The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-04-26

Especial Correspondence of the VIHGiNIAN

means. III was declared Ill tlllS correspond
cnce that under the provisions of the bill
iron and coal were placed upon the free
list. This construction was denied by
some members OF the committee. it being
contendtd by them that the existing stat
ute. relating to those two articles, remained
in full force. Nowhere in the Mills Bill
were iron ore and coal specifically men,
toned, but under Tie head of the flee list
occurred this paragraph: mineral sub
stances in crude state, and metals I'M.
wrought, not specially enumerated and
provided fer aud the last paragraph of
the bill repealed all laws ard parts of laws
in conflict herewith
Ard yet in the teeth of this plain, un-
mistakable English, certain Democrats
claimed that no danger would come to the
iron and coal interests should the bill be-
come a law.
Judge Kelley, however, the father of
protection and the best posted man on the
subject in the United States, takes differ
ent view of the matter. He is member
of the Ways and Means Committee. and
knows full well the force and meaning of
the language employed. IN his great
speech delivered in the House last week,
he unmaskS the. trainers of the bill. and
shows that whilst they dared not directly
place iron and coal on the free list, vet
the same end was sought to be accom-.
plished by juggling of words. In expos.
ing this well laid scheme, he said:
BY the transfer of these and other pro-
ducts of coal and iron ore to the free-list.
and by reducing the duties on steel rails.
structural iron, and many other forms of
iron and steel sufficiently to withdraw
protection from them and permit foreign
producers to food our markets, it would,
though it maintained existing duties on
coal and iron ore, close majority of the
bituminous coal fields and ore banks
which are now giving profitable employ
ment to hundreds of thousands of laborers,
not only in Northern States but in Mary.
land, Virginia, West Virginia, North
| Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alaba-
ma, and turn them adrift without prospect
of other employment elsewhere than in
cotton and corn fields. But arhale professino
to haze abandoned their purpose to pat coal
and ore on the free last ats trainers haze IN
geniousIu co2atriUed to make the Importation
| of both free by such measures of indirection
as mag enable them to attempt to saddle the
Treasury Department or the judiciary avith
! the political consequences Of their deliberate
teTgif ersdtions.
No. the junto will not put coal and ore
squarely and frankly on the free list. They
have, however. as effectually provided for
| the repeal of the duties that now protect
them as could have been done by naming
them in that list. Let us see whether |
misrepresent the effect of the scattered
and dsngenuous provisions of this bill,
when | say that they make coal and ore
free. That bitumlnous coal and iron ore
are covered by the phrase mineral sub
stances in crude state, and metals un-
wrought not especially enumerated and
provided for' can not be gainsaid. Coal
IS mineral substance and iron ore metal
in a crude state and unwrought. If this
| be SO. lines 1870 and l31 of the free-list en-
| brace them as mineral substances in
crude state and metals unWrOught not
specially enumerated and provided fOr.n
Are coal and iron ore provided for in this
bill? If they are | will be gratlfied to any
member of the majority of the committee
who will call my attention to the clause
which enumerates and provides for them.
Sir, they are not specially enumerated or
provided for, and consequently the repeal
of the existing duties on these articles is
specifically provided for in lines and of
section Al, the last paragraph of the bill.
the language of which is that call laws and
parts Of laws in conflict herewith are hereby
| repealed" This language applies to and
repeats the provisions of law which now
authorize the collection of duties on those
mineral substances in crude state and
metals unwrought'' known to commerce
as bituminous coal and iron ore.
In the light of this exposure can any
sane man doubt the intention of the ma
j0rity of the representatives Of the Demo
cratic party? They will follow the Presi-
dent in dealing with the tariff just as they
succumbed to bis wishes on the direct tax
bill. In his message he recommends the
| placing of raw materials on the free list,
and the whole argument of the majority's
report on the Mills Bill is exactly in that
line. If the clauses quoted by Judge Kel-
ley are not fairly construed by him, then
the majoritys report on the bill is mean
ingless,
The majority of House subcommittee
to which was referred the Blair Educa-
tional Bill, have agreed to report as sub.
stitute therefor the Grain amendment pro-
posed in the 10th Congress. That is; That
100000 be appropriated annually for
certain period from the proceeds of public
lands, to be distributed among the States IN
proportion to population. The Republic
cans of the committee will, in minority
report. support the Blair bill as it passed
| the Senate. Under the Grain bill. the
South would get less than $20,000000
Under the Blair bill the South would get
$56 00O, 900. The Democratic majority of
the committee is composed of eight mem
bers, FIVE of whom represent Southern
States-Georgia, Texas, Kentucky Ala.
bama, and Delaware. The Republican
minority is composed of five members, all
of whom represent Northern and Western
States. These are the real facts. and show
where the real friends of the South are
| found.
In the Senate on Thursday, Mr.. Faux
ner presented the petition of Henry M
| Price, of Fluvana county. grantee of the
Republic of Venezuela, and of the officers
and directors of the Venezuela Company,
praying for the intervention of Congress
to secure protection of the rights of the
grantees and PREPARATIONS of wrongs COM
mitted by the authorities of Venezuela.
In the House on Friday. Mr.. Yost pre-.
scented the petition of J. L. McCrum &
Sons and others of Lexington, to repeal
that portion of the internal revenue laws,
which classes druggists as liquor dealers.
Death of oliver Hsierne.
Mr.. Oliver Bierne. proprietor of the Old
Sweet Springs, Monroe county. w. Va,
died in New Orleans on Saturday last,
| in the 18th Year of his age. He was born
in Monroe county in 1911, and was a son
of Col. Andrew bierne. prominent in
business aid political affairs in his day.
Some years ago former partner of Mr..
Bierne died III LOUISIANA, and left him a
large estate, running up into the millions.
This property he retained. and was pass.
inc the white season in that State where