New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-06
A WESTERN PROTECTIONIST.
AN IOWA SENATOR ON THE TRUE POLICY.
MR.. WILSON CRIr1CIsEs THE FREEThADH
MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
fBr TELEGRAPH TO rHR TRIBUNE


dents recent Trade message. Like most OF
the efforts Of the Junior Senator from Iowa, IL
was prepared beforehand and read from notes
It's delivery however, was characterized by mono
of those defects which generally accompany The
reading Of set speeches Mr.. Wilson's voice Is
strong resonant yet pleasing. His enumeration Is
distinct and he always knows how and when TO
place the proper emphasis upon the proper word
This makes him easily understood and materially
aids tho listener in following the thread OF the
argument. As o strong Protection speech from
the point OF view Of the farmer, Mr. wilson's
deductions proved peculiarly interesting, since
none of his Republican colleagues had, who spoke
on the tariff at this session, addressed himself
solely TO this phase Of the question.
One part of the speakers argument was par
ticularly we'll chosen and happily expressed lie
compared the President to q painter whose lack
OF vision led him 90 paint in his picture OF the
economic situation only the foreground ana lose
sight altogether Of middle ground and the
distance. The President saw but the little flock
Of twenty-five sheep owned by the individual
farmer in the foreground and was unable TO recog-
nize the relation which that little dock bore TO
the millions OF sheep owned all over the country
and the industries dependent upon the wool grown
ON the back Of those sheep:
Another feature Of Mr.. Wilson's speech was his
declaration in favor of taking the Internal Revenue
tax of whiskey and other intoxicating liquors,
on the ground that 1t would make the General
Government look forward 10 and ultimately, per
haps, dependent for revenue upon an article the
very existence Of which WAS by a large portion
of the people condemned as monstrous evil, ana
the manufacture Of which should therefore not DO
even indirectly encouraged by the Government
OF course he was also in favor OF RELOCATING the
whole question to the different States.
PARTY OF COURAGE AND CAPACITY.
Mr. Wilson said that however much Senator'S
might differ as to the methods Of reduction, all
would doubtless agree that the revenue should
be reduced. 1t was not wise nor just to collect
more revenue than was needed for the proper
purposes Of the Government What was to be
done with the annual surplusp Before venturfng
on any suggestion to that question he would IN
dulge, he said, in little retrospecton lie spoke
OF the Republican party assuming control OF the
Government on March 4, SCI, as the most notable
number Of years In the history OF any nauon
was so crowded with lessons for the study OF
political economists as that which comnenccd on
| March 4, l66l, and followed down to the present
| time. The political party which entered on the
administration Of the affairs of the country on
that memorable day. had been one OF countless
| courage and unbounded capacity. II the Repuo-
| ican party had been deficient either In courage
or capacity IL would have broken down IN the
| first year Of its administration But 10 had not
| broken down. IL had taken up It's great WORK
and carried il on, and effected successes such as
no other party in the history OF tho Nation had
| done
He spoke of the enormous debt contracted during
| the War and Of its rapid reduction down TO sss,
and said that these facts taught that tho Repub-
lican party had had practical capacity which could
| evolve O boundless credit for a Government that
was bankrupt when It took charge OF its affairs.
| That party, he said, stood alone In It's strength
and beauty. As political creation It was unique
| in every respect
| DISTRIBUTION OF MANUFACTURING PLANTS.
| Referring to the growth and prosperity of the
| country, he contrasted the figures OF 1860 and
1880 as to agriculture and manufactures; and
said that the true policy was the one which would
plant manufacturing establishments in every part
Of every agricultural State II reduction OF
price. for manufactured articles what was
wanted there was no surer road 20 its realization
than the which would lead to the distribution
of manufacturing plants In all the localities where
agriculture produced cheap food. and where the
forests and mines and quarries supplied the raw
materials needed There should be end Of the
policy which tended to centralize manufacturing
plants in the great cities II, however, they were
| TO follow the Presidents suggestions they would
not multiply and distribute manufacturing plants,
| but they would embarrass those now In operation
and reprcss the tendency 20 invest capital In them
Coming back 70 the point Of the annual surplus
| Of about 500 900, 600, he asked what was the
| right thing TO be done about IL. Could that
right thing be found I'm any of the various schemes
urged upon the attention by the President and
other opponents Of the system OF protection Was
! there anything in those schemes that could pro
| duco such happy results as had appeared IN the
| cotton manufacturing Industries OF the Southern
| States within the last seven years? To these
various questions he replied in the negative The
country had done WELL and doing we'll under
| the policy which the President assailed. What
ever of danger was now menacing the country
came from sources other than those embraced In
| he protective policy. That policy had given u
| the country strength and prosperity. IL had de
veloped the resources OF The country and given
| employment TO its people These things could not
| have come from free trade.
| SUGAR AND MoLAssES SHOULD BE FREE
Proceeding to the discussion of the question Of
the duty on sugar and molasses, he quoted figures
| IL. ~.
those articles had fallen considerably for severa
years past and he suggested the removal Of The
duty on sugar and molasses amounting to about
$1,000, 00O) as a means Of guarding against thu
| annual surplus Of $50 600. 900. He quoted SOM
sentences from the Presidents message, and aske(
| whether any better response could be given &
them than by placing sugar and molasses on th'
free list But as to himself he thought that wa
| q subject on which they should make hast,
| slowly" He would admit free all sugar anC
molasses coming from countries which did not i'm
pose export duties on those commodities, antt
| which reciprocated by admitting American prod
ucts free Of duty into their ports. And then, HI
| asked why not adopt the practical business plar
| which had worked so well IN European countries
and provide for paying a reasonable bounty e
the producers Of sugar in the United States
Under this plan he suggested the impetus t.t tina
sugar in the Western States.
The speaker criticised the Presidents sugges
lions the subject Of wool and said that no ont
! would infer from them that, under tariff tinker
ing the wool product of the country had fallel
off 40, 0OO, 900 pounds in three years The Presi
dent, he said, was not sktlfu economic artist
| his conception was not bold his hand not Gun
| ming: his presentation pale and dull and FIAT
| After discussing the wool and fax questions n
| affecting farmers Mr.. Wilson said that farmer
should demand that all articles produced by then
should be taken from the free list, and that o
least moderate rate Of duty should be imposed
upon them.
Coming back again to the question OF the annua
surplus revenue he asked whether there, was n
way of getting rid Of It without disturbing th
true Industrial industries OF the country III seeme
| to him that there was a way both short and clear
and that was in connection with the tax on IN
toxicating liquors. That was where he WOMB
make the reduction. The true interests OF til
people demanded that the revenue system Shout.
be so adjusted as to prevent the tax on lntoXl
cntiu ln,1orc from hacnm inn fixed and neceSSar