The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-06-20

the other day, in his attempt to establish
what he characterizes as the iniquitous
protective system, claimed that our tariff
laws discriminate against the Great West,
from which we both come, and took the
States of Massachusetts, and Illinois and
contrasted their wealth per capita in 1860
and again in 1880, and drew what seemed
to him pleasing picture TO the detriment
or disadvantage OF the great State which |
have the honor in part To represent on this
floor | had hoped that | should have the
opportunity OF perusing his remarks in
the Record before making my answer t.
his unjust statements, but that privilege
has been denied me by his discreetly
withholding the reporters notes of his
address Among his many claims was
that the average per capita of wealth in
Illinois in 1850 was 1927, and that in the
twenty years intervening from 1860 to 1880
the State had progressed SO slowly in the
development of wealth that her per capita
of wealth was but S2j5 in 1880; while the
great manufacturing State of Massa-
chusetts, with n per capita of wealth
of 1851 in 1860, by the develop
ment of her manufacturing Industry
had increased her per capita of wealth
in 1850 to SSSS-an increase per capita in
Illinois of S2S and in Massachusetts of
S257. These figures, as l learn, are based
upon the assessed valuation of the prop
erty of these two States Mt these two diff
ferent periods. His conclusions are drawn
from them without taking into considera-
ton the fact that the assessed valuation
of the property in Massachusetts, is OBJ
tanned upon an entirely different basis
from that in Illinois. OF course, his con
clusion and argument drawn from such
u ha toto
true valuation of the property in Massa-
chusetts in 1860 was 1915, 237 ,433, and her
total true per capita wealth ut that time
was 1862. The total true valuation of the
property in Illinois in 1860 was 1871 $780,
2S2, and her per capita wealth was 5000.
The total true valuation of the property IL
Massachusetts in 1880 was 1928 900, 900,
and her per capita wealth 81, All. The total
true valuation of the property in Illinois
in 1880 was 3,2l0, 000, 900, and her aver
age per capita wealth 81 ,043. These
figures indicate a very different showing
for the great agricultural State of Illinois
than the gentleman from Missouri sought
to establish.
1t is striking fact that all of the re-
auctions of taxation which have occurred
since the conclusion of the war with the
exception OF the trihing ones made by the
acts or March !, 1879, and OF May rs,
1850, aggregating little over $4,000, 00O
were accomplished while the party now in
the minority was in the majority and in
control of legislation. Whatever Unequal
tiles may exist in our present tariff laws
the Republicans are willing and anxious
to remedy This bill increases instead OF
diminishes the inequalities of the law
With its title it keeps the word of prom
tgA ~ no hut Is ~ ha
If it becomes law in its present form,
widespread disaster will follow in its
wake. | should, as / feel regarding this
bill be false to my own convictions and to
the best interests of the good people who
honor me by sending me here to represent
them, if / failed to enter my solemn pro-
test against this unholy attempt to over
throw the great industrial interests of
America