Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-08
Social Chatter.
CULLOM ON THE TARIFF.
Higher Wages and Less Cost Of Living
Under Protection, He Says.


Under Protection, He Says.
JOLIET, ILL, Sept. THE Chautauqua So
ciety's programme dovotes to-day and to-
morrow to political discussion of the
issues of the day by Senator Cullom of IL
linois, and Congressman Springer, Chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee of the
House of Representatives. Mr.. Cullom
made the first speech to-day in the presence
of many thousands of spectators and Mr..
Springer will respond tomorrow. In the
course of his remarks Senator Cullom said:
"At this late period, after nearly 100 years
of tariff legislation, beginning with the
founders of the republic Immediately after
the adoption of the Federal constitution,
we are for the first time told that it is un-
constitutional to so shape a tariff act as to
give protection to American manufactures
in securing the necessary revenue to carry
on the Government. The Chicago Demo
cratic platform is a direct assault on all the
industrial interests of the republic. 1t is an
attack on the prosperity of the people of the
United States. The London Netcs, in re-
ferring to the denomination of President
Harrison, said he would stand as an ex-
ponent of protection, which blocks Ameri-
can markets against British manufactures,
and that q Republican victory would retard
for long time the progress OF the sound
doctrines that underiie the commerc ial
greatness Of Great Britain, and alone NAM
tain British accendency.
"The republican party has maintained
consistent and unvarying position upon the
held at Minneapolis this year we declared
that all articles which cannot be produced
in the United States, except luxuries
should be admitted free of duty, and that
on all imports coming into competition with
the products of American labor there should
be levied duties equal to the difference be-
tween wages abroad and at home.
"Thts, FELLOW citizens, is plain, simple
nneOulVOcal declaration W hat Pc.
publican party now believes, and what it
has believed ever since its organization.
The struggle of our party has been to give
both to American labor ana American in
dustries reasonable protection against the
unequal and injurious competition of the
Industries and labor of foreign countries.
But the declaration has never been so piain-
ly made as in the platIo orm upon which the
party goes to the country this year.
"Fellow citizens. let us examine q little
as to the cost Of living, wages. etc. What
we all desire to arrive at is the exact truth
in relation to this subject. In March, 1892
the Senate passed a resolution directing the
Committee on Finance TO investigate and
report from time to time to the Senate the
effect of the tariff laws upon the prices of
manufactured articles, agricultural prod
ucts at home and abroad, and upon wages,
given in their report, Is that the cost of liv-
ing of q family in ordinary circumstances
was fortyfour hundredths Of one per cent
less at the end of the period included in the
ihfcosi5nsA oOPSOuiucr 1884, IQdn " WIS
at the beginning. And that on the 1st of
May, 1892, as compared with September /,
1891, the cost of living was al per cent
cheaper, and a- compared with the last
quarter of 1889, the cost was "a per cent
cheaper.
"By virtue OF the third section of the tariff
act of 1890, true craftsmanship in the person
of our wise and brilliant Secretary of State,
James &. Blaine, has secured to our farmers
and manufacturers largely increased for
eign markets for their products. Reciprocity
has been the means which has brought to
successful conclusion the negotiations
which have eliminated in more extended
and better markets for our wares by the
abolition Of all duties by the countries with
whom reeiprocal trade relations have been
established"