, 1888-05-19
WANT FREE TRADE

they must vote for a full, fair and candid
discussion.
The majority of the representatives on
the floor of this house was not authorized
to vote for this bill by the election of
1886. The house was not elected on that
issue. He challenged the authority of
the gentlemen, under instructions given
them by the people two years ago, t. force
this measure through the house. He
asked the members of the present con-
to 20 back to the people and ask to
be elected to the Fifty-first congress on
this bill and the presidents message.
Then, If the majority is returned to the
next house they will be authorized-aye,
instructed, to vote
FOR THIS BILL.
Do not dodge, but meet the issue squarely.
Make your platform in Connecticut the
as in the Carolinas; in New Jersey
and New York the same as in Mississippi
and Tennessee. Then, if the majority
comes back, you will be instructed to
accept the British system and abandon
the American. 1t is not important about
the details of the bill. 1t is the system
that is on trial. IL is whether the Amer
lean system should be maintained or the
British system substituted.
When Mckinley concluded he was
greeted with round after round of ap-
plause, and was Immediately surrounded
by his party colleagues, who were profuse
In their congratulations. 1t was some
minutes before order was restored, and
Breckenridge of Kentucky was recog-
nized, and then the storm broke out
afresh, the gentlemen on both sides of
theEouse rising with the galleries in hearty
welcome 10 the Kentnckian.
MR.. BRECKENRIDGE
began with a review of the situation so
far as the surplus in the treasury was con-
cerned and the danger attendant on
further accumulation. He then sketched
the work of the ways and means commit
tee in framing Mills bill. The committee,
he said, had rejected the proposition to
the duties for the purpose of re-
the revenue OF the government
and increasing the revenues of manutac-
turers and the proposition to repeal the
revenue system, and had attempt
ed to frame a bill which would reduce the
BY A SAFE AMOUNT
and would relieve as far as a moderate
bill could do the evil of the present I'M
.equalled system, the reform and inequali-
ties of the present tariff and promote
American industry by giving to American
the hope of a permanent, stable and
profitable market.
1t recognized that a system that had
been in existence for over a quarter of a
could not be hastily nor recklessly
overturned. 1t desired to harm no in
1t constantly leaned in favor of
rates of duty, and in the case
Of doubt proposed a rate which it be-
to be entirely safe. He contended
the bill was a protective tariff bill.
1t left the average rates of duty higher
than under the Morrill, tariff.
H PRESENT LAW
was 30 highly protective as in many cases
to be prohibitory. The changes proposed
by the bill are designated to give to the
farmer, by whom all provisions are raised,
a market for breadstuffs and raw mate
rails, which is only profitable when he hes
a prosperous manufacturer for a pur-
chaser; to the laborer the hope of a CON
slant market, and to the manufacturer
freedom from unnecessary burdens.
Protective tariff does not, he argued,
fix the wages of labor. If there is a de-
mand for labor equal to or greater than
the supply, then the labor is proftably
paid; and if combinations of capital to
force labor to sell itself at prices fixed by
the combination cannot be successfully
formed, then labor will be free to makeits
own bargains. But if the market
B so RESTRICTED
that the supply of labor exceeds the de-
mand, or if capital is enabled to combine
to prevent competition, then labor must
be sold at the price fixed by the employer,
Now our present system does both. 1t
restricts the market to be supplied by our
and enables manufacturers to fix the
price they will pay to labor.
70 the consideration of the wool sched-
ule he declared the schedule agreed upon
at the meeting of the Growers and Manu-
features Association iniquitous. Discuss
ing the protective system, he said: If we
will persist in class legislation we must
submit to accept its necessary concomitant
Observation-Disclosures by murmuring, then in
resistance by organizations and then by
whatever force circumstances produce.
have as our hope of safety the
BALLOT BOX
by which a peaceful revolution may pre-
vent a forceful revolt. But if enormous
through organized effort, can con-
troll the ballot box and return its servants
to congress. discomfort, founded on JUS
tice, will find a remedy. Protective tariff
and monopolistic legislation cannot intro
duce into Americas permanent hereditary
class of distinctions. He is a shallow
thinker that does not know that man is
essentially the same everywhere, and that
his ultimate goal is civilization based upon
equality.
Several times since this debate had
commenced the true argument against
this bill-the only really effective appeal
had been uttered. 1t may be CON
densed into: United we stand, divided
we fall" 1t is an argument of combina-
tionand of threat. Each protective syn
dictate says to all others in this greatest of
all American trusts-tariff combine-we
must stand together for revision. Any
other is defeat everywhere.
The applause which had been literally
interpreted throughout B~reckenridge's
speech, grew into a storm when that gen
tleman took his seat. Cheer followed
cheer, the ladies in the galleries waved
their handkerchiefs and B~reckenridge's
colleagues rushed forward enthusiastically
to grasp his hand.