The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-10-31
the TARIFF OUTRAGE.

J, The tnrifi bill. - finally agreed upon \
~ tha conferrecs, was rushed through |
the House OF RcprcsU,tativ recently
no opportunity being given Cor rs dis-
cussion. The members Of the House
were called npo. 70 vote upon the Dill
without having had an opportunity 10
even read the conference report The
only information they had Is TO what
n contained was Obtained from the
newspapers and the current rumors on
the streets and about the Capitol The
request OF the Democrats for postpone
ment Of final action was contcmptuous-
IL ignored by Mr.. Mckinley. It's thus
that the most important legislation
legislation affecting directly the inter-
ests OF every citizen--is rushed through
under the system Of gag rules which
has been substituted by Reed. Mckinley
& Co. for the methods Of deliberation
which have been in vogue In the Ameri-
can Congress from the beginning OF the
(, Government
The various ''compromises.' so
called. made by the conference commit
tee were, with scarcely an exception.
surrcndcrs TO the trusts and com bina-
tions in whose interests the tariff bill
was framed. This is notably true as TO
the tax on binding Irvine. The Nc kim
ley bill. as originally reported, imposed
a duty OF ~ cents per pound on bind
( ing Irvine, which is used by every
farmer in the United States In the
senate some OF the Northwestern Sen
ators. under the lead Of Mr.. Davis. OF
Minnesota. made fight for free bind
ing Irvine. and with the aid Of every
Democratic Senator succeeded in hav-
ing the duty stricken out. Senator
Davis declared during the discussion
Of this clause that the tax on binding
twine would cost the farmers Of Mime
sofa alone nearly 81. 000, 600 year. He
also showed that the business Of manu-
featuring Irvine was in the hands Of
trust built up by a tariff which con-
trolled absolutely the raw material In
the places where il was grown, and
which limited its product and fixed its
prices to suit itself. Mr.. Davis said Of
the members OF this trust:
They are a. far above legislative control -
the clouds that float above the Capitol They
are In need OF no protection. They are amply
able 10 protect themselves and 10 spoliate the
world
lie showed that their profits were 20
per cent on an aggregate annual out
put Of $40, 000 900 or $4,000. 900 year.
Yet this same trust went before the
ways and means committee and de-
handed additional protection Of ia
cents per pound. saying IL this was not
granted its members would be forced
70 close their milla There Is no doubt
that this trust is one of the most OPP
pressiye upon the farmers that Is in ex-
istence Nor is there any doubt that II
binding twine had been kept on the free
list the trust would have been destroyed
and the farmers relieved Of an onerous
burden But the trust was strong
enough 70 induce the conference com
mittee TO put its product-bindinc
} twine-back on the dutiable list, thu
rate being fixed at TO Of . cent I
pound, while on other MANILA cordag'
; the rate was advanced from ~ 70 ~
, cents per pound. more than was pro
vided in either the House or Senat@
bill In the face Of this deliberate out
rage upon the farmers Of the country
committed At the instance Of coAbi
: nation which. we may safely assume
made big contribution to the Quay
! dudley corruption fund in 1855. Re
publican newspapers and politician
y will no doubt have tine unspeakable i'm
pudence to claim that the tariff bill l
!; in the interest Of the farmers OF tn
country.
: The tin plate job retains its place 4
the bill. The existing tax OF ! pc
. cent per pound Is 70 be kept on tir
plate until July next after which ID
J. ~ upon this article OF universal col
ms,ption--this raw material OF imp0
tant industries will be increased to
s-lO cents per pound. This excessiv
% tax will ruin large interests, employin
y . great number Of men and affording .
4 extensive market for farmers product
70 1t is levied purely in the interest cf
ring OF Pittsburgh capitalists who. =
y ioubt. had the fat fNed out OF them
most elegant style in 1885, The tax 9
IN manufactures OF tin-plate Is correspon'
y. ly increased The Senate provision 4
q the free importation Of tin-plate aft
1895. in case OF the failure OF .'omest
CO works TO produce one-third OF q
amount consumed, Is retained. This Is
D. piece OF rank humbug. OF course Il
tin-plate ring counts upon its ability
~ secure repeal Of this provisioa befo
4. 1896 upon condition OF liberal paymen
into the Republican campaign funds
the meantime.
The only concession 70 can discov
- which the conference committee M
- TO consumers Is In the sugar schedu
and this is not a very important on
~ The sugar trust Is to get its raw mat
rails free as provided in the original n
~ Kinley bill. Its product above numb
10 Dutch standard Is 70 be protected
duty OF u cent per pound. The coar
grades OF brown sugar between Nos.
Di' and rs will be admitted free.
The bill IS 1t stands. and Is IL has
come law bv the approval Of Benjam
- Harrison. fully merits the denunciati
- passed upon II by the late Dcmocra
State convention. 1t lays new burde
upon the farmers and wage-worke.s
the country in the interest Of trusts a
monopolies 1t increases taxes up
~ the nccessaries Of life and decrea'
~ taxes upon the Injuries II affords