Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-07
PLUMB PROTESTS.
The Kansas Senator Takes De-
cided Stand.
EICH TARIFF PROTECTION DENOUNCED
The Senator Votes With the Democrats
For Reduced Duties-His Grounds
For Doing so-Paddoek
Also Breaks.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-The Senate
yesterday after transacting minor busi-
ncsA proceeded TO the consideration Of
the Tariff bill, resuming 1t at paragraph
90, page ITO, under the head of Lead
Producta" The articles ntharge and
nitrate OF lead were allowed to pass
without comment but to the third
article, ''orange mineral 81 cents per
pound" Mr. Vance offered an amend
ment reducing the rate to 21z cents.
Inen Mr. Plumb took prominent and
remarkable part in the discussion, in
Weighing against the exorbitant de-
msnds of the high protectionists He
produced letter from mercha ant doing
business in St Joseph, Mo-, and Atchi-
son, Kan, stating that on an invoice of
crockery he had paid that day customs
duty OF S16 40 and that under the pend
ing bill the duty on the same invoice
would be S31.32 and under the McKin-
ley bill $50. IL. The whole tendency of
civiliza ton, Mr.. Plumb said, was toward
the reduction of prices of all products
OF human labor. To claim that the
tariff had been the sole or the main
factor in the reduction of the prices
Of manufactured goods was to
ignore all the forces of civiliza-
Hon- The American people were
entitled to have cheap goods, if
competition could bring that about
When, he asked. was the time coming
when the people of the United States
would get some benefit from the estab-
ltshment of home industries? But Just
as fast as the point was arrived at when
lower prices might be expected the
manufacturers went to Congress and
said that they wanted more duties,
whereby the downward progress Of
prices might be arrested. The people
OF the United States ought to have
their Inning" some time and he thought
that time had come. He had no idea
that what he might say was going to
affect the vote of the Senate. He could
conceive and he could see that the CO.
horts Of protection were so organized
thst the bill was to go through sub
stsntiauy as it came from the Finance
Committee. The manufacturers had
had from Congress precisely what
they asked and yet SO far from
being satisfied, bill for their benefit
was TO be put through without debate
(f that could be brought about on the
theory that the country was hungering
and thirsting for more tariff legislation.
BE believed in distributing the duties
thet were necessary for the purpose of
raising revenue for The support Of the
Government in such a way as to equal
iEe the conditions existing between the
manufacturers of this country and
those abroad. If he were in doubt he
would resolve that doubt in favor of the
American manufacturers, butn he knew
what the exact conditions were he would
put the, home and the foreign manu-
facturef on the same footing precisely.
He should be recreant to his duty If he
gave his support to such proposition
Gs the chinaware schedule.
The Senate, Mr.. Plumb continued.
owed some duty to the American people
as well as to the manufacturers. Their,
was 6 point where political sympatb,Ies
ended, and where business interesrs be-
gan. The Democratic party had Is full
share Of responsibility for the IL ,iouities
of the present tariff law ami of that
which was now proposed. The Dem
Ocrsts in the House had ths, opportunity
Of correcting the errors 9ld wickedness
Of the Mckinley bill, but thev had
sought to evade the responsibility of
their votes, when by joining with the
Republicans who we're opposed to that
bill they might have eliminated mauy
of Its errors. He could see the game Of
battledore and Snuttlecock between free
trade and protection constantly going
on for POLITICAL advantage on the one
side and for the personal advantage on
the other, and between the two ex-
tfemes the great body of the American
people were being crushed and ground.
he would apply the rule Il at whoever
demanded 9 tax for his own benefit
should be ready to show conclusively
that bis interest was also the public in
tsHesA The demonstration should be
made that every single penny of tax
proposed was absolutely b necessary.
Mr.. Sherman replied to Mr.. Plumb.
He eonearred with that Senator in the
statement that no proposition made to
tax the people shoBld Unsupported un-
hess there was good ground for it either
for the collection of revenue or for some
purpose Of public policy, as protection
20 American industry. He went on TO
speak of the growth of the
crockery industry in the United
States, and safd that such industry
was not to be ignored and not
20 be refused any reasonable demand.
1t never could have been established
in this country without protection.
Strange as it may appear, it was a fact
that prices of chiuaware were less now
than the duties levied on them ten
years ago
Mr. Vest modified his amendment by
making the two rates on decorated
china and plain china so and 40 per
cent respectively, and then the bill
went over and the Senate adjourned.
Veterans Run Over.
: LEAvENwoRTH Kan, Ang. 2-Last