Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-25
In THE HOUSE.
4 Great Tariff Reform Speech by Mc.
Miiiin.

4 Great Tariff Reform speech by Me-
Miiiin.
WASHINGTON, April 24.-After dispos'
ing of some routine business, the House
went into the Committee of the Whole on
the Mills tariff bill, and was addressed by
Mr.. Mcmillan.
Mr.. MILAN o,snsd with the declaration
that whoever advocated the present tariff
favored tariff not for revenue but for sur
plus and tariff for trusts. Commenting
on the surplus, Mr.. Mcmillan said:
We are drawing money from COM
merce and locking it up in the
treasury at such a rate that it is only a
question of time when strirgency will sci
in. We are robbing not only commerce Of
its life and blood, but the people of the
means of paying taxes TO their govern
ment. All sorts of jobs are proposed to
Congress, and all sorts Of jobbers are flock
ing here.
The internal revenue yields one hudrad
and twenty millions Of revenue to the
government. The annual surplus is only
about $50, 900, 900, SO that if all the inter
nal revenue laws were repealed it would
leave deficiency in onr taxes OF $6O, 900, :
900. What is thisJ to be raised
fromP Shall we re-impose q tax
on tea and coffe? No there
is not man who would retax coffee to un-
tax whisky. Shall we increase the duties
on woolen goods, rice or sugar? No, for
the people would not, and should not tole'
rate any such legislation. Then we have
TO select the subjects from which We will
remove taxes, and in view Of the fact that
we cannot repeal the Internal revenue
system, we have TO determine whether
we will reduce the tax on whisky
or the tax on clothing, tho tax on whisky,
OF the tax on sugar. In other words, re-
duce the tax on that without which men
can live and prosper, or upon that which
is essential TO their comfort, and it mar
rows itself down to contest between the
drunkardis belly and the poor mans back,
In that fight 1 do not hesitate to cay that
I espouse the cause of the back and defy
the world, the flesh and the devil.
Mcmillan then turned his attention tt
the subject of trusts and said: ] have NJ
apprehension % to who will he victor in
the battle about to ha wsged between
legitimate taxation and that oppressive
taxation, which is invoked to aid trust:
and make pooling profitable. The people
have waited long and patiently. Bat
they are aroused. Their voict
cones laundering through thesi
halls, demanding reduction of taxes,
The procession for the relief of the tax
payer is moving. There are but two places
about this procession. One after il, the
other under it. Seek to-day whether yor
prefer to follow and aid it, or go dowr
under il, and be crushed byit.
Mr.. Burrows, Of Michigan, was the next
speaker. He said our tariff ON imports wa
to-day coniessedly protective in that it Wa
levied not for revenue only hut to encour
age American industry and protect Amer
lean labor. One wing of the Democratic
party, under the leadership of President
Cleveland, sssailed this system, denounced
il as vicious and illogical and declared i
! To be not only unwise but unconstitutional
| On the contrary the Republican party be
lieved in protective tariff that in levyinl
duties on imports, revenue should mo-
alone be considered, but that those dutiei
should bs go adjusted as to give encourage
ment to American capital and employment
to American labor.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Burrow'i
speech the committee rose and the Hous.
adjourned.