The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-09
The, = OF TARIFF.
The Entire Day Congress EN-
ployed in Discussing the
Mckinley Bill.
Owing to High Tariff, Farm Prices
Have Not Increased
Since '73.
Burrows, Protectionist, Draws Lurid Inn
aginative Picture of the Consequences
of Unrestricted Free Trade.

WASHINGTON, May 8.-After reading the
journal the house went into committee of
the whole on the tariff bill. Dockery, of
Missouri, said in the last campaign the re-
would be benefited by protection; yet after
the republican victory the depression in
agriculture was greater than ever. This
depression followed great protective vic
tory. 1t was not temporary condition
the country had to deal with. Farm prices
had not recovered since the panic of 1873.
The constant tendency in the west had been
downward since that time. He then pro-
ceeded to argue it was not in the power of
any tariff to raise the price of any agricul-
tural product, unless it could be seen it was
brought into competition with a foreign
article. Instead of having to meet COM
petition on our own soil, American farmers
exported their own produce to supply the
agricultural deficit in European countries.
Morse inquired whether the farmers did
not have to compete with the farmers of
Canada. Dockery replied that the question
revealed another injustice of the tariff sys-
tenn. The western farmers had no compe-
tition. but the effect of the tariff on agri-
cultural products was detrimental to the
farmers Of the east. Eggs, with a duty of
five cents dozen, were brought from Can
ada to New York because it was cheaper to
pay duty on eggs than pay. railroad
therefore 1 the tariff gave no benefit to the
farmer of the west and taxed the eastern
farmer to the extent of the duty. Dockery
then submitted an argument in favor of
free wool and reduction of the duty on
manufactured products. In his state there
were 100000 more people than sheep, and
ho%x ho on1 ho
thized with the people. Discussing the
subject of trusts as connected with the
tariff, he denounced the dressed beef NO.
nopoly of Chicago as having plundered the
farmers of the west by unscrupulous ex-
actions. If farmer was to be relieved of
mortgage on his farm the government
must speedily reverse its policy in regard
to foreign trade. If the government would
unshackle our genius, unhamper our en-
terprise and unfetter our resources we
would soon outstrip England.
Burrows, of Michigan, said the republi-
ory, the democrats by another, and it was
this conflict of theories which prevented a
remedy being applied. In the campaign of
1888 the two theories were presented to the
American people, and after full debate
on the platform and in the press, verdict
| theory. The verdict was SO pronounced as
to wrest the presidency and popular branch
of congress from the democratic party. In
the measure the committee on ways and
means had presented, it sought to execute
the popular verdict and cryatalize it into a
ing before the people with an appeal that
they reverse their verdict. The democrat
ic party favored a tariff for revenue, the
republican party favored tariff for rev.
enue and protection, not incidental, not
accidental, but intentional. The tariff for
revenue only was step towards free trade,
and the republican party was against it.
Applause The bill was intended as a
measure of protection from the enacting
clause to the closing paragraph. Burrows
defended the tin plate, sugar and wool Sec
tions. Free trade means unrestricted COM
petition; unrestricted competition in cheap
goods meant cheap labor; competition 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 cheapness
to the rich and idle, but longer 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 depression, no one
due to policy which had created home
market capacious enough to consume lex
elusive Of cotton and tobacco) 95 per cent
of the products of the farm. Whatever
might be the remedy for agricultural de-
preston, one thing was true, it would not
be found in the markets of the world. In
this bill, said Burrows, we have sought to
reduce the revenues to the basis of govern
mental need without impairing single
American industry or depriving a single
laboring man of the product of his toll.
MCMILLAN. Of Tennessee, proposed to
upon the dissecting table. In
some respects it was like a
man, for it was fearfully and wonderfully
made. Again, it was as the earth at crea-
tion, without form and all darkness. There
was general change from advalorem to
specific duties: Prices of commodities
change prevented the consumer from get
ting 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
the other side spoke of the victory achieved
by the republicans in 1883. That was VIC
tory where one hundred Thousand popular
majority was for the democratic candidate.
This provoked n political tilt between
Milliken and McMillen, which lasted some
time. McMillen then proceeded to an an
alysis of the bill. asserting that, aside from
the sugar schedule, there was not a schedule
in which the duties had not becn increased.
McMillen predicted that when the ides of
November arrived, there would go up from
the republican party vail of defeat.
Bayne, of Pennsylvania, was opposed to
any general discussion of the bill. It should
be passed speedily. While this measure
was pedding III congress, the business in
terests of the country would be in a
restless, 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 that the inference should be drawn
that the farmers of foreign countries were
in favorable circumstances. On the con-
trary, he asserted that the foreign farmers
were in much more deplorable condition
than the farmers of the United States. In
the last ten years the farm lands Of Eng
land, small in area, deprecated 81, ,OOO, 600
in value. while, he asserted, in the whole
American Union the value of farm lands
had not deprecated one cent. He pre-
dicted that the next census would show an
increase in the value of the farms of the
country over the valued in 1880.
Flower, of New York, spoke against the
bill.
Senate Proceedings.
WASHINGTON, May SIN the senate the
consideration of the silver bill has by un-
animous consent been postponed until Aon-
day. when Il will be taken up, not to be