The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-19
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.
exploring the fields Of human industry
aud human production, TO find new
Objects OF taxation to supply their deficien-
cieS. In considering the situation which
confronted us, and the bill which was in
tended to relieve it, it was well that it
should be understood at the beginning what
things all were agreed upon. They were,
first, that we were collecting more money
than was required for the current necessi-
ties of the Government, and, second, that
the excess, whatever it might be, should be
left with the people.
THE REAL POINT AT ISSUE.
The contention, therefore, was not on
reduction, but on the manner of reduction
not that no reduction should be made,
! but how and in what manner it could best
be accomplished. All the parties were
further agreed that the tax on tobacco
should be abolished, and that the $50 000,-
600 now collected from that source from
manufacturers of tobacco should be here
after left with the people. No hindrance or
obstruction would there have been on
the Republican side to the abolition of the
tobacco tax The gentlemen on the other
side had united with them during the lstt
session TO secure recognition for the purpose
of offering bill to abolish that tax, but
that recognition had been refused by the
presiding officer of the House; refused, too,
when every intelligent representative knew
that If an opportunity had been given to
vote upon the bill it would have received
not merely majority, but full two-thirds
vote Of the House.
EFFECT OF IT'S PASSAGE.
If that bill had passed, no immediate
surplus would now be in the Treasury to
disturb the country. Applause But if
this taxation was repealed now there would
be left, according to the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury, about $40 100000
still collected in excess Of the public neces-
sities. How should this sum be RENTED to
the people with the least disturbance
of the great interests of the countryl That
was the real practical question before the
House to-day. At this point the parties
and individuals divided. Therein was
manifested two lines of political thought
which had existed since the foundation OF
the government. He could not forbear
from congratulating the country that it
now had an issue upon which all sections
and all nationalities, unnhuenced by preiu-
dice and unbiased by faction, without re-
gard to past party affiliations, could
divide.
LEAVES THE PAST BEHIND.
There was now an issue which left the
past behind and looked only to the present
and future. 1t was an issue that appealed
neither to race nor geographical lines; an
issue which the House could discuss and
divide upon as each member should honestly
believe was for tho best interest Of
the individual citizen and the country
at large. He congratulated the country
that it had that issue now, and
in that spirit he welcomed the issue sharply
made by the President and In this bill. He
wished TO reach the conclusion IL possible,
which would secure to the whole country
the greatest prosperity. What was the
division between the two great political par
ties4 IL was upon principle as old as the gov
ernment 10 was between what was termed
the revenue tariff, as distinguished from the
protective tariff, and upon the respective
merits of the two systems the parties must
stand or fall.
| SHARPLY CoNTRAsTED.
He sharply contrasted the tariff for rev.
enue" policy of the Democrats and tue
tariff for protection policy of the Repub-
licans He maintained that one meant free
admission to this country OF foreign goods
which could be produced here, whenever
the line Of excessive revenue was reached
and consequently the destruction of Ameri.
can industries. The other meant protection
as well as revenue; it meant stimulation OF
our Industries and protection of our labor
in the fruits Of its works. There were
! many Illustrations of the Democratic doc.
trine in the bill. Wool was one of them,
cotton bagging was another. The bill
meant that Calcutta and Dundee should
| supply us with cotton bagging, and the
countries of the East with wool. The Demo-
| Gratis, since December, had been letting our
own people take care Of themselves and try
ing TO legislate for other and foreign peo-
pies.
In the course OF his speech, Mr.. Mckinley
entered into vigorous criticism of the bill
and created much amusement and applause
| by bis analysis Of the incOngruities Of the
measure. While he said that owing TO lack
of time, no could not point out all Of
the ridiculous features Of the bill, he
! picked out few samples by which he said
the bill could be judged.
THE DUTY ON STEEL BILLETs.
He showed that the duty on steel billets
| had been increased from 45 to 63 per cent.
ad valorem, thereby causing an increase Of
from &c. TO 3c. on every pound of wire
| fencing that enclosed the farms of the
West. The duty on cut nails made from
steel billets was reduced Is per cent, while
the duty on the raw material was increased
As per cent. He criticized the bill, which
the President had said must be
he was dispensing official favors to
have passed-for as the Post said, there was
an Allentown for every Sowden [alluding to
the vote of the public building bill in Mr..
| Sowden's district. He declared that the
bill was sectional. ia that the cotton planter
| COuld Ret nOOp iron Tor MS cotton Ties Tree
of duty, while the farmer of the West must
pay for the same iron Nc per pound if no
wished to bind his thatch or his pail.
LEAVE 1T TO THE PEOPLE.
Mr.. Mckinley concluded: "But now
say to the gentleman (Mr. Mills and his
associates, go back to the people and ask to
be elected to the Fifty-frst Congress on this
! bill and on the Presidents message. Then,
| il a majority was returned TO the next
| House, you will be authorized, aye, in
structed to vote for this bill DO not dodge
or equivocate; meet the issue squarely.
Make your platform in Connecticut the
same as in the Carolinas; in New Jersey
and New York the same as In Mississippi
and Tennessee. Then, II majority comes
back, you will be instructed to accept the
British system and abandon the American.
| Laughter and applausel 1t Is not inn
portant about the details Of this bill; it is
the system that is on trial. IL is whether
the American system should be maintained
or the British system substituted
When Mr. Mckinley concluded he was
greeted with round after round of applause,
and was Immediately surrounded by his
party colleagues, who were profuse in their
| CONCENTRATIONS.
When order was restored, Mr., Breckin-
ridge, Of Kentucky, was recognized, and
the storm broke out afresh, gentlemen on
both sides of the house vying with the gal
leries in a hearty welcome to the Ken
| tuckian.