Omaha daily bee., 1890-05-09
The TARIFF BILL BATTLE.
Second Day Of the Great Debate Oh the
Mckinley Measure.
FACTS, FANCY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Both Sides Say the Farmer is Sick
and Prescribe Exactly Opposite
Dccoctions for the Suffer-
ing Patient

hr, DOckery OF MISSOURI Salu JnaJ IN Ine |
last campaign the republican party claimed
That the farmers would be benefited by pro-
lection, yet after republican victory the de-
preston in agriculture was greater than
ever. This depression followed great pro
tective victory. 1t was not n temporary con-
dition the country had to deal with Farm
prices had not recovered since the panic, The
constant tendency in the west had been |
downward since that time. He then pro-
ceeded to argue that it was not in the power
of any tariff to raise the price Of any agricul-
tural product unless 1t could be !
seen that 1t was brought into competl-
tion with a foreign article. Instead of
having to meet competition on our soil Ameri-
can farmers expected their own produce to
supply the agricultural deficiency of Euro
pean countries
Mr. Morse inquired whether the American
farmers did not have To compete with the
farmers of Canada.
Mr. Dockery replied that the question re-
vealed another injustice of the tariff system
The western farmer had no competition, but
the effect of the tariff on agricultural pro-
ducts was detrimental to the farmers of the
east. Eggs with duty of cents dozen
were brought from Canada to New York.
Whyi Because it was cheaper to pay the
duty on eggs than to pay railroad rates from
III
benefit to the farmer of the west and taxed
the eastern farmer to the extent of the duty.
Mr.. Dockery then submitted an argument
In favor of wool and reduction of the duty
on manufactured products. In his state there
were 100000 more people than sheep, and
between the people and the sheep, his SYM
pathy was with the people.
Discussing the subject of trusts as con-
nected with the tariff, Mr.. Dockery de-
nounced the dressed beef monopoly of Chi
cago as having plundered the farmers of the
west by unscrupulous exactions. If the
farmer was to be relieved, if the mortgage
was TO be taken off his farm, the government
must speedily reverse its policy in regard to
the foreign trade. If the government would
unshackle our genius, unhamper our enter
prise, unfetter our resources, we would soon
outstrip England
Mr.. Burrows of Michigan said the republi-
cans would reduce the surplus by one theory,
the democrats by another, and it was this
conflict of theories which prevented the
remedy being applied. In the campaign of
1888 the two theories were presented to the
American people and after a full debate on
the platform and in the press the verdict
was rendered in favor of the republican
theory-a verdict so pronounced as to wrest
the presidency and the popular branch of
congress from the democratic party. In the
measure the committee on ways and means
presented it sought TO execute the popular
verdict and TO crystalize it into law The
democratic party was again going before the
people with 4 the appeal that they re-
verse JIclt Verucu. INC QelnOCrutlC
party favored a tariff for revenue. The re-
publican party favored q tariff for revenue
and protection-noti incidental, not accidental,
but Intentional A tariff for revenue only
was IA step towards free trade, and the repub-
lican party was against free trade applausel.
The bill was intended as measure OF pro-
tcction from the enacting clause to the clos
Ing, paragraph.
and wool sections. Free trade meant unre-
stricted competitions unrestricted competi-
tion meant cheap goods; competition in cheap
goods meant cheap labor composition 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 if human labor was
cheaper still (applause). Free trade meant
hours and harder work to the laborer. In
this race for cheapness the republican party
did not propose to enter. Whatever might
be the cause of the present agricultural de-
preston 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, 95
per cent of the products of the farm. What
ever might be the remedy for agricultural de-
preston, one thing was true, it would not be
found in the markets of the world.
In Shis bill, said Mr.. Burrows, we have
sought to reduce the revenues to the basis of
governmental need, without impairing a
single American industry or depriving
single laboring man of the product of his toll.
Il.
stretch this bill-this putrid patient-upon
the dissecting table In some respects it was
like man, for it was fearfully and wonder
fully made, Again it was the earth ut crea-
tion-without form and all darkness There
was n general change frcm advalorem 10
specific duties. The prices of commodities
were falling 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 counties He also denounced the increase
of the duty on tin plate. The gentleman on
by the republicans in 1883. That was vic
tory when 1000 popular majority was for
the democratic candidate. This provoked
political tilt between Messrs. Alliken and
McNlillin which lasted some time.
Mr., McMillin then proceeded to an analysis
of the bill, asserting that aside from the sugar
schedule there was not n schedule in which
the duties had not been increased. Mr.. Nc
Milln predicted that when the ides of No
vember arrived there would 20 up from the
party wall of defeat.
Mr., Bayne of Pennsylvania was opposed to
any general discussion of the bill. II should
be passed speedily While this measure was
pending in congress the business interests of
the country would be in n restless, uneasy
coalition, 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 that the inference should
be drawn that the farmers of foreign countries
Were in more favorable circumstances On
the contrary, he asserted that foreign farm
ers Were in n much more deplorable condition
than the farmers of the United States In
the last ten years the farm lands of England
small in area, deprecated 81, 600 900 600 in
value, while he asserted that in the whole
American union the value of farm lands had
not deprecated l cent. He predicted that
the next census would show an increase in
the value of farms OF the country over the
value of 1889
Mr.. Flower Of New York spoke against the
bill and the committee and house took re-
cess until o'clock.
Senate.
WASHINGTON, May S.-The consideration Of
the silver bill has been postponed by the SEN