The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-04-28
An. GOFF'S ELOQUBNCB
!, Defense Of American Industry
=" and American Labor.
DEBATE ON THE MILLS BILL
,,,.,od IN the House of Represent
'O" ,'ros-an Able Speech by West
yir.inia's Republican Menu
pcr-washington News.

ylrsinia's Republican "c"i
ncr-Washington News
w,su,ycrox, April 97.-In the tariff
,,%,,c in the House OF Representatives
asTa,, Tay NJ Mr. Brewer, of Michigan, gladly
',I.omrJ Io,I1! the issue presented by the
Ns a5;ns measure. In time past, the
Ern~5 democratic party had sought to eyade
!5a D,j is.nr. In its platform of 1884 it had
I',arsJ u, for protection, for tariff, for
u, .arsnrc only, and for tariff only for
revenue, so that the voter could con-
'.,ro tbc platform to suit his own con-
'.ionro s'a The Democratic party in the
,t'' Won.c had played fast and loose on the
,,riT ourstion until the necessities OF
Ia . government had compelled the Ad-
'niris,rotion % to take some decided posi-
.ian and he honored the President for
I'm, forced his party to stop its
il ian%S dealing and define its attitude.
OJic IIc was especially earnest in his oppo-
.;,inn m IN the free wool clause, which he
Ell, III woud ruin IN industry which was
T,,;onal , in its importance. 1t was true
that G there was danger in large surplus,
Snt tut' nal nj 90 great a danger as the Presl-
yar goDt II" seemed to suppose. The Republi-
@", ,,,r,y had dispOsed OF its surplus by
,Sying ,, or Government bonds, the Dem
I%;ltic party boarded its surplus in the
T,sl,nry. lie contrasted the condition
Oithe country under
FREE TRADE AND PROTECTION.
Mfr. Ford, Of Michigan, said the ques-
ION presented now was one OF tariff re-
Jpction, not abolition. Congress had
a ri,ht to take the part of a few manu-
GctnTcrs against the great body OF con-
miners .rr, but that was Just what had been
lone Our war tariff declared for high
nrircs for the producer OF iron, low
prices for the producer OF corn, high
prices for the producer OF glass, low
priccs for the producer OF wheat. He
Iiiiculed the position taken by the Pro.
tsrionists that high tariff increased
tbc wages OF American workmen. No
Industries, said he showed morepoverty,
more destitution and more strikes
among their workingmen than those
protected ones. There was mott hod-car-
rier in the United States but who earned
more wages than the average person
cmployed in the industries benefited by
the war tariff.
GEN. GOFF SPEAKS.
Mr.. GoG, OF West Virginia, spoke in
oDposition to the bill. A reduction OF
the tariff, he said, should be made by
the friends Of the protective system, and
not by its avowed enemies.
President Cleveland's cold blooded
Indifference to the benefits OF the people
was entitled to precedence over all the
emrnations IRON the Executive Man
sion in all our history. From such a
spirit as President Cleveland exhibited,
dominating almost with single i'm
pulse the Democratic side OF the House,
he Coll would save our industries and
our homes.
The Mills bill was conceived by
minds impregnatcd with economic vic
iOusness. Its passage would be the
death knell Of protection. While 1t was
not all that its friends hoped for, it was
in the line Of legislation they long had
sou,ht and mOurncd because they found
It not. Ii they succeeded now they
proposed next year to take another step
and gradually but surely the people
were to be marched into the camp OF
those who contended for tariff for rev.
Cnue only. That system, as far rs labor
was involved and industries concerned,
was
AS BAD As FREE TRADE.
George Washington, the first Presi-
dent, was grandly right when he sug-
gcsted andapprovcd the first tariff pro-
vision. Grover Cleveland (who, he
hoped, would be our last free trade Presi-
dent was shamefully wrong when he
suggested and used the power OF his
great office to secure the destruction OF
the protection system. The people had
been deceived in the last Presidential
campaign by the declaration that Cleve..
land was a protcctionist. The hand OF
Eau would be offered again, but the
people would not again be deceived.
The people had at lust found out the
Democratic party. He did not believe
in free raw materials. There was no
such thing as raw material In the sense
in which It was used in this discussion.
Coal unmined was raw material, but
when it was mined it was the miners
finished product and entitled to protec-
ton. Iron ore was not raw material,
but the result OF the labor Of the miner.
Il was as much entitled to protection rs
the rice field OF the South, and the sugar
plantations of the Mississippi Valley.
WOOls clipped from the sheep was not a
raw material. 1t was the farmers fin
ishel labor, and the farmers had made
up their minds that it had to be protect
Cd. The duty OF 1867 should be restored
and in
INDUSTRY so ESSENTIAL
TO oOur prosperity as a people and our in.
dependence as nation shouldbe stimu'
lated.
In conclusion he said that the protec'
tive system had enabled the Govern
Ment to perfect a system OF finance
which was the marvel OF the age. II
had tostered our industries, built up oul
manufactures and opened up our will
derncsSeS, 1t had dignifed our labor
and educated our people. 1t had made
our hills laugh in gladness. 1t had
caused the waters Of commercial pros
pcrl,ty to pour all over the land. II haG
made the flag Of the country typify al
mat was great in human action, al
mat was grand in human thought, ant
HEod only knew what it would not de
lor our land, II the Democratic party
would let il alone.
MI Lands, Of Illinois, submitted al
afgument in support Of the bill, and il
opposition to the protective theory
While heartily advocating the bill, h
regretted that it touched the whisky an'
tobacco taxes, which instead OF being re
dGced, should be, he thought, increased
:, The committee then rose and tn
House took u recess TIL Sp. m. Th
evening session to be for the coRsidera