Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-05-31
THE TARIFF DEBATE.
The Discussion of the Mills Bill
brewing to q Close.
sy8op.es Of spsoehs. Delivered In lta.'
House of Representatives by
,ea EIcssrs- Randall Mckinley
and 'Brecksnrfdgo. 5 53t Z

At f1:GS \. m Mr. Randall CPa.) was recog-
nlzed. The floor was filed with members
And--the- galleries crowded with spectators
many Of the diplomatic corps being IN their
galley. Randall opened by reading
a PORTION II Ethet Presidents message
ana rdrslwfnz tnerefrom the inference
that the President was avorse to any reduction
of internal taxation and desired the whole re-
ductfon of taxes to fail ON the tariff He DIFF
1crcd from the President on these points. and
advocated the total repeal of all internal
taxes Republican app1ausel. except the reten-
ton OF q tax of fifty cents gallon on whisky
not used in the arts. and the collection OF this
y tax he would transfer to the customs officers
He would also revise the tariff as promised by
the Democratic platform of 1894. He discussed
in detail the principles of the bill introduced by
himself on these Ines.
Mr., Randalr ! voice BECAME so inaudible that
members shouted "louder" Promptly at the
expiration of his hours time twelve o'clocio
the Speakers gaveI fell Mr. Randairs disap-
poin tn1ent was plain.
There were cries of ssCsc on" go on. 4 4
Mr. Mills wa TX ed down the aisle and shouted
<Iobjcct"- Groans and cries of "Oh. oh, don't
don't" came from both sides OF the House. ana
members f1oclfed around the chairman of the
ways and means committee and begged him to
withdraw his objections and permit Mr.. Ran
dali to proceed, but MT Mills wns inexorahlc
Finally, Mr. Randall asked as personal favor
that he be given n few minutes more.
''No, will not W thdraw my objection" said
Mr.. Mills. ~ must draw tho line. and draw 1t
here" -
At this there wore renewed groans Kisses and
Cxclamations OF "oh, OH.
In the midst of the confusion, Mr.. Mckinley.
who follows Mr.. Randall. arose and said he
would give the gentleman from Pennsylvania
fifteen minutes of his lMcKinley's) time. This
was received by tremendous applause.
Mr.. Breckenridge HSy.) who follows Mr. M G.
Klnley, then proposed to give an equal amount
of time from his hour, and Mr.. Randall re-
sunied his speech.
Hequoted from Edw ard Atkinson TO show
that since the close OF the war, and even since
the so-called panic OF 1873. there had Deen
greater progress in the common welfare among
the peoDle OF the United States than ever be-
. fore The statements OF MIR. Atkinson, Mr..
Randall thought, seemed to, settle the question
rs to whether we should adhere to the benevo-
lent policy OF protecting home manufactures.
1t demonstrated Enthusiastically the truth that
toincrease wages products must be increased,
for in the end. wages were but the laborer's
share OF the products. While dollar might
buy more in another country than here. n days
labor here would obtain more of the comforts
of life than anywhere else. Under free trade
this advantage to labor disappeared. It was
5mpossible it should be otherwise. If the tariff
itself did not give higher wages to the laborer,
1t did preserve from foreign competition the
industries from which tho iabOrer received
his wages
Referring to fundamental proposition
which had been advanced in this tariff discus
sion-that the duties were always added TO the
price to the consumer. Mr.. Randall said that
>on articles not produced in this country this
doubtless was true rs general rule, and meas
~urabiy true on articles In part produced in this
country, but not in cient quantities to sup
ply the home market. But on all commodities
produced in sufficient quantities to supply the
home market different principle controlled.
In these things competition determined the
price, and the foreign producers came into
this market where prices were fixed,
and the duties were what he paid
for the privilege OF coming into the
market Another. erroneous proposition
that had been put forward was that duties on
articles produced in this country were tax
bounty, which the consumer paid to the manu-
facturer.+by which the manufacturer derived
large profits. Monopolies. Mr.. Randall sad.
existed without the tarin. The Standard Oil
Trust and other trustswere not produced by IL.
Hc was for protection OF labor in all States.
= Referring to the late Secretary Mannings re-
ports on economic questions. he sad that they
were marvels OF honest, CONSCIENTIOUS and ef;
1cctive labor. He quoted extensively from
them. He then took up the criticisms that
had been made on tho metal schedules OF his
own bill. and quoted figures sustaining his po-
Ai,ion.
In cr,ticizlng the Mills bit. lie said that
large number of articles were placed on the
frcc-ist, supposedly rs free raw material,
which. were really manufactured articles
These were lumber. glue. oils, clay. china, etc.
The bill placed on the frce-list as so-calied raw
materials various articles which il would be
impossible to manufacture in This country cx-
ccpt by reducing American labor 10 worse
condition than that OF the laborcr OF Europe.
He asserted that instead OF reducing customs
revenue fifty-feur nriilions the effect would be
10 largely increase the revenue, while it would
destroy an incniculablo amount of
material wealth. He stated that the
oil would give free tin plates to the
Standard Oil Company: and would impose a
duty OF one hundred per cent on rice. Itwould
make free the animals imported by the gentle
men of the turf, and free statunry to the mill
sonaire. He said that~he did not think the
=adoption of the committees bill would make
sure Democratic control of the Federal Gov
eminent. He woul 4 not be coerced by party
caucus. The period of the political caucus had
departed, never to return, and yet the party
should confer and have unity, il possible.
In conclusion, Mr.. Randall spoke or indus
trial development in the Southern States.
new era OF industrial enterprise, he said, had
already dawned upon the South No section OF
the country possesses greater natural advan-
tagcs thansthe South. with her genial climate:
her limitless raw materials; her mines OF coal
and iron, with abundant labor ready to develop
them. Considering what has been there
achieved in a single decade. what may not a
century bring forth, under a system calculated
Ito favor the highest industrial development
-'When 1 read the history OF my country, and
consider the past and present, and reflect on
what is before us. can not believe that the
ideawhich went down In the oonyulsion of 1851
will ever again dominate the destinies OF the
Republic"
He analysed the metal schedule OF the Mills
bill, and declared - would bring about incai-
culable injury to the industries OF America
He could find nothing in the bill which gave q
return for free wool He found many inequali-
ties in it and discovered few features intended
TO relieve the poor or the laboring man. AS he
dwelt on these features OF the bill, his voice
grew louder, and he became almost eloquent
He referred to the declarations OF his colleague
<Mr. Scott), who sat near. as .supercilious, and
said he would consign them 20 the obscurity
they should be cast into. He pleaded with
his Democrats friends not to undo the good
which has been done the manufacturing in
dustries by the. protective tariff, and read
from Jefferson, Monroe and other Democratic
forefathers 70 prove that projections was u
fundamental Dem oorasic principle. He closed
with tribute 70 che results and principles OF
protection, and asked that they be maintained