, 1888-05-03
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Many represent.
stives went to Philadelphia to-day to wit
ness the launch of the Yorktown, and there
k,uere but thirty members present when
NShc house convened this morning and inn
msdiately went into the committee Of the
whole on the tariff bill.
Kerr OF Iowa, approved reduction OF
the revenues by the abolition of the inter-
nal revenue tax. The timehad come he
thought, in the history OF the American
government for the nation to declare that
henceforth it would take no share in the
profits Of the sale of
ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS.
Tarsney, of Michigan, said he and the
gentleman on his side OF the house were
not free traders-they were fair traders.
custom houses OF the coun-
try They propose to continue
the custom house taxation, but they would
reverse the existing laws so as to tbring the
taxes down to the base line OF the necessity
of the revenue. and in so revising the laws
place the highest duty on the luxuries OF
life, and the lowest duties on life's necessa-
res. He was constantly interrupted by his
colleague, (Mr. O'Donnelll, with statements
rs to the grea, pf"spertty or der th a
tectiye taritt, and the colloquies between
the two gentlemen upon the subject OF the
condition of Michigan afforded much
amusement to other members present. The
4. disc ussion then took colloquial turn, and
she subjects of free trade, protection, wages
= of laborng men. fisheries, ship bui ding
etc, were touched upon, ana at
times the questions and answers caused
great merriment among theft members
present.
ONeill, of Pennsylvania, said yesterday
morning, he had received letter from a
young lady about to graduate, in which
she said she had been designated to speak
at her
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
on the protection of American industries
so that this question even entered into the
household oil Am erican families.
Richardson, of TenDessee-did the young
lady ask you for protection?
Milliken. IL the young lady had asked
you for protection, would you have been
free trader then?
ONeill than declared with emphasis that
he was q protectionist of all the protec-
tionists; that he was protectionist all
over a declaration which was received with
laughter and applause.
Ford, of Michigan characterized Phila-
delphia as an orvergrown country village,
and contrasted its slowness with the build.
iHycctivity OF New York. This condition
,S1af t.fairs, he said, arose because -the citi-
Of Philadelphia bad not depended, as
,Sthe citizens of New York had, OH their
on public pap.
O'Neil suggested that the gentleman must
have been in some remarkable condition
when he visited Philadelphia, or must have
had his eyes closed. The manufactures of
Philadelphia amounted to many more
millions than those OF New York.
Russell, of Massachusetts, referring to
the condition ofthe protected state Of Penn
sylyania, stated that affairs in the coal re-
giOns OF that state were shame and
scandal To hnInan
Baine declared that the wages paid labor
in the county OF Allegheny above were
annually more than the entire wages paid
in all the states represented by the south
ern contingent on the ways and means
committee.
Breckenridge said the concrete represent.
ntive of the protective system was guard
of Pinkeiton detectives at Edgar Thomp.
sons steel works for the purpose Of en-
abling Hnngarians to work, while Anier.
can workmen were kept out at the point of
gun. That was the concrete picture of
the state OF wages in Allegheny.
Baine declared that was a mistake.
Detectives were there, but those they
sought to protect were not Hungarihns.
Those that were there were not skilled me.
! chanics, and could not do the work re-
|quired.
y Breckenridge inquired what wages the
w0rkmen of Thompson's steel works had
been receiving
Baine replied they had been receiving SO
per day.
Breckenridge said the average wages of
Pinkerton detectives was 81 day. They
received that rate of wages to prevent
breach Of the peace by men who received
So a day.
Reed, of Main, said the gentleman from
Kentucky had drawn picture with Amer
lean workman in the cold and the Hun
garian workman protected by Pinkerton
detectives. The gentleman pictured that
as final result OF protection, when 1t was
only an incident in the great dispute which
went on under protection or free trade.
The gentleman wanted to contrast
the wages of men temporarily
employed with those received by perma-
nent employees. He (Reed) thought 1t
ought to be pointed out that such methods
OF arguing this question of free trade or
protection were somewhat petty In their
nature. The question WAS, what system
secured the greatest wealth to the country
rand higher wages to workingmen.
~ Breckenridge said all the country had
been depicted as secure OF protective devel-
opment, and had shown the result of that
development. He denied that it was an
incident that he had depicted, and asserted
that 1t was necessary to maintenance OF the
unnatural system taxation, under which an
organized body of armed detectives was
used in guarding convict labor to under.
sell American labor.
A running debate took place on the sub.
ject of monOpolies which was participated
In by Swift, OF Wisconsin, and Farguharty,
Of New York. The committee then arose
and the house adjourned.
A Great Centennial.
PHILADELPHIA, April 2S-In response to