New-York tribune., 1888-04-12
MIR. MORRILL, ON THE MESSAGE.
1T MEANS FREE TRADE PURE AND SIMPLE
A VIGOROUS DENUNCIATIoN OF DEMOCRATIC
POLICY BY THE SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
IgY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.

| [BY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, April Ex-senator Morrill, de-
livered a speech in the Senate to-day in reply To
4 the Presidents free-trade message Of December
last which. as simple presentation of facts
clear deductions therefrom and general lucidity
Of argument deserves to be placed among the
front rank in the series of speeches delivered in
the Senate this session on the subject of the tar
| it, On Saturday next Mr.. Morrill, will celebrate
his seventy ighth birthday. He has been
twenty-one years in the Senate and missed but
| few days in that length of time from service in
that body. bis speech Of to-day. however. showed
none of the traces of old age either in matter or
manner of delivery. In both regards it might
have done credit to much younger man Mr..
Morrilrs remarks were closely followed by an at
tentive audience, both on the floor Of the chamber
and in the galleries. He began by contrasting
the last annual messages Of Presidents Washing
! ton and Cleveland-the toImer giving encourage
ment to manufactures and the latter being un-
friendly to and denunciatory OF manufactures. A
tariG Tor revenue only, the banner imposed by
kentucky on the Democratic party, was, he said
u synonym Tor free uade and nenry George, d
IIec- JIaue pEOpdsdnuISJ, mad cLaIdcJerlZeQ The
message ana Jne new democratic farm Dll as a
deadIy blow at the us.y 1eCIcn OF protection. Ia
the lace oI the dOctrIneS promulgated IN Tic
message OF the PRESIDENT, WnaJ encOut-
a2tHleGT for the future ne asked, had those
ia-mcts gulIty oI haVlba made investments III sicep
husDisnOEy and Of having laDored Ior years To ac-
qulre the knowledge ana sllu ol good shepherds
III the management OF their nOcks? what ell
cUuragement uld the message oter 10 any new or
even Ola enterprises? Was There any growing city
or town, any nook OF corner Ia The country. WIucn
would nave any hope Of advancing its prosperity
upon the radical changes OF the tafIn as urged by
tie message ol the President! What new neldS Of
labor would be opened, or what Old ones snow IN
creased activity? .lIather, which one among them
all would not be Slaughtered? With Their 0ccu-
patlOns gone where were Tue many thousands VI
discharged laboreIS to go?
The President, SAID the speaker, appeared TO
deprecate the discussion Of protection aud free
trade, and with wonderful simplicity forthwith
proposed TO recommend absolute free trade III wool
lie would by hls measure cut the Jugular OF every
sheep in the country, and proceed to argue with
the owners that they would be better OF without
them, or that they lost more than they gained by
protection. Deductng the protective duty I'M
posed for the benefit Of American wool OF U cents
per pound the value Of Texas wool in New FORK
and Boston markets would suddenly drop to
or cents per pound Neither Texas nor any
other State would continue To raise wool a% that
price, and ool-growing even in the Lone Star
State, with an area greater than that of Germany
France, Spain or Italy, would only be known as
one Of the lost arts.
The Democratic party out Of power solidly pro-
claimed its policy, but, having thereby got into
power, it preVaricated, and unbluSblngly and prac
tically reversed its platform from end to end. IL
would now perpetuate war taxes and make custom
house revenues insufficient Had not Virginia,
North Carolina Georgia, Tennessee, as well as
New York, New-Jersey, Connecticut and many
other States a valid cause Of complaint against
the Democratic party for false pretencesp The
day-star Of hope appeared to have been rising In
the New South,' lighting all her borders with
flaming furnaces, and decorating her wasted places
with manufacturing towns and cities, but these
bright evidences of better days. if the anti-tarif
raid should be successful, would Immediately sink
out Of sight and the fondest hopes of the New
South" would disappear forever.
When it was remembered, said the Senator.
that the Nation still owed public debt Of 81 200.
600 900. any part of which the Secretary Of the
was authorized by law TO purchase and
paw at any time. the artificial alarm about idly
holding money from the channels Of trade. or
about financial convulsons was parade Of the
drapery Of mourning where there are no tears
visible. No overstrained or congestcd condition
Of the Treasury could occur. unless brought about
by the wilful refusal to diminish the public debt
hv the disbursement Of the surplus. In payment
n the public debt rs provided for by law II,
however. tho opportunity OF reduction came II
would he gladly haled. and there would be no
opnositon on this side Of the Senate to any rcduc
ton Of revenue that would not prostrate or ruin
great industrial interests.
The speaker criticised the new Tariff bill in
vi vigorousaanguage