The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-09

w ASHINGTON, May S.-After the reading of
the journal the House went into committee of
the whole on the tariff bill. Dockery. of Mis-
souri,, said that in the last campaign the Re
publican party claimed that the farmers would
be benefited by protection, yet after n Repub-
llcan victory the depression in agriculture
was greater than ever. This depression fol-
lowed the great protective victory 1t was not
a temporary condition that the country had
to deal with. Farm prices had not iccov-
cred since the panic of 1873. The constant
tendency in the west has been downward since
that time He then proceeded TO argue that it
was not in the power of any tariff to raise the
price OF any agricultural product unless il could
be seen that it was brought into competition
with foreign article. Instead of having to
meet competition on our own soil, American
farmers exported their own produce TO supply
the agricultural deficiency of European cotIn-
tries
Morse inquired whether the farmers did NOT
have to compete with the farmers of Canada.
Dochery replied that the question revealed
another injustice of the tariff system Western
farmers had no competition but the effect of
the tariff on agricultural products was detri-
mental to the farmers of the east Eggs with
a duty of 5 cents a dozen, were brought from
Canada TO New York because it was cheaper to
pay the duty on eggs than to pay the railroad
rates from the west TO the east. Therefore the
tariff gave no benefit to the farmer of the west
and taxed the eastern farmer to the extent of
the duty.
OF free wool and a reduction of the duty on
manufactured products. In his state there
were 1,OOOOJO more people than sheep, and be-
tween people and sheep his sympathy was with
the people
Discussing the subject of trusts as connected
with the tariff, he denounced the dressed beef
monopoly of Chicago as having plundered the
farmers OF the west by INSCRIPTIONS eXactions
Ii the farmer was TO be relieved, if the mort
gage was TO be taken off his farm, the govern
rnent must speedily reverse its policy in regard
10 foreign trade. II the government would un-
shackle our genius, unhamper our enterprise.
unfetter our resources, we would soon outsirip
England.
Burrows, of Michigan, said the Republicans
would reduce the surplus by one theory the
Democrats by another, and il was this conflict
OF theories which prevented remedy being ap-
piled In the campaign of 1888 the two theories
were presented 10 the American people, and after
a full debate on the platform and in the press
verdict was rendered in favor of the Republl
can theory, a verdict so pronounced as to wrest
the presidency and popular branch of Con
gresS from the Democratic party. In the mea-
sure the committee on ways and means pre-
Sented, it was sought to execute the nonllar
verdict and crys alize it into law The Demo
cratic party was again going before the people
with an appeal that they reverse their verdict
The Democratic party favored a tariff for
revenue; the Republican party favored q tariff
for revenue and protection-not incidental, not
accidental but intentional. A tariff for revenue
only was step towards free trade, and the Re
plause:l the bill was Intended as s1>p a
measure OF protection from the enacting
clause to the closing paragraph. Burrows
defended the tin plate, surgar and wool sections.
Free trade meant unrestricted competition: nm
restricted competition meant cheap.goods: com
petion in cheap goods meant cheap labor: com
petition in cheap labor meant CHEAP flesh and
blood; competition in cheap flesh and blood
was slavery. Cheap clothing and cheap food
were OF no value II human labor was cheaper
still. [Applausel. Free trade meant cheap
ness to the rich and idle, but longer hours and
harder work to the laborer In this race
for cheapness the Republican party did not pro-
pose to enter Whatever might be the cause
of the present. agricultural depression no one
would be bold enough to assert that it was due
to the policy which had created home market
capacious enough to consume exclusive of
cotton and tobacco) % per cent. of the products
of the farm. Whatever might be the remedy
for the agricultural depression, one thing was
true it would not be found in the markets of the
world. I'm this case,'' sal Burrows 1--WE have
sought to reduce the revenues to the case of
governmental need without imparing a single
American industry or depriving a single laborine
man Of the product of his TOLL
Mcmillan. of Tennessee, proposed to stretch
this bill-this putrid patient-upon the dissect.
ing table. In some respects it was like a man.
for 1t was fearfully and wonderfully made
Again it was like the earth at the creation
without form and all darkness There was a
general change from al valorem to specific
duties. The prices of commodities were ialljnp
all over the world, and this change prevented
the consumer from getting the benefit of the
reduction. The Democratic party would take
issue with the Republican party on the new
doctrine OF bounties He also denounced the
increase in the duty on tin plate
The gentleman on the other side spoke
of the victory achieved by the Republi-
cans in 1888. That was victory
where the 100000 popular majority was for the
Democratic candidate. This provoked Il politi-
cal tilt between Milliken and Mcmillan which
lasted some time. Mcmillan then proceeded To
an analysis of the bill. asserting that aside from
the sugar schedule there was not schedule in
which the duties had not been increased Nc
MILAN predicted when the Ides of November ar
rived there would go up from the Republican
party a wall of defeat.
Bayne. of Pennsylvania, was opposed to any
general discussion of the bill. 1t should be
passed speedily. While this measure was pend
ing in Congress the interests of the country
would be in a restless and uneasy condition
which could only be relieved when the President
placed his signature on the bill. Referring to
the agricultural depression, he admitted that in
some parts of the country the condition of the
farmers was bad but he did not think it fair tn at
the inference should be drawn that the farmers
in foreign countries were in favorable circum.
stances. On the contrary, he asserted
that the foreign armers were in a
much more deplorable condition than
the farmers Of the United States. In
the last ten years the farm lands of England
small ia area had deprecated $4,000, 900, 600 in
value while he asserted that in the whole
American union the value Of farm lands had