The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-06-20
HOPKINS OF ILLINOIS.
A Telling Speech Delivered in the
House on the Mills Tariff
Bill.
The Democratic Party Came Into
Power by Practicing False
Pretenses.


position TO the Mills tariff abortion:
Mr.. Hopkins, of Illinois, opposed the
bill. After sketching the history of tariff
legislation in lucid manner, citing Ham
ilton and the earlier authorities upon the
truth OF the protection principle, he said
that Clay was the friend of protection, and
after him that great commoner, Mr. Blaine,
had indorsed the same ideas. Under the
operation of projection this country had
made "A marvellous showing of National
prosperity. Continuing, he said:
The Republican party in the campaign
of 1884 called the attention of the public
to the platform of the Democratic party
adopted ut Chicago, and claimed that n
change of administration meant n change
in those economic principles which govern
our revenue system and industrial inter-
ests, but, like the answers of the Goddess
Diana, the Chicago platform was inter-
preted by the Democratic speakers and
leaders TO meet the wishes and require
ments of all classes, trades and callings.
In our industrial centers it was interpreted
to mean protection to the wage workers,
while III the blue grass regions OF Ken
lucky 1t was interpreted TO mean trade rs
free as the air we breathe or the sunlight
we absorb. In other words, Mr.. Chair
man, your party came into power by prac-
American people unequaled in the history
of political parties.
The issue presented is the issue of free
trade as against protection. And in sup
port of that charge hold in my hand n
paper which gives list of the American
members of the Golden Club and the
dates of their becoming members. In
running my eyes over that list, | find that
John G. Carlisle, of Covington, Ky, be-
came an American member In 1883. What
a spectacle does this exhibit to the manu-
facturers, business men, and laborers IN
New Yo,k, who were deluded into voting
the Democratic ticket in 1884 under the
promises and pledges of such speakers
Mr.. Randall: What a spectacle, Mr.
Chairman, does il exhibit to our industrial
interests wherever they may be found?
The follower of Richard Golden, and "A
firm believer in his free trade principles,
by solid Democratic vote Is made the
Speaker of this House-is elected to a
position Mr.. Chairman, where he has
almost autocratic powers III shaping the
legislation of our country.
The Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, in opening this debate, gave
expression to these sentiment with an
abandon and freedom that was truly re-
freshing. And the praise he has received
from free-trade sources has been unstint-
ed. l quote but a single paragraph from
Henry Georges paper, the Standard, I'M
der date of April %:
Mr.. Mills speech in opening the tariff
debate, as printed in full In the Con-
QressiOndi Record, justities the impress
sion produced by the telegraphic reports.
1t is manly, vigorous, and most effective
free-trade speech, Astounding with telling
points that 90 TO the heart of protection.
1t ought to be largely circulated as a cam
paign document.
In the course of Mr.. Hemphill's speech
Mr. Perkins asked: If we should be
permitted 10 buy where We can buy cheap
est. why should we not be permitted 10
hire where We can hire cheapesty" Mr..
Hemphill answered: Exactly. l think
that Is right" Here are the answers of a
man who is too honest in his convictions
in favor of absolute free trade TO hesitate
or dodge when the direful consequences
of such policy are so pointedly brought
out. This doctrine, You will observe, II Is
found necessary TO state in advocating the
enactment into law of this so-calIed
Mills bill. What does this doctrine that
the manufacturers and the employers
in this country should be permitted TO
hire where they can hire cheapest"
mean? 1t means, Mr.. Chairman, that
the owners and managers of the coal
mines of Maryland and Illinois and the
coal and iron mines of Virginia, Alabama
PENNSYLVANIA, and those other great States
interested i'll these industries can lock ont
their employees for any cause or pretense,
and fill their places with the contract la
Dor of Europe. 1t means that the fac
tories and furnaces in all of the great
manufacturing States can be supplied by
starving operatives from Belgium, En-
IL
of the Old World. 1t means that the
scenes of squalor, of poverty and distress
found among the laboring poor of Europe,
which make the heart sick to contemplate,
shall be the future lot and portion of the
great laboring classes of America. Ave,
Mr.. Chairman, II means even more than
that. 1t means that the importation of
the Chinese coolies. which to-day, like
great cancer upon the body polite of the
Pacific Coast States, threaten their lives,
shall be renewed and be unrestricted. The
contemplation of such results shocks the
sensibilities of every friend of labor.
This bill is presented under the seduc-
tive title: ITO reduce taxation and sim
pity the laws in relation to the collection
of the revenue" An examination of the
bill, however, discloses a different pur-
pose. The trainers of the hill fear the re-
suit of the exposure of their free-trade
doctrine, and seek to cover their real pur-
poses by pretending that they are not to
interfere with the manufacturing and la
boring interests of the country by an in
discriminate assault upon the tariff laws,
but rather by a judicious and equitable
revision of the same This bill is section
al in character. propose now to call the
attention of the committee and the coun-
try to some of its provisions in support of
the charge.
Wool is an agricultural product, and one
In which the farmers of this country are
extensively interested. In Vermont New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan
it is an important branch of husbandry.
More or less attention is paid to sheep
raising, either for wool or for mutton, in
all of the Northern, Western, and North
western States and Territories. More than
1,000,0 900 persons are engaged in this in
dustry. The. capital invested, at low
estimate, on the very highest authority.
aggregates $3.50, 100000. The number of
sheep in this country aggregate As, 5l4,-
755. And the total clip of wool for the
year 1887 was 269, 600, 900 pounds. The
Democratic majority of the Committee on
WAYS and Means propose to simplify the