Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-30

He Declares Himself a Tariff Reformer on
the Presidents Lines-A Speech In the
Senate in the Same Behaif-Congres-
sional Proceedings-our Wives and Their
Wrongs-That Pig Again-Notes.
WASHINGTON CITY, March 3O.-The tariff
had hearing in both houses of congress
Thursday In the house Nelson of Minnesota
took advantage of the general debate in COM
mittee Of the whole to give his views Of the
vexed question 1t was not honest he said,
TO call men who favored tariff reduction free
traders. The men who opposed all forms of
tariff reduction We're not the only friends of
Americans labor, nor were they the only
guardianf of American enterprise. The ques-
tion Of protection or free trade was not fairly
involved in the problem congress had to
solve. The question was whether the surplus
should be got rid Of by extravagant expendi-
lures or whether the taxes should
be reduced. The great body of the
people were agreed that the surplus should
be reduced by reduction of taxation
He had read by the clerk a number of letters
from Republicans favoring reduction of the
tariff and the continuing of the internal reve-
nue. tax. He next quoted western Republican
platforms declaring in favor of reduction in
the tariff at an early day, and added amidst
the laughter and applause of the Democrats,
land now, my friends, is the appointed time"
He concluded by saying he would put free
sugar, free salt, and free lumber against free
whisky and free tobacco, and so would the
great mass of American people Applause
on Democratic sidel
Funston of Kansas attempted to put some
question to Nelson, but the latter remarked
that the gentleman could have the floor TO
himself, and took his seat, not replying to
Funston's challenge as to why he did not put
wheat on the free list.
Berry was the senator who endeavored to
illuminate the subject He spoke of the uni
versal interest awakened by tho bold and
fearless manner in which the system of fed
eral taxation was discussed in the presidents
message, and said the time could not much
longer be delayed when some change must
be made in that system. When fairly can
vassed and understood its injustice would die
believed necessitate change. Taxation
should be for revenue only. The psesent sys-
tenn was utterly indefensible it was funda-
mentally wrong in principle, and doubly
wrong in its details. As to the proposition of
the protectionists to repeal the taxes on whis-
ky, beer and tobacco, he expressed himself as
entirely opposed to it..
The resolution offered in the house some
days ago calling on the postmaster general
for information relative to the prohibition of
American citizens from using the United
States mails on the same terms as Canadian
citizens, brought out report from the house
postoflice committee which was an implied
rebuke to the author of the resolution. The
report was an adverse one and stated that the
resolution partakes more of criticism of ex-
listing law, protest against its enforcement
and an arraignment of the postmaster gem
eral for enforcing the law than of a
proper resolution of inquiry. Enloe said
that tho resolution reflected upon the
postmaster general by drawing an inference
that he has violated the law by issuing GER
tain order, and that it was intended to reflect
upon the department for the negotiation of
the convention. He contekded that the post
master general had ample authority conferred
upon him by the fourth article of the postal
treaty TO issue the order complained of.
The order referred to is the one printed in
these dispatches heretofore, prohibiting seeds
men from taking advantage of the postal con-
vntion with Canada by sending seeds to the
and thence in the mails to their Gus
iomers in tire United States, the postage on
packages sent from Canada being much less |
han on those sent wholly within the United |
States.