Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-18
THE TARIFF WAR.
The House Takes Vote on the
Free Wool Clause.

To Take Effect Immediately After
Passage Of the Bill.
Mr.. 0ins'ej Makes Forcib!e spssch-Day's
Doinss in Congress.
WAsnINGroS, Jan. l7.-In the House,
in committee of the whole, tie cousidera-
ton Of the Wilson bill was re umed. Outh-
waite produced statistics showirg that this
depression began in 1892, and in the fol-
lowing SIX months (iye of them previous to
the election of President Cleveland) there
had been a falling off in exports of S9l,-
900. and it was only the good luck Of the
Republicans which ensbled them t, get out
of power before the crash came. He almost
regretted that the Republicans had not re-
mlined in power so the people could see
the iniquiry of the Mckinley hill.
Burrows, [Republicsn,) of Michigan read
from statistics to show that our foreign
trade aud expectations increased under the
full operations Of the McKiolev law.
Springer. (Demrcrat. of Illinois. stated
that the balance of trade between 1850 and
1860, under low tariff, was in favor of
this country. Several Republicans were
eager to contradict this wnen Springer
went on to explain that what he meant wa
that this country bought more than it sold,
and he thought the country was so much
better off by the excess of importations.
Springer explained that goods were
the source of wealth and more
desirable than monev and that was the view
held by Great Britain. The balance of
trade had been against Great Britain, ac-
cording to the understanding Of Republican
members, by $500. 900 900 and the country
must be getting poorer every year. The
fact was well known that England was get
ting richer every year. The people of the
world we're indebted to Great B rain Sl0,-
coo 600, 900, and it took S500,000 900 a
year to pay the interest on this deb. That
was what the Republicans clsim ID the bal
ance of trade was bsing agaiIs st the coun-
try.
Hulick (Rep.) of Ohio Inquired whether
the adoption of thi. tariff law would result
in the balance of trade going against us.
No, not against thi, country; in favor
of it," reiterated Springer. "We will get
more into this country than goes out"
Wilson suggested that the discussion was
taking too wide range, AMI he asked that
all debate on the amendments be limitel to
10 n inutes.
Dingley (Rep } of Maine sal the time
was too short. A new question had arisen
concerning the balance of trade. After
further talk Wilson announced that he
would give an hour for debate, half to be
taken by each tide. Reed was given con-
troll of the time of the Republican side, and
Wilson for the Democrats.
Diogley was given IL minutes and said
the Democrats seemed 70 think every man
was consumer only, anl they ultim itely
paid for tn. ir importations in money only
but as matter of fact, they paid in labor
as well as money. That article is the
cheapest which costs the least in labor, and
were so cheap as now, on account
of the introduction of labor-ssving
devices. lie dwelt On the falling off 10
manufactures and the depression of trade
which ensued, and said that when it became
an assured fact that the Democratic party
secured the Presidency and House and Sem
ate and meant to carry out the tariff policy
which they had enuncisted in their platform
the manufacturers realizing that there
woul be large importation of foreign
goods began to curtail expenses.
Some who were about to ex.onl their
operations discontinued work on the i'm
provements orders we're redu' ed, and
pretty soon there was a stoppage of ma
chinery and social conditions gene rally
were upset. All along the line, step by
step, ipdustIi Il operations were contracted.
The industrial depression had gone on
from that day until the present,
and would continue until the manufactur-
ers know what the future had in store for
them. Contending against the assertion
that large importations benefited the coun-
try, he said that if $500, 900 900 worth of
good were brought into this country, it was
depriving American manufacturers of the
sale of that amount and stopped work to
jus. that extent. Enthusiastic Republican
sppause].
Hatch. Dem. of Mont ana said there was
not one fal mer in hundred who raised
sheep for wool. Whenever the tariff on
wool raised, American wool declined in
p,ice. Cannon, (Rep.) of Illinois asserted
that wool had been rs cheap in this country
since the first oflast June as it could be
bought in Australia. Mccall, (Rtp) of
Massachusetts, spoke in opposition Of the
free wool clause.
Cochran, (Dem.) of New York, sail:
My friend from Maine. (Dinsley,) asks
whether 1t would not be better for US to ex
port goods than gold. That brings US back
to the proposition of the gentleman from
Massachusetts, (Wslker whether it would
be good thing for the country to impoit
325 COO, 600 worth of goods
Cochran held that the importation of
$3.50, 900 600 worth of goods could not oc-
cur unless we manufactured that mach to
pay for them. If that amount of goods had
been imported it must have been because
they we're cheaper than they could be
bought here. We must have got more
goods for the $3.50 o00, 600 exoendsd than
If We manufactured $3.50 0G0, 900 worth
ourselves. If we import more goods we
must manufacture more goods to pay for
them. We want to manufacture goods ard
d,,,,a Al tv;hu,a fro-, all rho roopia of 70