Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-22
TALK ON THE TARIFF
Rousine Meeting Of ths Lincoln
Club Last Night
WHAT PROTECTION HAS DONE
How AnsrtcAn rrnsper>ey uas nsea
Fosseroa ~ Tnrt9 lAws-Ths
Dasssss a. ths wilson niiL
WHAT PROTECTION HAS DONE

most eloquent. instructive and patrious
speeches ever delivered Ia the Lancoin
club roma 20 fair sised sadisDcs Last
night. Those who failed 10 hear him
missed IN opportunity of hearing brief
but comprshsnsivs history Of tari6 leg
islstion from the tune Of Hsmilton 70
the time OF Merrill He was roundly
applaudsd ct fsequsnt intervals. and
was chccred when he took bis sssI The
meeting last night was ons a series Of
such meetings 20 b held during the
winter. IL was called 70 order BY the
Hon. Charles w. Wstkins who In . few
stirring words placed the club members
and visitors in good humor. Gen. BY
ron n. Cutchson wss On tho program
for = speech % Alsxander Hsmiiton and
the early tariff laws. but be Was not
present and % Dwight Cos was called
upon TO handle The subject He was
totally unprspared 90 far - special
study wss concerned. bot he made =
ringing speech that showed that he had
stored away q thorough knowledge OF
tho early tariff laws Of the country. Mr..
Cob was warmly applsuded - he pro-
ceedsd.
william AIdsn smith Talks
William Alden Smith was called on
for speech on the tariff Of 1861. He
said he would NOT make = speech. but
would just give them . short talk 90 the
subject He said Alexander Hamilton
did not start out TO protect any infant
industry when he recommended tarid.
He had holder design. He wished 10
forever preserve the American market
for the American people, Mr.. Smith
followe ed the history Il tariff enactments
from Hamiiton's time down. and showed
how they had affected the prosperity Of
the country. He showed that the 70
duction Of the tariff to any extent had
been followed by misery and disaster.
while each law raising the tariff had
been followed by good times and proc
perity. lie said the Morrill, act Of 1850
was one OF the grandest acts ever passed
by legislative body. II had brought
prosperity 10 the land and had made the
twenty years following the grandest in
the history Ut the nation He declared
the Morrill, tariff act was not Q war
measure at all. a. the democrats bad
been pleased to call IT, The vast In
crease IN internal revenue vas the
source from which the money 10 carry
on the war came. He spoke Of the Nc
Kinley bill and said he praised God that
William Mckinley would be able IA face
free trade theorist In the political
in 1896 and redeem the nation
George Clapperton's Address-
Ralph Stone was absent, % his part
Of the program was dropped George
| Clapperton was called and ably dis
cussed the Wilson bill Mr.. Clapperton
made one OF the best speeches Of his
life aud was loudly applsuded
Among other things Mr.. Clapperton
said: The very prospects OF what may
be done by the democratic party has de-
stroyed confidence among practical busi-
ness men. For long. weary months the
people waited for the proposed legisla.
ton. After much travail It was born
hideous monstrosity. The manner ia
which that bill was framed is enough &c
appal the hearts Of all good citizens
The ways and means committee 10 made
up OF men who have never employed
many men. Not one OF them represents
any great industry Of the country. They
met In secret for months and il was no,
until the papers gave il to the country
that anyone knew what they were do.
ing. These men OF no experience die
| not even allow the men representing ths
great industries Of the country to offel
any advice. The tirst thing noticeable
ia the bill 10 the change from specific e
| I'D valorem duties. These respective
methods OF collecting duties have beer
tried In the great nations OF the world
and the nd valorem method has always
been condemned. Ad yalcrem duties
Z opens the way to frauds and opens wide
| the gates for theft 1t Above the for
eigner to fix the price Of goods.
ITO let In all the goods placed on the
| free list AZ reported in the Wilson bill
means that in future our army Of work
men must labor side by side With th,
! foreign workmen aud at the same wages
as the foreigner. That bill changes from
the free list to the dutiable list goods
| that we cannot produce here and II
| transfers from the dutiable list 10 thu
free list goods which We can produce e
advantage. The bill IL dishonest and
cowardly. IL 10 q sectional bill. favorins
democratic sections Of the country
Michigan had but one little nobody on
the ways and means committee and as {
result our products are placed on ths
free list
Manufactures. regardless Of politics
and laborlng men are eeooing protests
to the president and to congress, askinS
for the annihiiation OF the Wilson bill
There 10 not Iioe or clause in that bill
which will tend 10 raise up new Undue
try There 10 not . line or clause which
viii increase our export trade. The 70
suits can be summed up In two words
lees work. Its effects will fall will
| greatest force upon the poor man wh.
depends upon his labor Tor bic bread
You will remember that mafvelloul
group Of statnary 10 Art hall at Ia
worlds fair. entitled. The Struggle 10
Work Few Of you and Tea q thoa
who saw that group imagined that be
fore the walls u that White City AM
those marvellous exhibits are removed
that group would represent the condi
ton ~ our isbofine men. The on
great point 90 ,remember IL ths
these laboring men we're responsi
bic for these hard times Experience !
always q stearn teacher and fhese labor
ing men are today learning the lesson o
experience When they again have
chance b. speak they uili turn back IN
current % commerce ioto the chsnnei G
pro~perity aud hsppincss-
The next ueeting IL under the supss
vision u Charles & Sigh and viii
held January {. lsot The subject "a
Be Commercial aud Faaaneiai Panic
and Depfe~<seos