The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-03
GOING FOR COLDS GLUT.
MR.. WILSON DECLARES THE SUR
PLUS DEMORALIzING.

Strong Speech Dy Mr. stewart.
WASHINGTON, May 2.-In the House to-
dsv Mr.. Palmer, of Pennsylvania, pre-
sented the memorial of dealer in tobacco
in Philadelphia in favor of speedy repeal
of the entire tax on tobacco. 1t was re-
ferred.
On motion of Mr.. Phelan, of Tennessee,
the Senate bill was passed for the esta blish-
ment of a lighthouse at Newport News,
Middle Ground, Va.
The House then went into committee of
the whole, with Mr.. Springer in the chair,
on the tariff bill.
Mr.. Wilson, of Minnesota, said that the
surplus in the Treasury was demoralizing
in the extreme He briefly reviewed the
history of the attempts of the Democratic
party to reduce that surplus by reduction
of the tariff duties of late years. The
Republicans in Congress, with almost
unanimity opposed considering the Ques-
ton of reducing the tariff on necessities,
and had been in favor of reducing the tax
on wealth; while the Democrats, with the
exception of few who came from protec-
ton strongholds had been opposed to
taking the tax off wealth and in favor of
reducing the tariff on necessities.
REPUBLICAN NEAR R-sIGHTEDNEss
In denouncng the protective system he
asserted that protecti on did not exclude Eu-
ropean manufactures from our market, but
did exclude our manufactures from the
markets of the world. The protectionists
were accustomed to point to the volume of
domestic manufactures as the fruit of the
tariff, while they did not state that 80 or 80
per cent of those manufactures must of ne
cessity be made in the United States, tariff
or no tariff. The important question pre-
sented now was whether the wealthy classes
be allowed to levy tribute upon the indus
trial classes.
POLICY OF THE MINORITY.
Mr.. McComas, of Maryland, said that if
the majority would suffer the Republican
minority to deal for one day with the
problem of the surplus he believed they
would in that single day reduce our annual
revenue $40, 100000 by repeating the inter
nal revenue tax on tobacco, a burden op
farms in sixteen hundred counties and
fiften States; by repeating the internal
revenue tax on alcohol used in the arts,
manufacturing medicines and drugs,
and by-reducing the tariff on sugar
to minimum, yielding revenue
enough to pay bounties to home
producers of sugar from cane, sorghum,
corn and beets. Reduction of the surplus
was Uu6 pd0U6AU Dub llOU bu0 IuOJlN6 OI UD6
pending bill 1t is not the surplus revenue
but the protective revenue, not the war
tariff but the protective tariff the majority
assailed President Clevelands message,
and this founding now called the Mills bill,
had a common purpose.
THE FREE TRADE BUNCoMBE.
Both used the surplus as the fulcrum
wherewith to apply a free trade lever to
disodge the protective system. Every free
trader applauded both-every protectionist
denounced both. The Democracy had
under President Cleveland, after forty
years, renewed its allegiance to English
free trade. This fight was not over the de-
tails of this bill, but on the broad issue of
free trade or protection. Free trade meant
untaxed foreign competition. 1t cneapened
few things the workman consumed but
cheapened everything that he produced.
Protection raised the price of few things
the workmen consumed, but raise1 the
price of everything he produced, and higher
wages for what he produced means higher
standard of life for home, wife and children.
Since all foreign countries, save England
had adopted the protective system, free
trade for us could not open a single port or
market not now open to all foreign wares
We would fall before the combined efforts
Of protective tariffs abroad, and foreign
competition at home.
SURPRISED AT THE SOUTH.
1t was amazing to hear Representatives
from Southern States unite to denounce the
tariff, when the South most needed protec-
ton. New England and Pennsylvania,
rich with the fruits of general system of
manufactures, might smile at the folly of
these Southern leaders blinded by prejudice
The war cry of the old South was
slave labor and free trade. Slavery
had gone, but these leaders of the old South
here on this floor fought for English alliance
and free trade once more. Free trade was
still the dream of the old South, whose cor
ner stone was the plantation idea-wide
lands, and an accomplished few en-
Tiched by the ignorant many toiling for a
bare subsistence.
HEARS A KNELL IN THE MESSAGE
He pictured the new South thrilling with
mighty enterprises, developing her mines,
ioundlng her cities, and said to this new
south President Clevelaml's MESA ge
against the protective tariff came Ike
some unwelcome bell knelling a departed
irlend Discussing the effect of the
Nils bill upon coal and iron,
lie said the simple device of
emitting to specify bituminous coal,
repeating the law which did specify it, and
putting 1T on the free list as mineral sub
8 stance stance IN crude state" would not long be
AiOlll ln6 uoW OOuUu, COuCoTIleu lOT
4 It's coal and iron.
Mr. Lanham, of Texas, did not claim TO
pe an expert philosopher in the dismal
science of the tariff. What he was
20 70 say was, he stated, designed
!or 40! the home market and local consump-
ION tloh' he was not vain enough to believe
nus remarks would be in demand for export,
W Wor that there would he occasion to exhaust
4 te slie supply, which he expected to provide
lor MS immediate constituents. He did not
VtApecJ for them any conspicuous or ex-
& ITenued notice outside Of their place in the
congressional Record.
EFFECTIVENESS NOT CLAIMED.
he did not calculate that they would
nave any marked effect on the courteous
ke9uemen who honored him with their
&u1lehce or that they would influence the
aauusuent OF single representative on the
tooI, or afford any valuable contribution
10 Tue economic thought or literary excel
eNGe OF this discussion. But believing as
He uld, that this subject was one of supreme
builportance, he felt constrained to record
t ts Vonvletlons and express some reason for
tL tLe laith that was in him. What the fate of
s sns pending bill would be, no one could
Seleiy prognosticate. 1t was within the
PS"er OF the protectionists to defeat it, to
gsyruct and wear it out but whatever
no n',suo s be the result he sincerely hoped that
~ ~ one on his side Of the House would take
vt vue INITIATIVE in the effort Let no man
sguo claimed to be a Democrat drive the
Az ~ dagger or qtfsflya tha nret IfoG, T.,