Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-22
CONGRESS-.
The Mills Bill Passes the
House.
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF REFORM
Chairman Mills Closing Remarks
Protective Sophists Severely
Sc0rched.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
WASHINGTON, July 21.-The galleries
in the House of Representatives were
crowded with spectators early this morn
ing, attracted by the announcement that
to-day would witness the close of the
great tariff debate and the vote on the
final passage of the Mills bill. Only the
Executive and Diplomatic galleries were
vacant. In addition to the crowded gal
leries, large attendance of members
greeted Chairman Mills when be rose in
place to close the debate
Promptly at the appointed time, the
bill had been called up, and thereupon
Mr.. Mills, after Offering two amend
ments intended to correct typographical
errors, moved the previous question on
them, and they were adopted. He then
proceeded to address the House, begin
ming by stating the condition of the
finances Of the Government, placing the
surplus at $780, 900 900 this, he said,
should attract the attention Of the coun-
try. 1t represented
UNNECESSARY TAXATION
Drawn from the people and piled up in
the Treasury; it was a taxation levied
upon the product OF labor; it was an in
iquity. This enormous amount of money
was constantly lowering prices, and pill
ing an enormous load on labor, and in
creasing the benefits of the privileged
classes. How long would it be before
stagnation would occur, and bankruptcy
and ruin flock together over the land
The majority had attempted to bring be-
fore the House bill to reduce this tax
alton and lessen the influx OF money into
the Treasury. By amendments made in
Committee of the Whole, the relative
rate of duty had been placed at forty-two
dollars and ninety cents on the
hundred. This moderate bill had
been met by storm of denunciation and
characterized as free trade measure.
Was $42. 80 on the hundred free trade ?.
What State had a five per cent. rate OF
taxation? In the majority of the States
it did not exceed one dollar on the hun
dred. The tariff of 1916 had been
spoken OF as free trade tariff.
Mr.. Mills then took up
THE BILL IN DETAIL.
He began with the chemical schedule,
where the rate of the duty had been re-
duced from $32.S7 to $2S.F. On earthen-
ware and crockeryware, the reduction
had been 81 on the hundred. They
called that free trade. If $50 on the hun
dred was free taade, in Gods name
what was protection? Sugar showed
next to the largest reduction in the bill
larger than hemp, jute, iron and every
thing. except wool. The bill had been
called sectional measure. To get
100000 of protection on sugar the
Government had to collect $58, 900 900 of
tariff duties. In provisions of the new
bill the reduction was 81 on hundred.
More free trade. 1t was less than 81 in
cotton goods was not that moderate, the
duty still remaining at $39.07? In woods
and woolens the reduction was 500 on the
hundred and most of that had been
caused by placing wool on the free list.
The manufacturer would get free wool
and 40 per cent. protection, or 5 per
cent. more than he now got and still they
said the bill was free trade measure.
Articles amounting to 10000, 900 had
been placed on the free list and So 900, 900
of that was wool. Cotton had been
THE CHIEF PRODUCT
OF this country, yet the Republican
party had put it on the free list, and they
were right; but when it was proposed to
touch wool, the combination that made
the protective tariff was struck, and they
said, "You shall not touch it." The
next article on the free list was in.plate,
81, 700, 900; not a pound Of it was produced
in this country. The committee proposed
to give this money to the consumer, yet
their action was called free trade. II
that was free trade make the most of it.
Salt was the next. Because a few people
were interested in its manufacture the
committee were stigmatized as free
traders for putting it on the free list.
Burlap was not made in this country; it
had been placed on the free list.
Hemp and jute made up $1,7OO, 900
of the free list. With all the milk that
could be given this baby industry. it had
failed to grow. 1t was dying and must
soon disappear. The Republicans had
used the same argument in favor of
striking down the sugar industry. Opt
um paid $468, 900. 1t had been placed
on the free list, Cotton ties and bristles
tthe latter produced in Russia) had been
placed on the free list. Currants, that
concerned no laborer in this country, had
been placed on the free list. Yet the
committee had been taunted with being
free traders. Their opponents said, sIf
you want anything free,
TAKE FREE DRINK
OF whisky" [Applause The taxes on
express companies, ON telephone compa-
MES, on all the wealth of the country.
had been removed, but none of the taxes
on labor had been removed. Wool grew
on the sheep. There has been much
sympathy expressed for the sheep. The
Democratic party sympathized with men !:
it wanted cheap clothing for the poor.
With product of 100000, 900 pounds of
wool and need for 600 900 900 pounds.
what were we going to do? The Democrats
proposed to let in wool free and let our
workmen make it up into clothing The
bill was intended to benefit the condition
and increase the wages of the laboring
people. Applause. The Government
should not meddle with the people.
They could take care of themselves.
The Americans were the most Intelligent
and best people in the world, and could
give employment to all their laborers, if
Congress would but let them alone.
Why should we not have free raw mate
rial and have the opportunity to contest
on equal terms with foreign manufac-
lures? We would then have
FAIR FIELD AND AN OPEN FIGHT.
The Democratic party intended to ap-
Il a. 4 80. - IL