The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-27
ILGHTARIFF UNDER FIRE
6R EEMPHILL, OF SOUTH CARO-
Una. SPEAKS OUT PLAIN.

WASHINGTON, April 26.-The House this
orning went into committee of the whole,
ith Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, in the chair,
the tariff bill. Mr.. Buchanan, of New
rsev. criticised the composition of the
aioritv of the Ways and Means Commit
and the method on which it had formu-
ted the pending measure in secret, after
uch consultation with the speeches of
ank Hurd and the tracts of the Golden
ub. He arraigned the committee
its refusal to grant hearings
the industries of the country or to
nsider petitions against the measure
hich poured into the committee room from
parts of the country. He earnestly pro-
sted against a reduction of the duty on
rthenware, and read petitions from work
gmen in his district against the principles
nbodied in the bill 1t struck a blow, he
id, at almost every industry in his dis
let.
HEMPHILL ATTACKS THE TARIFF.
Mr. Hemphill, of South Carolina, con-
nded that as the Constitution conferred
BON Congress the right to tax people for pub
, purposes only, every time it went beyond
at limitation it violated in a fragrant
amer the extended privilege with which
had been clad The tariff for protection
as illogical and unjust Under it the en-
re people were subjected to monopolies.
ne only difference between home monopoly
Id foreign monopoly (admitting that there
,uld exist such thing as a for
gn monopoly was that the people
I'd to pay heavy additional percentage
r the poor privilege of having their mas
rs on this side of the water. The system
high tariff taxation was denominated
e protective system. What did it pro-
ct? The only protection the government
Id any right to exercise was protection of
self against any enemy that threatened
and of its citizens from an injustice at
le hands of any other nation.
PERvERsIoN OF POWER.
was perversion of the power of the gov
nment when protection was accorded for
~ other purpose, and especially when it
as made the means of keeping one set of
tiZens at the expense of another. The
rejection accorded by high tariff was
rejection against the right of the Amer
an people to buy when and where they
eased. That protection was demanded
= manufacturers, not against any wrong,
ut against the right of their own country
len-demanded in order that one citizens
lose of another curtailed.
THE RIGHT TO HIRE LABOR.
Mr.. Perkins, of Kansas, inquired whether
the gentlemen believed that an American
itizen should be permitted to puy where he
leased, he did not also believe that he
lould be allowed to hire labor where he
leased.
Mr.. Hemphill replied in the affirmative,
nd expressed his belief in freedom in all
lings, aud he called attention to the fact
rat the high protectionists had never at
tempted to protect the labor of the coun-
y from the importation of the so-called
luper labor of Europe In arguing against
high tariff, he said that, according
, the theory of the protectionists,
)thing in the heavens above, or the earth
eneath, or the waters under the earth, so
ltisfied the cravings of the soul and body
tie hungry laboring man as to see his
mployer luxuriating in money, gathered
rom long suffering and patient people
nder the pretense that it was for the
enefit Of the laborer.
TWO ERAS CoNTRAsTED.
He contrasted the periods between 1850
nd 1860, and between 1870 and 1880, to
how that in the low tariff era the wealth
I the farmers of the country had increased
w per cent, while in the high tariff era it
ad only increased 8 per cent. In further
upport OF MS position that high tariff
vas injurious to the industries of the coun-
ry, he cited statistics showing that in 1856
our total foreign commerce, American
essels carried Is per cent, while in
So7 they carried only IS per cent. of such
ommerce. In few years, he said, under
he existing laws, the United States would
resent to the world the humiliating spec
nd oh to
AIRY lc worth of her foreign commerce,
amounting annually to 81, 500 100000.
NOTHING COULD BE MORE UNJUST.
Human ingenuity, he said, in conclusion,
'ould not conceive a system more unjust.
more unreasonable, more unfair and more
lnrighteous than the protective system.
lie earnestly appealed to every gentleman
Vho mad the faintest conception of justice
% lend his aid to the pending bill, which
sought In some measure, at least, to lift
rom the bowed-down necks of the people
oI the country the burdens that had been
iald upon them. He was contending for the
lnaIlenab right of a citizen to buy in that
market where his money would purchase
most cheaply the necessaries Of life; and he
must De wlthered up specimen of human
lly whose soul did not go out in sympathy
20 people making one more strenuous eff
Tort to secure this right of every free man.
Even the protected pets Of the
government might support the bill
When they heard the piteous
cry OF the people for fair and even chance
N the race of life. 1t would be a sufficient
y ltaph or eulogy for him, if when the
Irlals and tribulations of life were over,
men It's triumphs and failures were ended,
mheh eerth's work was done, it could be
.'I,uiy SAID of him that so long as God gave
nm inm strength, he had contended for the
..iiperIy OF the people against the tyranny of
'ueiI UNJUST oppressors. .[Applause.]
PROTEST FOR PENNSYLVANIA.
Mr. Osborn, of Pennsylvania, submitted
an argument against the bill, which he
Chat [. tacterized as a blow at the dignity of
a american labor. He protested in the name
" ~ the great State of Pennsylvania against
y me passage Of the bill, which would destroy
4 iIs industries, impoverish its farmers, and
degrade its laborers.
!, Mr; hudd, of Wisconsin, said that the
~ aaii9Pug.olcan party was committed to tho
aOolICon OF internal revenue taxation, and
ealsVsd every attack on the tariff, because
fny change in import duties would inter-
sole s;.e win It's pets, who, with Oliver Twist
IN liclty, were asking for more protection.
: la naC party woul take the tax off of whisky
tuu 'opacco, because, by so doing, itexpected
~ prevent such arevision of the tariff as was
,oW I demanded by the great mass of the
payers of the country. The Democratic
perty po mad placed its shoulders against the
a ta Vi tariff reform. and would propel it to
'ne sg, end Of its journey.
- hen Mr. Hudd had concluded, the com
',,itS ,neSee rose, and the House took a recess
for :, o'clock, the evening session to be