The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-10-08
TARIFF MADE EASY
Hon. VIM. NJ. Springer, OF Illinois,
Discusses the Subject.
FARMERS ARE BURoENED

While tho Manufacturer Resolves tts Bsseit
-Somsthing Aboat Free Sugar
IowA's Farm Mortgages
FarnsrI Remedy.
Hon. VIM. NJ Springer. congressman
from Illinois, delivered an address upon
the subject Of the tariff and its effects at
Spencer on Friday. September Is. In
substance. he said.
At no time during the past thirty years has
the demecsatieparty been in complete control
I both branches OF congress and the pfesi-
dency. During six congresses there WAS
de mocratic majority In the housc Of rcprent-
iii YES and during one congress-. In the sen
te. and during oIe presidential term Of four
ye are the president was democrat. Bus ut
no time could the democratic party enact
new legislation or repeal that which VAS old
Without the consent OF the republican senate
or president. The republican party 10, there
lore, responsible for the legislation of the
country since 1851. That some of the ltgis
lation during tails time has been wholesome,
mono deny; that much OF II las been vicious,
unjust and oppressive, many OF kssssrt and
believe.
The most important legislation during this
period Is that which relates to taxation. To
the legislation upon this subject I ASK your
attention.
Soon after the war began 1t became neces-
sary to raise q large revenue. Taxes OF all
kinds were imposed. Taxes upon Incomes,
upon occupations OF eli kinds, upon bank
checks, upon conveyances and successions,
upon domestic manufactures and productions
and Uan6a m M = Hs3eNuH fCeo iUr an
tries. Soon after tsEF war Was over
congress repealed mo- or these taxes,
especially those beaslng heavily upon
the wealthy and those most able
TO pay. The income taxes, taxes upon
bank deposits. succession taxes and stamp
duties, and all Internal taxes, except those on
liquors and tobacco. have al been repealed.
But the taxes which bear heaviest upon labor
aud the agricultural interests have been gen.
orally retained aud greatly increased from
time 10 time.
The last congress passed what 10 known ~
the Mckinley bill. when further increased
the taxes which bear heaviest upon the great
no ass OF the people. Immediately after the
passage OF tho Mckinley bill the people At
the polls administered q severe rebuke TO its
authors. In the election OF mem bers OF the
Fifty-second congress. A majority OF l5S
members were elected In Opposition to that
measure. Is friends now insist that its
provisions were not understood: that they
were misreprs Sented, and after years ex-
perience ask rehearinx and = new trial. In
Iowa, Ohio, New York and . few other
states important state elections will be held
In November next, which will turn largely
upon the merits Of the tariff legislation OF the
last congress. But the great contest upon
this question will occur in 1892. when an
other congress- and president are to be
elected, and the question OF tariff reform
must then ke fought to . finish. II il I'm
por,ant. however, that In Iowa and other
state elections this fall, there should be nc
step backward. Let the friends of tariff re
form move steadily forward, lsubordiratinp
MI other questions to this overehadowing
issue.
AGEicrLTURAL DEPRESSION.
Notwithstanding tns fact that the tariff.
lei tion of tie republican party was en-
acted, !. y claimed. largely Ia the interest OF
agriculture. 80. !" conceded that faesa has
| been grsat depression. IL shis industry The
report OF the ways aud mcsu committee on
the Mckinley bill reieire a. = great lie
preston then existing In aRFicultufal ~.
tries. and attributed II TO "a most aafl sgi ~
foreign competition In Our hume nsrAet.
s, far a. the people Of the south aad nes,
are concerned there has been no com.efitoa
| from abroad with their products, dam2sit q
| or otherwise. The great export pred let OF
\ the south 10 cotton-with that there has been
| no competition from abroad. Toe west ex-
| ports cattle. provis!Ons and breadstuffs, and
| with these there Is DO damaging foreign COM
petition, nor can there be in the very nature
| OF things. But the Mckinley bill. SO far q
| 1t relates tn agricultural products, assumes
| that such products 10 the farmers of Iowa
! and the west raise must be protected from
| foreis competition of like products In ouI
| home market. ann in orier to remtdg this
/ the bi proceeds to raise the tariffs on whe It
1 corn. pork, cattle. horses, hay and farm pro
| ducts generally. II the farmers OF this state
| and tbs west can discover In these changes
in the tariff laws any relief or nenens te
them. they arc easily satisfied OF
greatly deceived. 1t is possible tina,
some farmers may derive benefit FROM
is few compared with the great nu O.
bers of farmers in the country, and lh,
amount OF benefit il small. The very fact 0
| imposing duties on agricultural pro duet.
! o. gnt to be met with condemnation by pro
| tee tionists who desire 10 aid agriculture; FOL
! Protectionists continually assert that tn,
| plac NJ OF protective tariffs on articl,
Mckinley and his followers. when applied I,
agriculture. condemns itself. II tariffs tring
| down the price of al articles upon which the,
| operate, rs protectionists claim, why impos,
them upon agricultural products? They ar
already tao low for pr. table production.
RECIPROCITY.
II would not be lust to the authors and de
\ tenders OF the Mckinley bill to omit r. ferenc,
| to the provisions IN relation to reciprocity
| which. It 10 claimei, shave opened wide to U
1 In other lands, commercial gates Litheri,
barred to tho products OF our farms ant
| factories. These .wids gates so called ar
| In the direction, SO far. of Cuba, Porto Re,
and Brazil. The friends OF Mr.. Blaine CLAIM
that he is entitled to letters patent on thes,
new gates. In particular only 10 he entitled
| to priority of discovery in this matter. Hi
/ idea OF n ciprocity seems to be that Il 10 ONLY
| desirable when confined TO those countries
| where Spanish or POrtugr ese IL spoken, o.
| geographically speaking, 70 countries souti
| OF the United States. But most people vii
| with Spanish speaking states, 1t viii
also be dt sirabie ~ith other govern
| ments, and especially with COUNTRIES
| " oere We have, or can have large trade An.
commerce. Com nerctsl treaties have re
| Gently been concluded with Brazil aud Will
Spain. by which certain products OF thu
| United States are TO BE- admitted into Brazil
and into Cubs ard Porto Rico. ~ either re
duced rates or free Of duty. BY these treaties
| IL ia fcndly hoped We may get marxet for
4 few moro barrels OF II ,ur and few NOR,
pounds of pork. but the increased trad.
| will be very little, II any, ana the effect OF
the general commerce OF the country win no
| DC preeopuoac. lne theOry - oeAuuIul. ou
the practice will be Of little utility to thi
country. What arc tho facts? The Who'll,
| population of Cubs and Porto Rico 10 les
than 4.0uO,o6O and the great majority of tn,
| people are ex-slAves, the poorest kind o
poorly paid labor. Cuba purchased only sl2.
SOC, 900 worth OF our products In 1880. ant
| Porto Rico not one.fourth NJ much. Brazil
purchased during the same year, about Sill,
OCO.C00 worth OF the products Of the Unites
States. During the same year We purcha 50,
i from Cuba products valued at $50, 600, 900