Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-12

much as 81 spent for low-priced labor
in Europe. If the American manufacturer
were given free raw material he
could pay American wages, keep the home
market and compete for the market OF the
world. 1t must be admitted that the duties
fixed in the bill were higher than necessary
to give ample protection. They were higher
by 10 per cent than was asked after the war,
when the Wool Manufacturers Association
bargained with the Wool Growers Associa-
ton to inaugurate the scheme of oppressive
duties on wool and woolen which this bill
proposed to destroy. The policy of the
Democratic party was not only to maintain
the wages and broaden the field of all labor,
but TO increase the comforts their wages,
when earned, will purchase for themselves
and their families The committee had
kept constantly in view this Democratic
doctrine, so well stated by Mr.. Cleveland In
his great tariff message to the Flftleth Con-
gress.
Statistics furnished the Speaker by Hon.
Carroll D. Wright, Commissioner OF Labor,
| showed that the cost of labor in woolen
goods in Europe differed but little from the
| cost in our own mills. He asserted, with
| out fear of contradiction, that the percent
age of protection given in the pending bill
was not only enough to cover any supposed
! difference, but was more than sufficient to
pay all the labor cost of the production OF
wooden goods in our factories.
An Attack on Reciprocity.
Mr.. Brookshire. of Indiana, followed Mr..
Montgomery. He said that Mr.. Blaine's So
called reciprocity scheme and the tax upon
raw woods were the two most eminent
fallacies by which the protective system was
sought to be maintained. He made a sum-
| mary of the agricultural exports of this
country, for the purpose of suggesting to
our farmers to what countries those exports
were destined. 1t was not the agricultural
products that the people of South America
wanted In the main they wanted manu-
featured goods. Reciprocity seemed to be
the slogan of the Republican party. In his
Judgment the whole scheme of reciprocity
was a snare and delusion, and fell far short
of developing necessary markets for the sur
plus OF agriculture. 1t was but an artful
contrivance for the perpetuation of the most
selfish, oppressive and unjust system Of tax
alton ever fastened upon a free, loyal and
self-respecting people.
Mr. Ray, of New York, said that the
Democratic party on the tariff question was
'the great American political and hypocriti-
cal crab, with ten legs reaching in all di-
rections. Laughter. 1t was so weak in
the joints that it had not single pair on
which it could stand alone. If anything
were wanting to show that the Democratic
party as a party was for free trade, the
favorable report of this bill had supplied
the proof The cry Of the party was that it
wanted free raw materials, and wool was
classed by his Democratic friends as raw
material They absolutely ignored the fact
that eight-tenths of the value of a pound of
wool represented human labor and skill,
and that when they imported wool free OF
duty, American farmers and laborers were
Thrown Out of Employment
and foreign farmers and laborers were paid
the money ours ought to receive The |
Democratic party in this House did not |
know what to do with its immense majority |
(secured by false pretenses and stupendous |
lying). 1t was the most unmanageable mob |
ever assembled in the Capitol of any nation |
since the davs of the French Revolution. |
Political death stares more than one-half of |
the Democratic members in the face. The |
political kindergarten from Massachusetts, |
promised sound finances and an honest dol |
lar; the sockless statesman from Kansas |
promised carloads of cheap money to every |
constituent, free of cost.
In the course of Mr.. Rays speech, while |
he was citing certain figures in regard to |
the price of wool under the policy of pro-
lection and of low tariff, he was frequently |
L
ton, of West Virginia, Congressman Simp- |
son and others. Finally, Mr. Ray stated |
that he was not a teacher in Democratic |
kindergarten, and would not be further in |
terrupted by gentlemen who could find all |
the information they wanted in the proper |
books. He further intimated that his in
terlocutors were sadly in need of informa-
tion. To this Mr. Meredith, of Virginia,
replied that although they might need in
formation in regard to the tariff, they did
know the courtesy that ought TO obtain be-
tween gentlemen. [Sensation.
Sarcasm Thick and Fast.
Mr.. Ray thought he could show as much
courtesy to members of the House as the
gentleman from Virginia showed to him
when he made remark of that kind, when
he (N1r. Ray) said nothing to the gentle
man.
"The gentleman desires you to under
stand that he stands by his remarks-here
or elsewhere" was Mr.. Meredith's reply.
81 am perfectly willing that he should
stand by his remarks" said Mr.. Ray, with
dignity 81 am willing he should inquire
for information: but when he asks me
arithmetic questions which he can find an
swered in the pages of this book exhibiting
a Treasury statement), 1 know that it is not
done by the gentleman or any other gentle
man IN gooQ 1alth.
''If the gentleman states that I ask uues-
tions not in good faith, the gentleman
states what is not true said Mr.. Meredith,
firmly.
The gentleman will not make me very
angry by intimating that 1 lie,' said MI.
Ray, laughingly.
81 have held too manv combats with the
Democratic party and the individual mem
bers thereof to be easily frightened. / was
not brought up in the woods to be scared by
an OWL" Great laughter
'fThat is an old CHESTNUT" was the only
response Mr.. Meredith deigned to make.
Nh. Coombs, of New York, spoke for free
wool, after which the committee rose and
the House took recess until s o'clock, the
evening session to be for the consideration
Of private pension bills
Work of the Senatorial Branch
Among the bills introduced in the Senate
today, and referred to committees, was one
by Mr.. Stewart, proposing constitutional
amendment that after 1897 no person who |
has held the Office of President shall be
eligible TO that Office within four years after
the expiration of his term of Office. Mr..
Stewart said he had been considering what
committee should properly have jurisdic-
ton of the subject, and that he had come to |
The conclusion that it ought to be referred
to the Committee on Civil Service Reform
and Retrenchment He thought an extern
sion of the Presidential term was objection
able because that would make the stake too
great and might some time lead to reyolu-
lion. The great advantage of the amend
nent would be the removal of all tempta-
ton on the part of the President to use the
appointing power for reelection. The
oi,,+, 1p4, 40 4bo \