The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-22
VICTORY.
The Mills Bill Passes the House.
The Great Tariff Measure at Last
Voted on Finally.
The Vote was Closely Drawn, Be-
ing lo2 Yeas, lao Nays.
Sowden, Greenman and Bliss
Among the Enemy.
Two Republicans and Four indie
pendents Vote with Mills.
Now 1t Must Go Through the Mills
Of the Senate.
The Father of the Measure Reviews Its
Many Advantages in the Plainest,
Simplest and Most Powerful Man
ner-A Child Gould Under
stand 1.-THE Senate.

WASHINGTON, July 81. Il House. l.
When the House met this morning the
galleries were filled with spectators, at
tracted TO the capitol by the announce
ment that today would witness the close
Of the great tariff debate and the vote on
the final passage OF the Mills bill The
executive and diplomatic galleries were
vacant
The crowded galleries and good attend
ance Of members on the floor greeted
Chairman Mills as he rose in his place to
close the long debate on the tariff bill.
Promptly at 1880 o'clock the bill was
called up and Mr.. Mills, after offering two
amendments, intended TO correct typo
graphical errors in the bill, moved the
previous question on them and they were
adopted. lie then proceeded TO address
the House, beginning by stating the con-
dition OF the finances OF the government,
placing the surplus at 1929, 600, 0O0 This,
lie said, should arrest the attention OF the
country. 1t represented unnecessary tax
alton drawn from the people and piled
upon the treasury. II was taxation lev
led upon the product OF labor. 1t
was iniquity. This enormous amount
OF money was constantly lowering
prices and piling an enormous load
on labor and increasing the benefits
Of privileged classes. How long would il
be before stagnation would occur and
bankruptcy and ruin flock together over
the land2 The majority had attempted to
bring before the House n bill 10 reduce
this taxation and lessen tie inflow Of
money into the treasury. ~ the amend
ments which had been made in committee
OF the whole the total reduction Of duties
had fallen from $50, 600, 900 TO so, OOO. 900.
the free list from SO, 600 600 10 so, 900. 900.
The relative rate OF duty had fallen from
s47.l0, not TO $40, but TO Si2 40, and yet
this measure, 80 very moderate, was char
acterzed ~ free trade measure. Was
si2.I0 on every 500 free trade? II was
an enormous amount Of taxation. II was
taxation which the wealth Of this coun.
try would not permit TO stand for n mo-
mcnt. state taxation was levied upon
lands, houses, stocks, bonds, horses and
cattle, and the property owners would not
permit any party or administration 20 ~.
main in power an hour which would levy
tax OF - on the SlOO. Yet this
bill, carrying a taxation Of az. ~. was
characterized as a free trade measure. The
term free trade seemed TO have n double
meaning. Some gentlemen seemed 10
understand that free trade meant the alb
solute nnfcttcring Of our foreign com.
merce from all taxation. The Dem
ocratic party had used the term free trade
as a term expressing the freedom Of our
commerce from all obstruction save that
OF Just and necessary taxation 10 support
the economical administration OF the gov.
ernment Applause. The tariff OF 1916
had been called a free trade tarin, and he
had himself spoken OF the decade from
1850 10 lSC0 as the free trade period be-
cause in that time commerce was not ~.
siricied by distractions thrown in It's way
by capitalists and monopolisis. lie then
proceeded 10 take up and discuss in detail
The various schedules Of the bill, begin.
ming with those dealing with chemicals.
The present duty on chemicals, he said,
was 82S7 per cent. The proposed bill
placed IL at 2Si7 a reduction Of little
gyer 81 ahundred. Gentlemen called that
Tree trade. The next was the carthenwarc
and glass schedule. The duty under ex.
bill fixed II at Sj2.l7. That was free
trade. too, he supposed II $50 taxation
on every 500 was free trade, In Gods
name would some one tell him what
was meant by the term protection Ap.
plause. Sugar was found at a duty Of
S7S.l5 aud the committee reduced Il 10
1921 There was nobody making much fuss
about the enormity Of that reduction. The
bill cut down the revenue from sugar sll,.
$4,000. This was next 10 the largest ~.
duction made on any schedule Ia the bill.
II had been constantly charged that the
bill was sectional, that II barely touched
sugar and that the committee threw is
arms around sugar 30 shield IL, yet the re-
ducton In sugar was only second 10 that
In the wool schedule. There ought 20 be
high duty on sugar because Democrats
believed that taxation uwas tribute re.
quired from citizens for the support Of the
government, and because they believed In
laying taxation Il ought 90 be- ~ little
burdcnsome as possible. BY the tafil on
sugar, the government got SIS, OO0, 600 with
S6,OO000O protection. In order 90 get SIS.
100000 into the public Golfers IL cost
s6,OO0O0O protection 10 the sugar planters.
but In order TO get SjS,ODO,O 900
into the treasury from iron, steel
and wooden goods Il cost the people over
sos, ZOO. Why then should the duty on
sugar be repealed In order that a moro
burdensome taxation. q higher rate on
wooden and cotton goods and iron and
steel might be retaincdg The duty on
provisions under existing law was s2L33.
The committee left II Ut S233p. Yet II
was charged that this was a free trade
measure. The existing duty on cotton
was 5000. The bill fixed Il at $500.
did the free trade come In on that
The sl2, 100000 revenue from cotton had
been reduced only s22i ,OOO. The duty on
hemp, jute and Anr was az present s2s 10
II was iet VI SODA This reduction Of
only 81 Was brought about TO great eH
tent by the putting Of large amount O
jute and hemp and MANILA ON the IRE,
list Tie present duty on wool and wool