestic
industries by reasonable and proper protection
against foreign productions.
The speaker desired to approach the ques-
tons presented by the President with a sincere
respect for him and his high office, but with a
consciousness that Senators and Representa-
tiyes had the responsibility of acting on such
questions with fuller information and a
broader view OF the interests OF their
J constituents than any executive Of
dcer, however elevated, could have.
He did not attribute either to the
President or Secretary OF the Treasury an in
tent TO produce the dangers and difficulties the
country was threatened with. He did not call
in question their integrity or fidelity. But
when they attempted to alarm the country in
order to induce Congress to break down great IN
dustrial interests ne pointed them to neglect
of duty as the fountain of their woes. II evil
came from this surplus it was their fault. They
had the power now, and rover neglected
was often as great crime as a power
usurped. An artificial scare could not be made
TO cover the faults and defects OF the Admin
istratIon.
The speaker arraigned the President for not
recommending reduction OF internal revenue.
The policy of the American people was against
IT. The tax on whisky restrained in some de-
gree its use as beverage and thus did good,
but it was not with tobacco and
beer Taxes on tobacco and beer weighed
heavily on farmer and laborer, for the farmer
dealt extensively in products used to brew beer.
1t was better that these products be taxed, if
at all, by the States.
II the object sought was only to avoid the &C
emulation Of surplus, the easy, natural and
logical course was TO repeal or largely TO re-
duee internal revenue. But the President pro
posed to continue these taxes without dminu-
ton, so that he might strike more effective
blow at the taxes now resting upon foreign
productions. 1t was the protective industr al
policy built up by the Republican party that
they would break down.
The Presidents message, fairly construed,
was a severe indictment of all engaged in man
ufactures-a sweeping accusation against the
policy of protection as supported by the great
mass of his countrymen and recommended by
his most illustrous predecessors. IL showed
that he favored a public policy which would
leave American manufacturers and workmen
to the hard sharp and grinding competition of
the capital and labor of the world.
Senator Sherman said that the figures for
the fiscal year ending juno 30, last, showed
that, 10 over one-third OF all articles Of
foreign production consumed in this country,
there was absolute free trade. They were
mainly such articles as did not come into com
peton with domestic industry With that kind
Of free-trade he was in hearty sympathy. 1t
was exactly the opposite policy that was pro-
posed by the President and by the school to
which he belonged.
There should not be uniform rate Of duty
on imported goods, but there should be care
full discrimination and class !fication Of rates,
depending upon the nature and quality Of the
goods, upon who were to be the consumers,
and upon the effect which the rates proposed
would have upon domestic industry. There
fore, articles OF voluntary use, of luxury, or
nament or appetite not in common use
among the people, and which are purchased
almost exclusively by the wealthy, should bear
a higher rate Of taxation.
Another class Of duties was on articles of
food and on animals, which paid o duty the last
fiscal year Of s6s,OO00O0. OF this sum sugar,
rice and fruit paid more than nine-tsnths.
These were articles that entered into Che con-
sumption Of every family in the United States
What better mode, he asked, could be suggest
ed to reduce surplus than TO repeal the duty on
sugar, and thus directly relieve the people
from s2s 100000 Of taxes on an article in most
general use and now bearing tax OF 50 per
cent?
The great body OF crude articles imported
which entered into the processes OF domestic
industry TO the value OF si06,000,000 were now
free OF duty. Every imported article OF that
class was so unless 1t competed directly with
the development OF American resources
Duties averaging so per cent. we're now levied
upon such imported articles, valued az $3.50 :
600 and which yielded a revenue of s19.O00 000
The chief OF them we're WOOL fax, hemp and
other textile grasses, hops, bristles and seeds.
The remainder was chiefly metals-ore or pigs