Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-03-12
THE WOOL QUESTION.
The Democrats and Repub-
Iicans Have
DEBATE ON FRBE WOOL.
Campaign Opened in the House
Yesterday.

y
:, rday were memorials urging cou
gress to pass law 10 prevent the |
landing of criminals and pauper
inning rants; to revise the naturaliza-
tiou law, and to submit constitu-
tional amendments providing that
no state shall grant the right Of
suffrage to any persons not citizens
of the United States.
The house went into a committee
of the whole on the free wool bill,
and was addressed by Stevens, of
Massachuse it's. He believed the
pending bill would benefit alike the
manufacturers of wooden goods and
the great mass of the American
ueople who CONSUMED them. Aboli-
ZION on wool did not mean necessa-
rily a smaller demand or lower prices
for American wool. 1t meant that
both American wool and foreign
could he used TO the best advantage
for the purposes to which each was
hest adapted and they could be
mixed i'm proper proportions in all
.oits of fabrics. 1t mea mt that more
wool would be used than was used
today, because foreign wool Of less
duty would take the place of shoddy
~ d other limitations, and more
genuine wooden goods would be sold
90 American buyers; and it might
mean in the future, perhaps, also
the opening of new markets to
American manufactures. Reduced
taxes and lower prices always meant
increased consumption.
Montgomery. of Kentucky, then
t3ok lie floor in support of the
measure He made strong argu'
ment, largely made up of statistical
analysis. and devoted his attention
chiefly to the contention that Il
deprived labor of protection. By
statistics he went on to show tina
the bill gave more protection thar
the entire labor or cost of producing
goods in the United States.
Ray, of New York, chief Republi
can orator of the day, succeeded il
provoking more than usual partisan
strife, and 1t looked for time tina
his alteration with Representative
Meredith, of Virginia, might SUI
pass parliamentary hounds, Ra!
said the Democratic party on tn
tariff question was a great American
y. political crab, with ten legs, reach
3 ing in all directions Qaughter); |
3 was so weak in the joints it had no
. a single pair on which it could stan'
alone. If anything were wanting
to show that the Democratic party
as a party, were for free trade, th
j avor able report Of this bill ha'
supplied the proof. The party or.
was it wanted free raw material
and they classed wool as raw mate
rial. They absolutely ignored th
fact that eieht-tenths of the yalu
of pound of wool representeu
= human labor and skill. The Demo
: cratic party in the house did no
= know what to do with a mnj0rit,
:, secured by false pretense and stuper
dous living. 1t was the most un
manageable party ever assembled il
the capitol of any nation since tn
days of the Ere nch revolution
Political death stared more thai
half the Democratic men bers in tn
face. The political kiudergartel
from Massachusetts promised som
finance and an honest dollar. Tn
n sockless statesman from Kansa
J. promises car loads of cheap none
to every constituent flee of cost. L
the course of Rays spe, CHI, while h
was citing figures regarding tn
price of wool under the policy {
protection aud low tsritf, he wa
frequently interrupted with que:
lions by Pendleton, of West Vii
n ginla, Simpson and Others. Final
Ray stated he was not teacher /
- the Democratic kindergarten, an
would not be further interrupted b
- gentlemen who could find all til
information they wanted in propC
books; he further intimated that tn
questioners were sadly in need {
Information,
n Meredith, OF Virginia, replied this
3, although they might need Informs
T. ton regarding the tariff, they di
= did not know the courtesy the
i ought to obtain from gentlemen
t (sensationaD.
IS Ray thought he cou'd show 8
= much courtesy To members as tn
T. gentleman from West Virgini
t. show ed him in making remark {
!, that kind when he RAY had sal
u nothing to the gentleman.
"The gentleman desires you I
y understand that he stands by hi
r, remarks, here and elsewhere" r,
l. piled Meredith.
5. al am perfectly willing he shoul
stand 10y his remarks - said Ray; "
am willing he should inquire for il
formation; but when he asks me al
/ arilhhetical question which he ca
" hnd written In the pages OF thi
book (sNhibitiug the treasury state
nientl, l know it Is not done by hin
or any other gentleman in goo,
, faith.n
. "If the gentleman states ! aske'
k the question not In good faith, th
" gentleman states what Is not tue,
said Meredith,