New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-12
THE TARIFF DEBATE.
A HEARTY SPEECH AT LAST IN FAVOR OF
TIE WOOL BILL.

Mr. MONTGOMERY BELIEVES ~ IT-MR. Ray
CARRIES OFF THE HoNoRs OF THE DAY
fBY TELEGRAPH TKIBCSE.I
Washington, March 1.-The tariff debate OF lt'@
offered another unique feature for the entertainment
Of Representatives and spectators II WAS 0pchea oS
Mr.. stevens, Of Massachusetts,, member OF the way
and Means Committee and a statesman Of three months
experience, with sooquy on free WOOL "IaI tie
nature of the soiloquy may be learned only nom
the pages OF The Record" for IT was delivered IN
tone which WAS inaudble TO members who sat WITHOUT
a radius of dozen feet.
After Mr. Stevens had signifed, by taking his seat,
that the sOlliOquy AT end Mr.. Montgomery OF
Kentucky who Is also a new member on Inc ways anu
Means Committee took the floor. Judge Montgomery
Of Judge Crsp's most active ana emoieht
leuensnts in the speahership tussle and II was evil
dent from the ringing sentences with which he opened
that the first earnest, hearty speech III favor OF inc
Wool bill was about to be delivered. There was uat
in his tone and manner which betrayed something OF
the resentment aroused among The members OK the
dominanf3 Democratic faction in the House by the
speeches OF McMilin and Tum'r who apparently ala
not care to conceal their may
be a better woM-on account OF the =" tahn reform
programme laid ont by Chairman Springer, undcr the
inspiration and guidance OF German aud HILL
Judge Montgomery probably remembered too that
during the last two Congresses ne was kept III inc
background through the influence of men who now
belong 10 the minority 1hcuOIl, dAu Iclt t""p a." w
portunty had at last arrived for him to show that
he had been defluuded during four long years OF his
lust deserts. Ills speech to day the abest one,
from tariff reform" standpoint. that has been de
Ivercd on the Democratic side since the discussion
began.
Mr. Ray, of New-York who represented the Re
publican side. carried off the honOrs In today Gls-
cussion. He is not only able dcbater. but one Oh
the readiest men in the House-as several Democrats
and Mt prnocrafS interruD,ed him today
speedily and sorrowfuy discovered. They thought,
apparently, that he was making his maiden speech
in Congress. and did not know that he took credltaD"
part in the debate the Morrison bill in the NLNlIth
Congress, long before any of them became famous as
statesmen. Mr.. Rays speech to-day was not Only
powerful argument against the pending bill ana in
defence of the existing tariff faw. but 1t thoroughly
exposed the false pretences and real purposes of the
Democratic party in regard TO the silver and tariff
questions.
Mr.. Coomhs, Of Brooklyn, who was gricvou'y disap
pointed when the petitions Of some thousands OF MS
fcllow-ctzens did not persuade Speaker Crisp to ap
point him member of the Ways and Means Commit
tee. did not convince the House 10y his speech to-day
that the Speaker erred. He seemed to realize that he
was surrounded by unknown shoals and dangerous, un
seen rocks and be steepd most uncertain ana I'M
steady course for there manufactures a well as
importers warehouses in Brooklyn.
In his speech, Mr.. Montgomery devOed his chief at
tention to the contention that the bill deprived labor oi
protection and by statistics tried TO show that the bill
gave protection than the entire labor cost OF pro
ducng goods in the United states His speech In this
respect. touched largely new ground, and his r.
searches covered late statistics. The demand of the
Democratic party should be lower rates aud ereaer I've
lief TO the people than rcformers had before asked
in any attempt to revise the tariff There was now
no question involved 20 what should be done win
the duties on iron. cotton, glass or tin plate, or
~ tba tltousa ~ 9th ri
lions would be- in their turn discussed and determined
later But the plain question In the House and before
the people whether members we're willing TO re-
duce the taxation wOoen goods and clothes. Mr..
ntgomery then proceeded to discuss the proposition
that the duty OF IL 10 cents pound on wool was
necessary to protect the American wool grower. A
comparison of the prices current In the markets mt
London and in this country for the last twenty five
years. he said showed That the price OF unprotected
wool in the London market had varied less
thnn half cent from the price Of tho pro
tected wool sold In New-York, Philadelphia and Boston
But supposng that the thrift did raise the price OF
WOOL what reason there that wool growers should
be favored beyond the millions Of people engaged in
other agricultural pursuits There very little
labor cost In wool growing. lie then took up The
second proposition that the ad valorcm duties fixed by
the bill were insufficient 10 compensate the manu-
for the difference in this country and
In Europe. He said that Notwithstanding ali that had
been said about the benefits TO accrue labor from
the passage Of the Mckinley bill, he did not believe
that single industry could be pointed out in which
wages had been increased.
II this bfl rejected, and II was demand for
lower rates than the Milrs bill demanded. would
the next bill call for sti greater reduction and he
would be in hearty accord with that Just demand The
aggregate saving to the consumer, II the
wool did not decrease In price under the bill would
he 10000 on the imported goods and Sl71 .ooO-
900 Oh the home manufactured goods, aggrel-l ting
800 900 600 He believed that the bill had behind
il a public sentiment to which neither senator nor
President could be Indifferent But II it failed in the
Senate or vetoed. the party would have an Issue
about which no man of intelligence could be mi.cd or
deceived.
Mr.. Montgomery followed by Mr. BroolslIre
Of Indiana. who thought that tho whole scheme Of
reciprocity was snare and delu.ion, and fell far
short OF developing necessary markets for the surplus
Of agriculture
Mr. Ray, of NewYork. said that the Democratic
party on the tariff question the great American
political and hypocrcal crab with leg, reaching
in all directions IL weak in the joints that
II had not single pair which it cOuld stand
alone. The cry OF the party that it wanted
free raw materials. And wool was casscd by the
Democratic friends material They absolutely
Ignored the that eighttenths OF the value Of n
pound Of wool represented human labor and SKILL and
that when they imported wool free OF duty American