The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-19

could divide. There was now an issut
which
LIFT TIE PAST BEHIND
and looked only to the present and thu
future. 1t was an issue that appealed
neither to race or geographical lines
an issue which the House could dis
cuss and divide upon Us each mem
Der should honestly believe was for the
best interests OF one individual citizen
and the country at large. He congratu'
lated the country that 1t had that issue
now, and in that spirit he welcomed the
issue sharply made by the President Of
the United States, and in this bill. He
wished to reach conclusion, il possible,
which would secure TO the whole cOun-
try the greatest prosperity. What was
the division between the two great politi-
cal parties? 1t was upon n principle as
old as the Government. ,ltwas between
what was termed q revenue tariff as dis
tinguished from protective tariff, and
upon the respective merits OF the two
systems the parties must stand or iall.
What was revenue tariff, so called,
as advocated by the promoters of the
bill, upon this floor? II looked TO reve-
nue. only and dismissed all other objects
and considerations. 1t put tax or duty
upon foreign article imported into the
United States which would produce the
largest revenue with the smallest amount
OF taxation or, as put by Walker, the
author Of the tariff Of ls4S, from which
the gentlemen on the other side drew
their inspiration, the only true taxation
is that which experience has shown in
each case will produce the largest
amount OF revenue with the smallest
rate of duty. He (Walker) had clearly
demonstrated that the
LOWER DUTIES INCREASED TIE REVENUE,
but to secure larger revenue lower du-
ties neCessitated increased importations.
II those importations competed with the
domestic products the latter must be
diminished or see other and distant or
impossible markets, or get out of the
way altogether. The principle of this
bill, and there was principle Observa-
ble in it, was conspicuously illustrated
in the case OF wool. The very instant
you find tax protecting domestic pro-
duction that instant freetrade and reve-
nue. tariff condemns it. The protective
tariff was tariff put upon foreign ar
ticles which would raise the re-
quisite revenue to meet the ex-
penses OF the Government, and
so iudiciously adjusted as to
apply to all competing foreign products,
and permit non.competing products, ex-
Cept luxuries, to come in free Of duty
and go untaxed and unburdened by the
custom house exactions. 1t said to the
foreign producer, "If you want to bring
your foreign products into the United
States and sell them in competition with
our people in the home market, your
product must bear the burden, must pay
the duty. You must draw the lead, you
must furnish the revenue and in per-
forming this essential, give protection to
our own people"
As to everything else every necessity
OF life the protective tariff said come
in free OF duty"-tea, for instance, drugs
and spices. We could not produce them
in the United States, and every one Of
them were put on the free list, but to
the man who raised the commodity
which we could raise it said, "If you
want to compete with us in our own
markets you must pay for doing it.'
WE HAVE FREE TRADE
more than any country in the world. We
have free trade among our thirty-eight
States and Territories, and with sixty
millions of people extending from ocean
to ocean and from the lakes to the gulf.
Free trade among ourselves, within our
own borders. Free trade in the United
States was based upon community OF
equalities and reciprocities. 1t was like
the reciprocal OF n family. We are one
country, one civilization. We have one
language, one system OF law, one consti.
tuition and one destiny. Not so with the
other nations of the world. Each is u
seperAte political society and organiza-
tion of It's own to work out its own
destiny. We denied to these nations
free trade with us upon equal terms with
our own producers.
This bifl was, OF necessity, n bill to
reduce revenue. 1t would not do it.
Take from the bill the internal revenue
provision, the twenty-four and half
millions reduction in tobacco and in
special licenses-eliminate that from the
bill and YOU would make not dollar OF
reduction in the treasury. The twenty.
seven millions reduction expected to be
effected by the free list would be more
than offset by the increased revenue
which would result from the lower du-
ties. How many men on the
other side OF the House knew what
was in the bill to-day? he would like to
poll them. Laughter Here was n
single item (steal billets) the present du-
ty was 40 per cent advalorem. 1t was
increased to $ll ton, which was equiv
alent to 63.33 per cent. That was, the
bill raised the duty from 40 per cent to
G3.3S per cent advalorem, thereby caus-
ing an increase OF from ! to J cent on
every pound OF wire fencing that en-
closed the farms OF the West. The duty
on cut nails made from steel billets was
reduced % per cent, while the duty on
raw material was increased 45 per cent.
He criticized the bill which the Presi-
dent had said must be passed whether
or no, and which he was dispensing Off
cial favors to have passed-for, as the
| IOH SAID, LheFe was iln allcntOWH loT
every Sowden. He declared that the
bill was sectional, in that the cotton
planter could get hoop iron for his cot.
ton ties free OF duty, while the farmer Of
the west must pay for the same iron ! /!
cents per pound II he wishes it tc bind
his thatch or his pail.
This bill, commented Mr., Mckinley,
proposes to equalize American produc.
ton with European by briging down
American wages and l give you notice
here that you can't do it. The oppor'
tunity OF the people OF this country is
next November, for il the people OF the
country want free trade it was theil
privilege to have it, but they must vote
after full and fair and candid discus
sion. The majority OF the Represents
tives on the floor OF this House was moi
authorized to vote for this bill by the
election Of 1856. That was
NOT THE ISSUE.
Whenever the Republican party
sought to make it the issue it was con
cealed by Democrat protectionists in
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