New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-06
Mr.. MILLSS DEFENCE.

In some respects, the speech OF Mr.. Mills ab
the Tammany Hall celebration may be ac-
cepted as better exposition of his Tariff bill
than any other. His speech and that OF MIR.
Carlisle in the House set forth what may be
called the philosophy of the bill-that Tree
trade theory which proposes to help marmact-
ure by enforced reduction in the cost OF raw
materials and wages. The speech at Tam
many Hall, on the other hand showed the pop
Mar defence which the Democrats expect to
set up how they mean to represent the meas
ure to the voters, especially in Eastern and
manufacturing States. Mr.. Mills can speak
with authority, if any one can. The bill was
not only framed by him, but is in his official
charge as the chosen leader of his party in the
House. The party and its candidate are bound
| by his declarations, so far as they express the
purpose and set forth the intended effects OF
the measure to which the party and candidate
are pledged by their National platform.
1t will strike every one who reads the speech
of Mr.. Mills that his chief anxiety is to satisfy
Democrats that his bill is not free-trade
measure. At the very threshold we have the
ancient but not honorable trick of words-the
bill does ot abolish all duties, MIR. Mills says,
and therefore it is not Free Trade bill. The
Texas demagogue sadly undertakes and insults
the intelligence of Northern voters. They are
perfectly well aware that abolition of middle
link of a chain is abolition of the chain
Protection is system for the defence and
elevation of American labor as whole. IL
cannot succeed, in economic results or at eec-
tons unless it fairly and effectively benefits
! American labor generally. If a large proper
ton, well-nigh half of that labor IN conse-
| quence of Democratic revision finds ITS wages
reduced or its profits destroyed, so that in other
branches of industry higher wages or larger
profits are assured the economic effect is that
production in this branch will be abandoned,
and the country will become dependent upon
foreign markets, which are controlled by for
eign rivals for the supply Of its manufacturing
establishments. The effect will be to destroy
the industry which is thus forced to compete
with foreigners who control the supply Wool
growing cannot prosper, for instance, II the
| Mills bill makes the profits in that business
smaller than the profits in other American in
| dustries, and the manufacture cannot prosper
| if forced, with duties on goods reduced from
third to one-half, to compete with foreigners
who control the wool markets of other coun-
tries upon which the American manufacturer
must then depend for his supplies.
| Politically the maintenance Of the system
becomes impossible if a large part of the voters
of the country find that the tariff, as amended,
no longer defends their industry, but abandons
| them to unchecked foreign competition, while
professedly defending and protecting specially
favored industries The farmers are about
| half of the American voters, and if the tariff
be so altered as to PROSTATE their industry,
while others are still nominally favored, their
votes will quickly be concentrated against the
system, it is hoped. That is exactly the end
desired by the Democratic party. 1t means
to make the tariff offensive to the farmers Of
this country, and particularly to the wool
| growers in order to get their votes for the
destruction Of the entire system.
free-trade bill is one which seeks to de-
stroy the protective system, as this bill does.
| Economically it would at once assail both the
production Of raw materials and the manufact-
ure, because the latter cannot thrive when de-
dependent upon foreign supplies. Politically
il means to break down the support of the en-
tire protective system, by turning against it
a great body of voters Who now support it.
The chief pretence that the measure is not for
free trade, because it does not cut off all duties
at the start, will not deceive Northern voters.
Mr. Mills will find that their quick intelligence
is the solid rock against which the angriest
waves Of free trade will dash themselves in
| vain,