Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1892-03-20
RECIPROCITY.

The Hon. Benton Mcmillan, Of
Tennessee. in discussing the Springer
bill for the reduction Of tho tariIl on
wool said:
Our opponents have made great
bousts oi the benefit they have be-
slowed OH the country by that pnr-
tion OF the tariff bill they passed
which provides for "reciprocity" with
other countries II must be borne in
mind TINT nothing oi this sort was
."uutaucd in the tariiT Till as j. passed
1he House. II WAS seen by those who
w"r" farsigbted enough 10 know tho
fleets Of the bill that it WAS deadly
i.!ow at our foreign commerce. Tho
'isiinguished gentlemnn who presid.s
over tho State Department, Mr..
llniuc, saw that il dealt with COM
Hrorce n IA cr,'ne. and that it
meant utter paralysis OF business
With foroign countriea. He Ind
urged that some EHfety valve should
ho placed III tho uverstrained boiler,
lri MS couGEeis were uuhceded in
the iious..
lIo went to the Senate; he appealed
tn ;,is pnrtIsnn- over the country; he
hurled his anathemus against the bill
from his home in Washington. from
his home in Maine, from sea shore
and ru"uu;ain top, until he .urnusrd
Ia" country 10 believe that tho etfcrta
"f the lnil were destructive. lie raised
stch II din about the ears oi those
having the measure IN cha.gr that
they called halt. In their dire ex-
tr"'nity they were puzzled what 70 do.
They dare not tado tho back track.
A Congressional election WIS on
which meant the saving or losing the
House OF Representatives.. Their
Administration wns on trial. If they
did nothing Tor the manufacturer,
tho promises OF the preceding cam.
paign wsr" broken, and the political
"irying pan" would 20 iallcsa. Itwns
determined To insert the reciprocity
clause, whirh meant free trade On u
small scale Tor the favored few.
Mr.. Chairman, vnnt tn briefly
diSrusB this measure, Il is unDcmu-
cratic, un-Rrpmblicau, un.American
To the lust degree. IL provides for the
InpusiLon o; taxes and the remission
nf taxes 10y tho President Of the United
:StuIes alone. lie uIHy. according to
this prov ision, ia his discretion md
~ often IN no sees H., impose : cents
n pound tax On sugar, 3 cents a pound
"n c"iire, H.. cents u pound on hides,
and lu cents ~ l,ound on tea. lie may
inu,use these taxes at will and remit
them ht pleasure. iio in not required
in consult either Cabinet or Congress
lilo may levy sJU,oOO,OcO without con.
Ncuinp Congress or consulting that
body IL il is in session. The Queen of
England and Empress India has no
such authority. An c1crcse of such
munnrchicHl authority on her part
backed up 10y the nobility OF England
would cost her her crown, il not her
head, and would destroy tho House or
I.rus.
| mn astoundcd that in tree ro.
public, where q right oi taxation
through choscn representatives waR
bought with blood, such thing IL
possible as the surrender oi this right
To ono man. The most sacred right
the freeman has is Ia determine the
II 4 -,
'riis sacred privilege has boon bnsely
surrendered within little moro thnn
century attcr IL was purchased 10y the
sacrifice Of the lives " ireemen. IL
such aurrendcr Ind been made fifty
years ago, the nnHthcmnB of mn on.
rnged people would have descended in
thunder tones upon tho hrn,ls OF thor
bstrnyors. And this moasurc must
stand until tho seoplc soud hors n
S,nnte and an Executive who arc
willing To gire hack To them their pre.
ruEnlIves. Even to-day the Precedent,
~ ia said, is thrcatening To exercise
this right md impoHe tuyca IL ho
does, IL Ia not unpaio tn predict that
they will TO tho lust Ito will over i'm.
pope
When tho colonies determined TO
r"h"l agninst the opprcRsons and TX.
"",lons Of the British Grown there
whe no more just complaint nor one
up"n which they laid more atreps
than that tho mother country had,
inSniion without representation.
They denounced md dnhcd King
George aud his authority and rushed
to arms in dcicnsoof thi6 sacrml right
| gee before mo Mr.. Shcrninn Iloor. n
dintipguiehcd Representative from
Massnchusette, with whom I had tho
pI"nsurc Of driving und walking over
she bntiloiicl,lg of Concord and J.cs