Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-31

arguments Showing the Robbery or
the Mckinley Law-Labor Biiis and
Their fate-sugar. T,n-PIa te, Irvine
and Trusts Generaiiy-The People
Defeated at Evcey Turn.
Last night Turner hall was crowded To
hear the Hon. VIM. NJ. Springer, a dem
ocrstic leader in the house of representa-
yves, discuss the doings of the last con-
gress. but more especially the legislation
pertaining to the Mckinley DILL. The
farce regarding the lsbor bills vas shown,
making 1t clear that it was yer intend.
ed they should pass, and hat even if
they got beyond the house and became a
law. that their effect would be more of
an injury than beI eft, as the
workmen could, in most cases. get po,b-
ing under them. 1t was shown. also
what is well known here, that Mr.. Gest
sat still in the house while Mr.. Brewer
was killing the eight-hour bill by / is
amendment. These are the bills that
Speaker Reed. while in Maine, said had
been passed with "prooer amend
ments - the proper amendments
being that the people whom they were
intended to benefit were actually swim.
died. He also showed that whenever
pernicious legislation took place there
was Gest found voting.
Mr.. Springer grouped his facts on the
silver, sugar, wool, metal, trusts and
other matters in a mastery manner and
presented them to his hearers in a most
pleasing and comprehensive way. Space
will not permit full report of his speech,
but as the republicans have never ceased
dwelling upon the benefits OF free sugar,
attention will be more particularly di-
rected to that matter.
FREE SUGAR Is \ MIsNoMER.
Ga this point Mr.. Springer said:
Our republican friends tell us thew
have given us free sugar by he Mckinley
bill, aud upon this they are going before
the people OF the C. untry, assuring them
the republican party has done something
to relieve them of public burden, and
ask their approval on that ground. l
notice that Mr.. Mckinley. in one of his
speeches in his district. few DAYS ago.
stated indirectly. cut with evident mean
ing, with no other meaning possible. that
the Mckinley bill was framed SO as to
impose the burdens of our government
upon foreigners, thst the consumer did
not pay the tax, that the tariff brought
everything down that is operated upon.
Well, if the foreigners were paying the
tax on sugar, why didn'; he let them paw
III Ii Cuoans and South Americans were
paying the sugar tax, why not let them
pay it3 There WAS no demand on the
part OF the Cubans that they should be
relieved OF paying the burden to the Uni
ted States. But We are assured by Mr.
Mckinley himself that the tariff on sugar
did rise the price of sugar in this coun-
try. that it was.a burden upon the Amer
lean people. and therefore his bill puts
sugar below the IL Dutch standard upon
the free list. Now, this rs Dutch sand
ard does not have any relation 10 the
German vote. lApplause Let there be
no confusion on that point. but it was
simply the distinction given by the gov.
erume Mt of Holland as TO the tineness OF
the sugar. That standard will allow
sugar to come In; pale brown sugar we
used To have in this country before the
war 1t will be called the democratic
sugar, the poor mans sugar, because we
will have to use that sugar upon our ia
bles. The mOnOpOlist can have the
white sugar hereafter or after this law
takes effect. There will be distinction
between sugar for the people. But il is
stated in this bill that the free sugar
clause is not to take cffec. until the first
day of April next. did not understand
why it was they fixed upon the first day
OF April. bus have got it through my
head at last That is All Fools Day
App ause They have undertaken by
This bill to make the people believe they
are going 10 have free sugar when they
do not get free sugar, as you will see be-
fore / get through. and very appropri>
stely they fixed the fir st day of April
| when it should take effect. Between
this and the first day of Apri! the sugar
trust will be able to work off upon the
people the high taxed sugar then on
hand, so that you will have to pay for
the taxed sugar BY that time thev will
be ready TO bring in the untaxed And
let me call Your atten ton to Mr. Nc
Kinley's reason for this, So be has
stated it. He said on the report 10 the
Mckinley bill. which he submitted on
the 18th of April when that bill was
| reported to the house of represents
tiyes, so large u proportion of our
sugar is imported thai the home pro-
| duction OF sugar does not materially af>
fec, the price. and the duty is therefore a
tax, which is added TO the price not only
of the imported but of the domestic pro.
ducts, which is not true of duties on ar
ticles of which we prod nee all we con-
sumo. l am very glad that MIR. McKiu-
ley in an ungusrded moment, allowed a
modicum of truth to drop from his lips.
Here it is. that the old democratic doc
| triDe thst the tariff on sugar WAS tax.
and that il was not only II tax upon the
sugar imported but upon the domestic
| product, and that it WIS borne by the
consumer of sugar. The reason of tina,
was that we could not make enough OF
the article in this country to supply our
| wants.
Now you will always know when tar
i'll is tax. If we do not produce enough
of the article to supply our wants. 1t be-
comes tax not only Upon the foreign ar
ticle, but upon the domestic article. W hich
is raised in price TO meet to meet the price
of the foreign article y hich has paid the
tax. Applause
Apply this rule to ROolen goods. tC
cutlery. to glassware, 70 q the schedules
nearly of the tariff bill, and you will fine
that it is tax to be borne by the con
sumner. not only on the imported articles
but on the articles that are raised in thi.
country. But Mr.. Mckinley says very
appropriately that this is not so upon ar
ticles raised substantially to the extent Of
| 10 NJ IT,