The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-10
TARIFFTALKU UNDERWAY
M'AnLLIN OPENS TIE FREE WOOL
BILL DEBATE.

The False Pretenses OF the High
Tariff Republicans Pointed Out-The
Recent ReVolts at the Polls a Sufa-
cient Indication Of the Feeling Of
the People on the Subject-Dingley
Replies for the Republicans.
WASHINGTON. March Elm past years
the day for opening the debate upon the tariff
bill has been a red letter day in the House
almost all the members have been iD attend
ance and the galleries have been thronged
with spectators. But the rule met with its
exception this morning. When the speaker
called the House 60 order at noon there were
nos more than $50 members present and the
galleries did not contain more than the usual
audience. On motion OF Mr.. McMillln Of
Tennessee, the House went into committee Of
the whole upon the revenue bills, Mr. Blount
Of Georgia being designated as presiding
officer. Mr.. McMillin addressed the House.
When Mr.. McMillin rose to make the
opening speech on the free wool bill, bis
voice was very husky, but Immediately the
customary hum of conversation was hushed
and his remarks listened to with great at
tention. In the course of his speech Mr.
NcMillin was interrupted by Mr.. RaiDes Of
New York with suggestion
that 1.-THE results Of the state
elections in New York had not been of a
character 70 encourage the Democratic
party. Mr.. MoMillin had on Monday last
referred to the triumphant march Of truth.
That march was emphasized by
Maine Mr.. Reed no longer occupied
the chair, but was RELOCATED to the floor
where he could do nothing but curse and
cry. Laughter. The city of the gentle
man from Maine (Portland), had gone demo-
cratic the other dag.
Mr.. Reed, who was in the cloak room
when his name was mentioned, strolled
down one Of the aisles, and as he did so.
drawled out the apology that be had not
been present because he knew that the
gentleman from Tennessee was speaking.
[Laughter.]
Mr.. McMillin replied that be cared not
what the geDtleman's reason was for being
absent.
PROBABILITY OF THE LAST CONGRESS-.
The last congress imposed the highest
tariff taxes ever levied in this country. 1t
also made the most extravaganza appropria-
tions ever made here in time OF peace.
This congress was sent here to correct both
evils. The expenditures in the two years
for which the last congress appropriated,
besides deficiencies, aggregated 81 ,O09 ,000,-
900, $40 per family annually. or more than
$500, 100000 each year. about one-third of
all the money in existence in the United
States. When we take from our currency
S100,000,000 Of GOLD held for redemp-
tion purposes in the treasury, the reserves
required in the national banks
and the different reserves held
from the circulation in other
ways, we find that these expenditures reached
annually nearly one-half of all the money
in actual circulation. Can there be perma-
,w-fkr ywrEg Ia hale
third, of all the money has to go through
the hands of the federal tax gatherer every
year, besides the taxes for state, county and
municipallpurposesl
THE REMEDY.
There is a remedy. Impose less taxes and
spend less money. That is what this con-
gress means to do. Mr.. Chairman, the tar
iff law has now been in operation for one
year and five months Where are the bene-
fetal effects that were 90 flow from it,
Where is that magnificent price the
farmer and wool grower was TO realize
from it, Where are the increased wages
the laboring man was TO getl / see before
me many men who voted for that mon
strous measure. If the facts were with
them they would proclaim them TO the
world. / defy contradiction when l say the
farmer has realized from TO cents less
on the pound from his wool than he did be-
fore, and challenge any representative here
10 point out single line Of manufactures in
which the laborer's wages have been
increased by that law. The laborer
has been forced TO pay more for
the roof that shelters him. for the hat that
covers his head and the woolens that cover
his back. He has had to pay more for the
linen he wears, and the hammer and hoe
with which he works; yet his wages have
not gone up l cent. What benefit has in
creased protection been to hima 1t was
passed under the pretense OF a desire 10
benefit him, yet whilst his wages stand still
or 60 down what he, his wife and children
consume has been increased In price
unconscionably. Ask any republican
In the committee on ways and means to
point out single laborer whose wages have
been increased by that law. II it dimin-
ishes the revenue received by the govern
ment, If it does not increase the value of
raw material to the farmer, il it does not
increase the wages of the laborer, If 10
fosters trusts, if it makes pooling profitable
sn heavens name let us not further legalize
the robbery, but try some better method.
Hearings were had by the ways and means
committee on the Mckinley bill Some
Farmers and representatives OF agricultural
associations came before the committee.
Without a single exception, so far as now
remember. they testified that the value of
their farms had gone down within the last
six years all the way from IS to so per
cent.
THE TARIFF OF 1897.
The duty on wool was In 1867 placed at
ii cents per pound on unwashed wool This
was by an agreement entered into between
the National Association of Wool Manufac-
turers and the Association of Wool Grow
ers, and they dictated terms to congress. II
was claimed that this would foster the sheen
industry and increase the value of wool to
the farmer. What were the results? In
1858, the year after the enactment of the
law raising the duty on WOOL there were
1855, 900 sheep in the United States east of
the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. In 1891
there were only Is, 467, 900 sheen
In the same territory, a reduction of
more than one-half in TWENTY
four years when the high tariff on wool had
been IN force-this, in the face of the fact
that the population in these states has vastly
increased. IL the increase of sheep had kept
pace with the increase OF population there
would have been probably $4,000 GOO The
price Of wool at this time is about one-half
what 1t was at the time of the passage of
the act Of March 2. 1867 The whole matter
may be summed up In the fact that of
twenty-five years of experiment with high
rates OF duty on wool, the result has been a
reduction of one-half in the number of sheen
IN the states east of the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers. and reduction Of about
one-helt In the price of the wool
NOT ENCOURAGING TO THE MANUFACTURERS
Nor have the results been encouraging to
the wool manufacturers They have been
restricted as to the quality Of the wool they