Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-05-05

become appreciated ana tnc efeztef
grows lie popularity with the people
1t Is an admirable measure and the re
port accompanying IL Ia one Of the
ablest tariff documents ever submitted
to Congress. Ii shocid be 10 every
home IN the country. The Mckinley
bill IL measure that will inspire eom-
mercial confidence and give grand i'm
pulse 70 American industry. In his
massage TO Congress President Harmon
called attention to the need Of q new
schedule Of customs duties, and ex
pressed the opinion that all necessary
reduction in our public revenue could be
made without sacrificing the principal
Of protection a. applied TO the products
~ our farms a. well a. Of our shops.
The task thus outlined, Major Mckinley
and his associates upon the Ways and
Means committee, have grandly accom-
piished. After months Of careful
and Investigation they have re
ported 10 Congress bill which provides
for a reduction 10 the revenue from
imports to the extent OF eeD, 1886 536
and from the internal revenue $40,
SCI .87s-a grand total Of b7l,2g.,
4ll. This vast sum il made, too,
Without sacrificing In any way the
great principle Of protection. As the
committee very clearly sets forth in its
repor, the chief aim Of It's work was to
fix the daties upon that class Of manu-
fastured goods and f1bm products
which can be supplied at home, thu
building up In the country. thriving In
dastries that will give employment to
our labor and secure 10 all our citizens
the advantages Of the Home market
rhe committee acted In the firm
belief that under wise system OF
protection competition among home
producers would contii to "secure
reasonable prices To consumers in the
future a. il has invariably done 10 the
past" The bill Is planned to encourage
.till greater diversity Of American
industry thereby increasing the OPP
ptrtunities Of labor and vastly en-
iargiDg the home market. 1t Is
recognized that with free trade between
the States Of the Union-an empire Of
empires--extending over more than
twenty-fo degrees of latitude and
blessed with a marvellous diversity Of
production-the United States has no
occasion Whatever to open up its mag
nificent market-the best In the world
TO the produce r OF other countries.
There Is absolutely no reason why IL
should subject its workers to a ruinous
competition With the poorly paid labor
Of other lands. The committee states n
cogent form, great truth when it says
In it's report "cheaper products from
abroad to the American consumers means
cheaper labor at home and lower rewards
to the domestic producer with no perma-
ncnt benefits to the consumer" Never
was great economic truth more con
ciseiy stated. Because it is a truth it
will come home to the hearts and win
approval Of the American people.
President Harrison well said in his
message that American citizens could
not limit the effects o custom duties by
fixing their eyes on the treasury alone.
They have direct relation to home
production, to work, to wages, and to
the commercial independence OF our
country and the wise legislator should
enlarge the field of his vision to include
NIL of these" 1t is fortunate for the
people of this country that the majority
of the members Of the Ways and Means
committee, are men who take just this
broad. statesemanlike view of things.
They have at heart the highest pros
perity of the country and the great
est welfare OF its citizens. They have
recognized the fact that when the
policy OF protection was inaugurated the
country could scarcely he said to have
had any manufacturing industries at all
Foreign goods flooded the country and
foreign workmeu and foreign manufac-
turers enjoyed monopoly of the Amer
lean market and were enabled to com
mand extortionate prices for their goods.
Under the beneficent workings of wise
protective tariff all this has changed.
To-day the great bulk of all the manu-.
featured goods used by the American
people are made at home by home
workmen. Under the stimulus of
the industrial activity thus brought
about the country has prospered be
yond any nation on the face of the
globe. The most progressive and pros
psrious nations have always been those
in which existed the greatest possib lie
diversity of industry. Where this con-
itions of industrial activity prevails all
workers find employment, the home
maj ket is broadened, and the resources
Of nature everywhere developed.
Not only has protective tariff been
Of inestimable advantage to the pro-
ducers of this country. but it has also
been of advantage to the consumers.
Through the competition az home,
that has come about under 1t, here is
scarcely 2 manufactured article in the
whole country that has not been vastly
cheapened to the consumer.
The Mckinley tariff bill makes most
substantial reduction in the revenues and
does it, AS We have pointed out, in such
manner "a not to sacrifice any Ameri
can industry. 1t was a gigantic task
grandly performed. The bill will surely
be passed aud, under its wise provisions
the country will enter upon a new era of
growth and prosperity.
The attempt of Senator Dolph's COM
mittee to discipline the newspaper cor
respondents for revealing the secrets of
the executive sessions of the Senate. had
an ending which makes the journalists
laugh in their sleeves Tho Sapata rn