The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-10
CRISP ON THE TARIFF.
He MAKES a SPEECH WHICH ALL
CONCEDE Is GREAT.

Every Time He Was Interrupted He
Scored New Point-He Takes the
Ground that Something Should be
Done for the Farmer The Other
speeches of the Day.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The event Of the
day in the House was the speech of Repre-
sentative Crisp Of Georgia, the finest tariff
speech, by the way, which he has ever
made in the House. 1t was one of the best
ever made there and was greatly enjoyed
bv democrats and republicans alike. 1t
was so interesting that the republicans paid
il the compliment of frequently interrupt
ing him. Every time they did SO Mr.. Crisp
improved the opportunity to make another
point SO cleverly and yet so fairly that
when be sat down at the close none of the
men who focked to congratulate him were
more cordial than Messrs. Walker of Massa-
chusetts. Bayne Of Pennsylvania and other
republicans who had interrupted him.
POINT THEY WOULD NOT MEET.
The chief point which the republicans, of
course. would not meet was that this
Mckinley tariff bill did nothing for the
great majority Of the farmers.
"If you want to help the farmers" he
said, "give them free salt" That would
help them all little. Give them free bag
ging for the corn of the west and the cotton
of the south. Give them free ties for the
cotton of the south and the hay of the west,
or at least give them cheaper clothing,
cheaper implements. cheaper necessaries of
life, for as it is now they are taxed on every
thing and get nothing in return. Inasmuch
as Mr.. Crisp is likely to be the
leader Of the democratic side in the event
that Mr.. Carlisle goes to the Senate, every
thing that he says and does is watched with
peculiar interest by both sides. 1t is not
improbable that his tariff speech of to-day
may put him on the committee of ways and
means should Mr.. Carlisle depart and make
avacancy there.
DETAILS OF THE DEBATE.
The House this morning went into COM
mittee of the whole. with Mr.. Payson of
Illinois in the chair, on the tariff bill.
Mr. Fitch of New York opened the de-
bate, beginning his argument with charge
agai nst Mr.. Mckinley of inconsistency be-
tween his speeches now aud those of two
years ago. The bill, he said. was a make
shift to meet the political situation. When
the Republican party proposed Co say that
the tariff question had been settled to the
permanent disadvantage of the people of
the metropolis it must take notice that
such settlement the people of New York
would not submit to so long as the tide beat
on the battery and the Hudson flowed to
the sea. [Applause.]
The discussion then took a colloquial turn
for some time between Messrs. Gear of
Iowa, McMillIn and Cannon.
Mr.. Crisp of Georgia said that the pro-
tectlonists seemed to have worked them
selves up to the belief that it was possible to
devise q way of obtaining money for the
supports of their own government by COL
Letting something from the people of foreign
governments.
THE PROPOSITION ABSURD.
1t was absurd to make proposition of
this sort. No man of sincerity would ques-
tion the proposition that the people of the
United States alone paid every dollar that
went into the treasury. The people were
vitally interested in understanding why it
was that so large an amount Of that which
represented to them labor and toll should be
taken and accumulated as surplus in the
treasury. The tariff was a tax paid
primarily by the importer, but re-collected
by him from the individual to whom
he sold his yard of cotton or
suit of clothes. The article which came
for sale was charged with every item of
expense that entered into it up to the time
when it came to the consumer. Ninety per
cent. Of the manufactured articles used in
this country were, it was claimed, produced
by domestic manufacturers. The existing
law had given them the market practically
without competition in every manufactured
article.
A COMPARISON OF PRICES.
The prices of these articles IN this country,
compared with the prices of these articles in
other countries, were more dear and not
more cheap. He did not believe that to the
manufacturer protection had been benefi-
cal system. As TO the laborers in manu-
featuring establishments, as to the farmers
throughout the land, he felt sure that the
system had been injurious. The system
drove out competition. 1t diminished the
number OF producers of given article, aud
increased the ease and facility with which
they could combine to elevate the price. A
majority of the ways and means committee,
said Mr.. Crisp. was pledgedssto the principle
OF protection and offered a sop to the
farmer. 1t said to the farmer that it had
put duty on his products, when the truth
was that that would do him no good. The
way to benefit the farmer was to give him
Tree salt, to give him free cotton ties and to
reduce the price Of the necessaries of life.
THE BATTLE AT THE POLLS.
The gentlemen on the other side claimed
that they were recording the verdict of the
people. The people do not agree that the
tariff question had been finally settled at
The polls. 1t was generally believed that
the protected industries had put together
a great campaign fund by which they
bought in ''blocks of five" and 500, men to
vote to carry out their ideas. After the
republicans had obtained money and place
In this way they now proposed to refund
that money in the shape Of an illegal and
Unjust tax.
:. Mr.. Bayne of Pennsylvania-Do you be-
iieve that?
Mr.. Crisp-l do. Ihave not the shadow
OF doubt of it.
:, MIR. Payne of New York, a member of
the ways and means committee, referred to
.he passage of the Mills bill by the House In
the Elftieth Congress aud its rejection by
1he Senate. The issue had been submitted
70 the people and they had rendered a ver-
uict. Mr.. Payne proceeded to argue in
support of the bill, especially of those feat
u1es which he contended would be OF ben
eht to the farmers.
ONE ON LEE.
4, In the course of his remarks he stated
.uet there had appeared before the ways
ana means committee members from the
~, gSher side who had asked for protection.
mere bad come before it a representative
rom Virginia who advocated duty on
sulnac, saying that If the committee put q
aIuty .Iy upon it he would privately bless it,
t.Hlough he would have 10 vote against the
OIL. [Laughter.1
MIR. O'Ferrall of Virginia incurred who