The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-15
TARIFF DEBATE.
Both Sides of the Question Hcard In the
House of Representatives, Yesterday

Both Sides of the Question Heard In the
House of Representatives, Yesterday.
WAsHlxGToN, D. c., May 1.-THE
House to-day went into Committee oi
the Whole on the Tariff bill, and was
addressed by Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri
lie said that he would be derelic: in his
duty to the. people, faithless to his con
stituents and disloyal to the agricultural
interests OF the country if he neglected
to speak earnestly and plainly on what
he considered Legislative crisis in the
history of the country. He extolled the
industry OF agriculture us the most hon
orable occupation OF men, and he con-
tended that that industry had borne
more than its Just share OF the bur
dcns of the government. No system
OF taxation could be devised to bene-
fit one class OF people and not bear
with harshness on some other class
The protective tariff had Injured to the
benefit OF the manufacturer alone, and
the farmers and the consuming masses
had no share in these benefits. a tax
that enriched the manufacturer impov-
erished the farmers, and the claim made
by the protectionists that the tariff duty
did not increase the cost OF an article
here was regarded as too ridiculous
TO discuss. He was opposed to
the present system OF protection,
and he regretted that the pending
bill preserved every single feature OF
that system. The measure was simply
proposition OF modification and reduc-
ton. 1t did not touch the principle in
yolved in the Morrill, tariff act. He
wished that there was n bill before the
House on u principle OF equality and
fairness, broader and deeper than was
involved in the pending proposition.
II the Mills bill was not passed by this
committee the voice OF the people sweep
ing throughout the length and breadth
OF the land would place membership
in the Fifty-frst Congress that would
take up the protective system and in
stead OF reducing it, as was now pro-
posed, would bring it down to point
when it would do equal and exact JUS
tice to all the interests OF the country.
Mr.. Symes, Of Colorado, said the Pres
ident had shown an entire want OF COM
prehension on the whole tariff system
when he told the farmer in one para
graph that protective tariff was wrong,
and in the next attempted to show the
manufacturer that he would be bene-
fitted by the placing OF raw materials on
the free list. The President had for
gotten or ignored the fact the placing OF
raw material on the free list would ruin
the agricultural, mining and other in
dustries OF the country.
Mr.. O'Neill, OF Indiana, argued in favor
of putting lumber, coal and iron on the
free list, because he believed that in those
products the United States could COM
pete with the world without there being
any tariff upon them.
Mr.. Thompson, OF Ohio, said that the
difference between the Republican party
and the Democratic party upon the
tariff question was radical. 1t was not
a difference rs to the adjustment
of the system of tariff taxation,
it was n difference rs to the system
itself. 1t was the avowed policy OF the
Democratic party to reduce tariff duties
to revenue basis, and not only to
American industry and American labor,
the Democratic party was absolutely
hostile to protection. A ariiF for rev.
enuc only would result in n lowering OF
the wages of labor to the level OF those
paid in the old world, and would mean
danger to the peace OF the Republic.