The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-10

enacted into law, prove disastrous to
the interests involved, and in SO fas as
tails to redeem the party pledges. 1t is
either q confession of error or an exhi-
bition Of cowardice. @
The bill is free donation to foreign-
ers, at a time, too, when the treasury OF
the United States is in pressing need OF
increased resources. There is not in it
even suggestion OF reciprocity by
which some concessions might be Sc
cured for our surplus products in the
markets of the nations thus favored
with free entrance into our own. 1t is
a bold free trade gifr-the price paid Tor
a Democratic theory. Such q propos-
ition would at any time arrest public
attention, but to be made in the pres
ence OF a depleted treasury, and with
its secretary asking to be clothed with
power to issue bonds on which he may
borrow money to meet the current ex-
penses of the government, IS Propos-
ition SO startling as to challenge the
creduliry of mankind. There is only
one explanation possible, and that is
found In the exclamation of an English
statesmen: "It is free trade gone mad.
The present free list ought to be
sufficient to satisfy the demands OF the
most advanced free trader.
Mr.. Burrows next turned his atten-
ton to individual items OF the bill. As
to free iron ore and free wool he said:
"This will inevitably result in one of
two things-the destruction of our
focks and ths closing of our mines, or
the lowering OF our conditions to the
level of our foreign competitors. AL
ready the suggestion of free trade in
iron ore has closed our mines, forced
our miners out of employment and
driven people never before dependent
upon public charity to beggary and
want. The good people of my state, in
every town and hamlet, are already con-
tributing to their necessities. We of
the minority intend to resist to the
last this wanton destruction OF Amer
lean interests.
| BLIND soUTHERNERs.
'And, in this connection, I cannot
refrain from expressing my amazement
that you OF the south are SO blind to
your own interests rs to cringe beneath
| the party lash and give this measure
| your support. Let me implore you to
| turn your backs on the dead past and
abreast with tho spirit of the age by
laying hold of the mighty possibilities
within your grasp, and SO aid IN secur-
| ing the highest prosperity of your peo-
| pie and the industrial advancement OF
our common country.
! Starving families, clutching for the
last morsel OF food, cannot be lulled,
| into forgetfulness OF present misery by
| the announcement of lower ad valorem
on the necessities of life. Tramping the
streets, out OF employment, receiving
aims, lower ad valorem will not heal
the wounded pride Of the brave men
wh hosneyerl before4Mare.d re.dependent4upnn4
public charity. The laboring people Of
this country ask not lower ad yalorem,
but work. They prefer high ad valorem,
constant employment and abundant,
wages to low ,ad vaiorem and idleness."
After showing the great growth of the
country in recent years, MIR. Burrows
| concluded as follows:
..Yet in the face of this magnificent
triumph it le now proposed to call a
halt in the industrial march and turn
tho coldmn backward over the deserted
and disastrous pathway leading to free
trade. Ihe command has already been
given, and CONSERVATION has taken
possession of all our people. The rec-y
ord of this single years disasters stands
without parallelin the history of our
| country.
"Itis no longer an experiment., it has
become a public crime. You have it
within your power to Instantly relieve
this appalling situation. You have
only to substitute for the pending meas
uro u jOlnG tTCSOlutlOI VI
your purpose to maintain the existing
law in full force and effect during the
continuance of this administration,
and business activity would Immediate
ly take the place of business depression.
! It would arrest the slaughter of our
focks, open our mines, re-light the fires
of our furnaces, unchain the wheels OF
our industries, start every spindle and
loom, while whistles and factory bells
II fIa Of JT1Cr
ions back from enforced idleness to
profitable employment and the Ameri-F
can republic would leap with q bound
to its accustomed place in the van OF in
dustrial nations"
REPUBLICANS MUSTN'T APPLAUD.
Mr.. Burrows spoke for almost three
hours. At the conclusion of his speech
there was a great outburst OF Republi
can applause, SO long continued as to
call forth rebuke from the chair.
After order had been restored General
j. G. Black, OF Illinois, ex-commissioner
of pensions, took place.
He referred toE Mr.. Burrows picture
OF dire disaster in this country and said
tho suffering depicted by him existed
after thirty years of laws written by his
own party. Not a law has been placed
on the statute books by the Democratic
l. pdTEv. SluCC alOOU.
responsibility for the laws came only
with this Congress. Before We took
charge the present condition of affairs
had begun: II this condition is due to
existing law you can not say we did it.
So far as the law is responsible for the
present conditions it is the law of the.
high protective tariff.
Mr.. Hopkins (Rep., Illinois) con-
cluded the afternoon debate. He said
that the bill which has been reported
| by the ways and means committee is.
certainly an anomaly in congressional
| Legislation. It neither comes up to the
bold and defiant declaration of their.
party platform nor meets the approval
of expectations OF the more conserva-i
! tive element OF their party. AS rev..
enue measure it is confessed failure.
He then proceeded to make a long re-
view OF the history OF tariff legislation
1 in this country. ga 6z5s5