Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-05-14
The Tariff Debate in Congress last Wednes-


Representatives. last Wednesday,. The de-
bate was opened By Mckinley who took
the floor ia support Of the Bill end said
Ia tho last political campaign tho tariff
bad been tho absorbing question before
She people. II seemed to HIM that no ex
tended discussion of this great principle was
expected or required or necessary uadeI ex-
listing conditions; for, if any one thing was
settled by the political ccntest Of 1883. il
was that the protective policy "a pronui.
gated By the republican party in It's plat
form, as maintained by the republican par
ty through long eeries ef years, should
be secured in any legislation which was to
De bad by Congress Chosen in th;s great
contest and on this mastering issue. He
interpreted tho victory " rpean, ha inter
preted the mai rity in ihis Honse to n.ean,
he Interpreted the iueunbeney Of t6a Presi
depcy Of the United States by tho present
chief executive to mean that revision Of
the tariff was demanded BY the people, ard
that that revision shGud BE along the line
and In full recognition Of the pEinoipIs and
purposes Of projections. [App!auso.]
| The people had spoken, and they asked
| this Congress to register their will and en-
| body their verdict into public law. The
|
and means OF the House was a thorough
answer to that demand. L was in full ra.
coonition CT the principle and policy OF the
protective tariff He then at length ex-
planned and defended the various provisions
of the bill, asserting, among other tbings,
| that under it the revenues Of the govern
ment would be diminshed from $50, 900, eco
| to $50, 000,000
| Mr.. Mills followed. He declared that
this was the first bill that had come before
the American people With It's mask torn of,
ike highwaymap, demanding their purses.
TApplause.l 70 check importation was TO
check expectation. Split hairs as you may,
no man could show that We might sell with
out buying. When we refused to take the
products of other nations that refusal was
an Introduction against our exports, aud as
we removed the barriers to free exchange
| We increased our trade. Protection, boiled
down. means more work and less result, and
carried cut to its conclusion it meant all
work and no result. Pig iron was the base
of all Of our iron aud steel manufactures.
In 1871 prices were rising, after a period OF
depression, and the imports Of pig iron were
increasing. From 2. 800, coo tons in 1870
the imports Of pig iron rose to 1000, 900
tons in 1878. If the republican doctrine
was true, then every ton imported displac-
ed ton of American iron. Bnt,the figures
showed that cur domestic prodnct roas from
| s., 000, 600 tons II 1870 to 119, Geo, 600 tons
10 1879. That showed conelusively that
tho democratic position was rigit-that in
creased imports increased the demand for
American labor. If the republican policy
was pursued the smoke stacks Of Ponusyl-
yapia would have to be utilized for tue
,Iu IF 10 10 uzc Of thn bpaveDS
Gentlemen On the other side Expressed
sympathy for the farmer and their zaal to
relieve ths distress which they at length &C.
knowledged surrounded the agriculturist.
| Two years ago the democrats stood on the
! loor and declared that the country was on
| the edge of dark shado1. The republi-
| cars had ridiculed this, and had SAID that
the farm mortgages we're only further evil
derce of prosperity and wealth. Laugh
ter. At length these gentlemen were
| brought to their knees at the confessional
and we're bound to admit that there was
widespread depression throughout tie agli-
cultural regions He attributed TO the ma
| ior;ty Of tbs committee one bold and auda-
cious Tnove, which meant the dsliVaranee Of
the farmers. They cried cat 'i.et tho poet
cullis fAll'' in order 80 save the cabbage
patch. They had placed 3 duty on CAB
bage, and that was to be the paaacea for all
| ills, The farmer could stand in his cabbage
patch and defy the world. Laughter.
| rhjs vas 3 cabbage. head bill. Applause ]
The republicans must do something more
| than this in order 10 fool the faymera. The
farmers understood that they needed mar
kets fer their products. This bill would
almost stop the expectation of agricultural
products, and then the republicans would
NAH
Imports sore paid FOR by exports, aud to
stop importation was to stop expectation.
Tie republicans claimed that the home
market was the best. The democratic
claim Ras thst the home and thu foreign
markets we're greater than th0 homo mar
ket. In order to increase the home market
and give employmsaf TO cur own peeols,
the farmera must ne given access to the for
eign markets, wSere they could sell their
gurplus products. Agriculture was chained
like q galley slave. when her bonds gere
repded and her products exported GO for
eign markets, the prios of her products
would be increased at home and abroad,
aud the increased price would exterd en-
ploymeus SO production in ali departments
of labor, Tbs industries of the country
had developed untii they prod iced fifteen
per cent. more than could b. consumed in
this country. Tho aurp'us vas constantly
increasing, and the question was what Con
gress was gning to do about it. TIE demo
cratic way YES to let down tho barriers and
lot the surplus GO ont 10 tho people who
wanted il. and take from other people what
they did not want and We did There was
but ona way fer shis ciuatsy 70 enter into
the contest with the world, ard that was to
''Iay aside every weight that doth beset
hern The people wanted foreign mar
ket, and they were going TO have 1t Dis
eussng the sugar bounty clause, hs SAID
that tie people VINO raised corn and wheat
and rye would ep up to TIE counter aud
say, awe viii take same sugar in ours"
TIE democrats we're opposed to subsidies.
He wanted to see tie flag Of the Unjon fioat
10 every sea. He wanted 10 see American
vessels in every pert, but he wanted to see
those vessels go into foreign ports as free
ships, representing free American iDstitu
tions. He old not want to biie anybody to
display the flag of the Uniled States any.
where in the world. He wanted TO see The
flag when it vent into the foreign seas SO
as an emblem of the proudest aud fseest
people OF the world, who, " their genius,
had conquered the seas and brought their
commerce where they pleased. The repub
licans might pass their bill, but it had
hell gate to go through after it left the
House ard Senate. [Applause-J There
was 4 whirlpool beneath the surfece Of the
waters upon which the little craft foated.
THE American people we're long suffering,
bat there was time when distress was 30
supreme that the man stood with his eyes
open was bound to step forth for his
own deliverauce. Shat time had about
come. [Appause.l He did not expect to
hinder toe republicans from passing this
bill, but rs wanted them to take the bill to
the Northwest and show it to tho people
whom they were taxing unnecessarily. He
wanted them to confront those people, and
when they had pTeaohed their sermons aud
told the people nov good the republicans
had been and how in the peoples name
they had cast out devils, the people would
say to then, t'Get thee behind me, SAtan."
TIE democrats would not impede the pass
age Of the bill, but when the republicans
appeared before the great American people,
after passing this measure, may the Lord
h ororz m their Sauis 4 DUlaUSa. I