The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-30

not ask Tor cheaper carpets or household
utensils; the manufacturer objects. We
must not ask for cheaper coal; the mine
owner objects. We must not claim cheaper
sugar or rice; the planter objects.
Well, for one, | for my district of con-
sumers, object to this chorus of objection.
We do not own sheep; we cannot raise rice
or vegetables or sugar; we mine no coal in
the Thirteenth district of New York IF
every interest in this country which is pro-
tected is to come here and cry out at any
proposed addition to the free-list or reduc-
ton of the tariff taxes, in =the interest of
the great principle of protection, we, in
our turn, shall ask that our monthly wages
and the limited incomes on which many of
us must live shall have the protection
promised us by both political platforms,
and that not by and by, but now and in
the Fiftieth Congress.
We shall ask this courteously and mod
estly now. IF we are met only by selfish
and determined refusal the request will
have to be made more emphatically.
Certainly we are willing to have a protec-
tive tariff, but we do not want an unrea-
sonable and an Interchangeable tariff. We
want a tariff which shall protect where
protection is needed, and free-list which
shall give us the necessaries of life on
terms that are at least fair to all.
Gentlemen say that the tariff builds up
home market, Very good. In the res
idence district of New York City we are the
home market; we use our monthly pay the
whole year around to buy your goods.
Now that you have an opportunity, now
that you can afford it, now that you have
promised it, be fair to your home market.
Show us by timely and reasonable conces-
sions that you are not entirely selfish. and
we will, as we have heretofore, 90 on cheer
fully paying more for every thing which
We use than We think the goods ought to
cost us.
The answer to this seemingly reasonable
demand on our side of the House seems to
be this in substance: 1t is true that the
tariff ought to be revised. The party plat
form promisedi it; the last Republican Presi-
dent and his Secretaries advised it; the
party conventions in many States have
agreed to it; but it must be done only by
the Republican party in House of which
that party shall have majority.
There are two objections to this answer:
First. 1t is postponement, an indef-
mite postponement of something which was
promised four years ago, and ought to have
been done before now Whatever hopes
gentlemen may have of the future, no one
can say when we shall be strong enough to
make and carry through by Republican
votes alone a revision of the tariff If you
are to read out of the party everybody who
reminds you of your promises, or who has
any of the old Republican habits of free
speech and candid criticism, perhaps you
may never be strong enough to control
the House. Applause.] Even if the fall
elections should return a majority of Re-
publicans, nearly year and a half must
elapse before the Nfty-frst Congress can
even meet, and if tariff debate like this
should then ensue, certainly two years must
pass before the present tariff can be changed
And it is more than probable that even
then the highly protected industries would
still find some new reason why action should
be postponed for another indefinite period,
and that their representatives world vote
again as many gems of poetry and prosaic
tables of figures as We have heard for the
last two weeks to demonstrate that the
slightest alteration of the sacred tariff for
the relief of the people, on whom some
portions of it weigh heavily, would end
forever the prosperity of the country.
And it is still more likely that gentlemen
who are interested in the preservation in
tact of the present tariff would claim that
the election of Republican House was
verdict Of the people against any revision
whatsoever. Laughter,]
For my part desire to consider this
question now, in the Congress to which 1
was elected partly for the purpose of con-
sidering it Whether the Fifty-6rst or
Fifty second or Nfty-third Congresses are
TO be Republican or Democratic, what their
action may be in the changed circumstances
under which they may meet, is something
which concerns me at present very little.
| propose to do what 1 can-recognizing
how very little it is-towards fulfilling the
promises of the party on this subject now,
when | havean opportunity [Applause.l
Second. 1t is an unpatriotic answer to
the reasonable demand that our promises
to reform the tariff be fulfilled to say that
as condition precedent we must first have
a success of our own party. IF the reyi-
sion is right, if it is in the interest Of the
business and development of the country,
as our conventions and our leading states
men have said it was, for one am willing
to make it, whether there is any political
capital in it or not.
1t is business question more than a
political question, and it is a business ques-
tion on which we are committed.
IF revision of the tariff is necessary, it
seems to me to be as absurd to vote against
it on party grounds as it would be to op-
pose the admittedly necessary appropria-
tions for the Government because they are
prepared in Democratic committee and
proposed to a Democratic House.
am one of those who were disappointed
that we have as yet before us no Republi-
can bill to reform the tariff. | do not for
get the excellent bill putting coal, sugar,
molasses, rice, wool, and some raw mate
rials on the free-list, introduced by my
Republican friend from Minnesota Mr..
4NelSOu b nHUSc fO,OOO NObCo a1 thO Aaot
election demonstrate what hold on his
people his fidelity to their interests has
given him. l admired bis speech aud |
would gladly vote for his BILL But mean
that had hoped that before this we would
have had submitted to us a bill put forward
by authority, framed by gentlemen whose
length Of service and great ability fitted
them for such task, bill in regard to
which all Of us would have been consulted,
in which our varying views could have been
compromised, bill in which all of us would
have yielded something to- reach a common
agreement.
For such bill, framed by such high
authority, perfected by such consultation,
and giving to the people of our city some
of the benefits to which we think they are
entitled, even if it did not give us all which
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