St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-26


protection, and asked that they be maintained
and maintained through the efforts of the
| pai ty that instituted them
| Messrs. Foran 90 DEM Wise, (Va) Dem
and Kelley pa Rep, were first to ex-
tend congratulations to Mr.. Randall at the
| conclusion OF his speech. Unanimous consent
was granted that the time to be given Messrs.
| Mckinley and Breckenridge be extended with
| out limit
| Mr.. Mckinley began speaking at 12:40 p. m
A large body of members carried their chairs
from their desks and seated themselves about
the gentleman from Ohio, who began
| by saying that his objection to
the reductions proposed by the Mills
Dill. was not to the reductions themselves, but
TO the manner of making them. The Repub-
| ltcans in the House he said. had for years
been ready to reduce the income but they in
sisted that the internal taxes should be first
| reduced. If the reductions in this line had
been made two years ago, when the Republic
ans wanted it done. there would be surplus
IN the treasury to-day to interfere with the com
merce and business OF the country He
welcomed the issue raised by the
President. 1t gave to the people
and to their Representatives the op-
! portunity to consult together and reach a
| conclusion which he, as q Republican, did not
| fear
Mr. Mckinley here entered into definition
| that low duties increased the revenues, because
| they effected increased importations A genuine
| revenue imposed no duty on the consumer, it
| came from the foreign producer, whose profits
| it decreased. Wool, a sufficient guam
| tity of which is produced at home, is made
free Dy the Mills bill. while sugar
which is not produced in quantities suf
| ficient to supply the American demand, is tax
| ed by the bill. A tax wool would protect
| the American, q tax on sugar is a tax the
American. Cotton bagging, and the various
| manufactured articles most potently affected
| by the bill, were treated in detail, and in q
| similar manner Continuing, he said that q
| tariff for protection is tariff which raises
| revenue sufficient to pay the legitimate ex-
penses of the Government, and is tax on for
eign products, SO levied as to give protection to
| the chosen industries of the home people.
1t is simply notice to foreign producers that
| II they would enjoy the privileges of our mar
| kets, they must pay for them-must pay tribute
| TO our Government Free trade between the
| States OF this Union was on q basis Of recipro
| cal advantage. Harmony of laws, of interests
| and of destiny justified and required it. To
| this, foreign nations could not, and should not,
be admitted. Free trade with foreign nations
| was antagonistic to the fundamental principles
| of the Republic.
| The bill under consideration owed its sup
| port to the plea that it would reduce the reve-
| nue.. This was not true. The reduction of rev.
| enue from the extended free list would be more
| than Offset by the increased importations un-
der dutiable provisions. Few men on the Dem
ocratic side of the House could have thor
| ough knowledge of the contents of
this bill. Few OF the speakers
| on the Democratic side Of the
| chamber could know that this bill incre ased by
| fifteen per cent, the duties on steel billets.
That according to their theories it added to the
| price OF every pound of wire fencing and to
nails, and to other articles-that it increased
| the cost OF raw materials. This was the bill
| upon which the President stood, and which he
was trying to force through the House by coer-
cion and the use OF patronage. His organ said
there was an Allentown for every Sowden-a
threat and intimidation over every Democratic
member who did not support this bill.
The duty on wool was swept away. Every
benefit to the farmer of the protective system
was cut out. Yet every thing he must buy was
left subject to duty. The shears must pay
forty-five per cent, the sheep bell must pay
! forty-tive. There was but one item in the en-
tire bill for the farmer. He could get sheep
dip free OF charge
The afternoon would not afford time to call
attention to the inconsistencies of the bill
The five-mtnute debate would afford better op-
portunity He would turn to the internal-rev-
enue provisions of the Mills bill. The tobacco
provisions were generally accepted. The pro-
safeguards OF the present law. If
this bill had no other defect,
its substitute OF ad valorem for specific duties
was alone sufficient to warrant the rejection of
the bill Under an ad valorem system, honest
administration would be impossible. Every
European nation had rejected 1t. The customs
officials Of the United States were unanimous
in their condemnation of the ad valorem sys-
tenn. A comprehensive review Of the history OF
this country would show that the domination
of protection principles had always caused
prosperity: their overthrow or neglect had al
ways brought ruin.
Mr.. Mckinley cited numerous examples Of
American and foreign manufacturing estab-
dshments OF similar character, which showed
the American wages to be often three times as
large as those of the European workmen.
Mr.. Leopold Morse, interrupting with some
questions about woolen clothing, Mr. McKin-
ley turned the laugh on him by producing
suit of all-wool clothing purchased from Morses
store in Boston at price which answ cred the
question, and Also as Mr.. Mckinley said, dis
posed OF Mr.. Mills fearful tale OF the working
man toiling for a twenty-dollar suit.
Mr.. Mckinley continued at length his COM
parsons tending to show the increased
wages Of American laborers under protective
tariff. He concluded with the statement that
the verdict of the people had never been given
for such bill as this. and that if the Demo
CTdtlC party HOulu duOpL IL dS tHctF platIOFu,
the result could not be other than a crushing
and overwhelming defeat. He challenged the
Democracy to make this issue. No Republican
had any fear of the result.
Mr.. Mckinley concluded amid burst Of ap-
plause and cries Of vote ''vote" from the
Republican side, and Mr.. Breckenridge took the
floor. He said
We do not pretend that this bill is scien-
tif1c measure. 1t is bill framed to meet
the present conditions, not to fit any
particular theory. The changes proposlh
by this bill are designed to give
the farmer, by whom all provisions
are raised >market for his breadstuffs and for
raw mats Halls, Which are only profitable when
he has {; prosperous manufacturer tor a pur-
chaser; tlthe laborer, the hope-s~ constant
market, anotIR the mandfad Iupaf1 freedom from
unnecessary bsrdens. WeLJs.I&e. therefore, put
upon the free Est, as 1essRYse felt it was just
the materials T. Islcea-5fy fYthe manufacturer.
We have reduced .Gshe rates, where
ever we have Touched them, to
point that gSes to the home
consumer the hope fair competition, when
ever demand has been made by an internal
trust to advance the price beyond fair consid- |
GRAFTON for the article to be sold, and vet |
we have left the rates SO that the protection af
forded is greater than any necessity, and makes |
all competition of foreign manufacturers upon
terms Of great advantage to the American man
ufacturer 1t was determined, in response to |
what seemed to be the sentiment of a large |
RI af fbn