The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-10-17

show that this bill was really protectionist, al
hrst debate: Ito show how American labor has
been pillaged and plundered by this masked
robber OF protection 1 have obtained certain
statistics.
Mr. breckenridge OF Arkansas, who twice re-
fused invitations and opportunities in the Ave-
minute debate 10 declare himself against free
trade. asseyorated in his speech in the general
debate: This is the kind OF protection
have to-day This, Mr. Chairman, is
not only foolish but it is a wicked policy of
protection that Il behooves people to prevent
Mr. Wilson, OF West Virginia, another men,
Der OF the Ways and Means 'roundly talks in
quite contomptuous fashion OF such an an
tiquated and medieval device as u protective
tariff.
Thus have spoken some OF the lights OF the
Presidents party, OF whom some are greater ana
some lesser lights some were militia and some
were regulars but they were all in the same bat
tie on the Same side.
IL is worth while now to see how some OF the
field marshals ana officers OF high rank stand,
as also the commandor-in in chief and the second
in rank. who was selected because no had seen
Rome and was about To die
The leader selected for the operations OF the
Presidents party in the House OF Representa-.
tives was Mr.. Mills, of Texas. lie was selected
with his antecedents fully known and after
much and painful elaboration. The country
staggered under the surplus for many weeks
while it awaited tho choice OF Mr.. Mills. We
are therefore justified in regarding Mr. Mills as
the exponent of the Presidents party. So uni
versal is the sentiment that he represents the
spoken free-trader, and consequently bold and
outspoken supporter OF the President and his
measures, seems to have come TO Washington
on purpose to examine with his own eyes and
other organs of sense the leader in the House or
his party After full and fair examination, Mr..
George returned TO New York and over his own
signature pronounced MIR. Mills "free-trader
from base" But fortunately Mr.. Mills position
does not rest upon the opinion on even 30 COM
petent an observer as Mr.. George -Four years
ago Mr.. Mills, having perhaps at that time more
freedom of utterance than he has now, made a
speech, on the 18th day of April 1884 which can
be found in the Record, which itself defined his
position then:
I'VE must remove, both by legislation and
diplomacy, every hndering cause which pre-
vents the free exchange OF the products of our
labor in all the markets of the world. We must
unfetter every arm and let every muscle strike
| for the highest remuneration for its toll. We
must let wealth, the creation of labor, grow up
| in all the homes OF our people. Then every in
| dusty will spring forward at bound, and
wealth, prosperity, and power will bless the land
| FREE TRADEV
The capitals are not mine, but those OF Henry
| George who makes the quotation with due en-
phasis, so that the faithful may wink incredu-
lousy one unto the other when an inaccurate
newspaper makes Mr.. Mills deny the faith.
In order that he migat have room TO declare
| his repentance, IL he had repented, the passage
was read to him in open House on the 9th day
| of June, 1888, and he made no reply. In order
| that Mr. Mills might not fail TO remember that
1 ne once knew what free trade is when he it,
| MIR. Burrows, OF Michigan, read 20 him an ex-
tract from another speech OF his, as follows:
| Our policy should be To take the smallest
| amount of taxes we can by customs, aud we
| should gradually decrease the amount until our
customs taxes come alone from non-competing
articles entering our custom houses"
TO this he al % made no reply except TO de-
| mand vote. Really that was the only reply he
{ could make. He was looking then and there
| into the eyes Of too many men who knew what
| his real sentiments were.
Yet only a few days before this unrepentant
/ silence Mr.. Mills had been 10 New York, and,
according TO the report OF the New York Times.
| said No Democrat desires free trade or
| course no one believes that he said it, 1t only
| shows how newspapers misrepresent public
| men.
But why should spend so much time upon
| details as TO individuals, when one scene in the
| House lights up the entire group? Mr.. McComas,
| the able young member from Maryland, on tho
I'd OF May put to the Presidents friends the
| point blank question:
why in this debate has every friend of the
| Mills bin lauded the English free trade tariff
| system, which only levies duties upon articles
not produced AZ homer
Has any friend of this bill in this debate ut
| tered one sentence in favor OF the American
| tariff system, which discriminates in favor Of
| the home producer and laborerp
Il will pause and yield q half minute 10 any
member on the Democratic side TO name the
sentence or the members name who uttered it,"
This challenge, broad as IL was, could be an
swered in only one way, and accordingly Mr.
Hooker DEM of Mississippi responded with
| frankne 3 and fullness which some Of his shiv-
/
NO there was no one; and you won't hear any
Democrat utter one.
A curious little letter from the gentle on
the Presidents ticket whose Roman frmness
the proposed next admins ration is expected 10
need-n all things perhaps except civil-service
reform-revoals the sentiments OF the one who is
TO be second in command.
1t seems that Mr.. Thurman habituated as he
was TO the customs of the Roman republic had
a scruple which the President, himself man of
scruples did not share, against assisting" even
by so much as a letter at a meeting called to
ratify his own nomination. The Tammany
braves not understanding the customs OF an
cient Rome, and fully sympathizinR with those
OF modern Buffalo, were angry because Thurman
did not write letter. Thereupon the noble
Roman wrote a letter to Mr.. Cox TO explain his
feelings Now Mr. Cox had made n speech
fuller OF free trade than an egg is OF meat. Mr.
Cox is believer in Bastiat Iand would no more
think OF denying free trade in New York than
Mr.. Mills would think of denying free trade in
the House Of Representatives. IL you want to
know what the country would have TO expect of
Mr., Thurman, If ever promoted, listen TO the
enthusiasm over Mr.. Coxs speech: Il have not
thanked you" wrote he under date OF July ~
for your magnificent speech on the tariff which
ought to immortalize you" Surely this is a rec
ignition OF free trade cordial enough to satisfy
| the stanchest friend OF Great Britain.
AS to the views II the President himself,
must have recourse 10 the great fact that the
| substance is what sensible people arc after not
| the name. IL his views are utterly, absolutely
and demonstrably free-trade, does IL make any
difference il he denies the title? The close OF his
message-the one-topic message-remnds me
| of the carcature which Carlyle describes in his
| French Revolution" The cook went out into
| the barnyard and said TO the fowls How would
| you like TO be cooked?' and they all replied
I'VE don't want to be cooked at ALL Said the
cook severely: You are lodging the question
| it is n condition which confronts you not
theory. Free trade is entirely Irrelevant" After
a whole message not one sentence of which
sounds in protection, IL always did seem 10 me
that the declaration that free trade was not in
| volved in the discussion was an exhibition
| OF monumental nerve. 1t is as il Wen
dell Phillips had closed one of his
wonderful attacks upon slavery with a declara-
tion that the question OF the abolition of slavery
| was entirely Irrelevant as II Robert Inger-
soil had finished one OF his ASSAULTS the Bible
| by declaring that Christianity had not been al
| luded TO. What is the essence OF free tradef
| 1t is the belief that oil the import duties are
| added 70 the price at which imports could be
bought IL tariff law existed, and that all pro-
| tected domestic productions enhanced in
| price by the amount OF the duty on like inn
| ported articles. But tho President states this
| fundamental belief more strongly than even the
Free-trade Club would dare TO state it. Who
ever bellies that statement is either in favor Of
abolishing the duties or in favor Of perpetuating
| visible wrong is either free trader or pal
| ters with his conscience; and the horns OF the
dilemma are so close together Il at there is no
no room for grown man between them.
Why should all the English newspapers. who
| have no motive to conceal their real opinions
| recognize with one voice their new-found
| friends? Why do all the free-trade clubs push
| themselves 20 the front, unless they know that
| they are welcome and at home?
i A. - .xN4 ii