The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-05-12
MIR. McComas on the Tariff.

1UA u1OSOAuCto VA bAS AuA ala
WASHINGTON, May 2,-Represen-
tatiye McComas made strong argu-
ment to-day in opposition to the
Mills Tariff bill. He spoke forcibly
and to the point, showing very
clearly the damage that would accrue
to the manufacturing industries of
this country if the measure under
discussion should pass. The House
was comparatively deserted when
he began, but the interest of his adj
dress and the sharp passages between
him and Rogers and Hemphill at
tracted general attention, and the
members crowded around and APP
plauded the bright sallies and clever
repartee of the Marylander. The
admission which he wrung from
General Hooks that not Democrat
had said or would say thing for pro-
lection, was considered one of the
most significant incidents of the tariff
debate. Mr.. McComas was very fire.
quently applauded and warmly con-
graduated on his speech.
Mr.. McComas began his address as
follows: "If any article of common
use which our farmers cannot profit
ably grow, or our miners or work.
men produce, is not already on the
free list, will vote to put it on. If
any duty on any home product be
higher than the conceded higher
wages rate of nv country / will vote
to reduce it to the protective level,
because / believe the tariff is simply
a question of wages. If it be clear
that any clause fosters only monopoly
I will vote TO strike it out. If you
frame revenue reduction bill with
an eye single to the relief of the
treasury and the people from grow
ing surplus will vote with you. If
you, who are the majority, would
suffer the Republican minority to
deal for one day only with the prob
lem of the surplus l believe we would
In that single day reduce our annual
revenues seventy millions of dollars
by repeating the internal revenue
tax on tobacco, a burden on the farms
In sixteen hundred counties and fif-
teen States. by repeating the inter-
nal revenue tax on alcohol used in
the arts, manufacturing medicines
and drugs. and by reducing the tariff
on sugar to a minimum yielding
revenue, enough to pay bounties to
home producers of sugar from cane,
sorghum, corn and beets. The re-
duction of the surplus is the pretext,
but not the motive of this bill.
He then discussed the Mills bill, as
1t injured the farmers, saying that
more than one-third of the free list
was the products of lumbermen,
quarrymen, farmers and miners.
He insisted the problem to-day was
not cheapness, but employment. and
contrasted home trade and foreign
trade, and contended that for us the
market of the world was delusion
under free trade with all Europe pro-
tectionists. And proceeded to say !;
"It amaZes me to hear Mr.. Mills,
who halls from Texas, claim that the
tariff has nothing to do with wages,
because wages are higher in some
States than in Others. The tariff
wrought its best fruit in New Eng
land, and the enterprising North and
West. Wages are lower in Arkansas
and Louisiana and South Carolina,
because slavery condemned the black
and poor white people to ignorance,
and after the war, under the inheri-
ted system, it was too long disgrace
full to labor.
1.-THE wages of her men and women
are not much more than half the
wages paid in New England. 1t is
amazing to hear representatives from
the Southern States unite to denounce
the tariff when the South most needs
protection. New England and Penn
sylvania, rich with the fruits of a
general system of manufactures. may
we'll smile at the folly of these South