The Washington times., 1894-04-20
GOLDEN STATE AGAINST IT
Senator Perkins Voices Her Protests
Against the Proposed Tariff Bill.
IT WILL RUIN INDUSTRIES
Criticism Of Administration Tariff Reform
Policy for Decrease in Amount Of Money
Circulated in Trade, Manufacture, and
Wages Of Sl2, 900, ,OOO, 900 Year.

Senator Perkins, OF California. opened his
speech yesterday with a general statement
describing the business and financial con-
ditions of the country, saying that he pre-
ferred to consider and discuss the question
as business rather than a political matter,
saying:
The question of expense and revenue is a
very simple one that comes home to each mem-
ber of every community, and the same rule ap-
plies TO us as individuals, and must govern us
collectively, whether organized into a munich
pality, a state, n nation. 1t requires in round
numbers say $500 100000 per annum to properly
carry on this government This large sum Of
money must be obtained either by direct
or indirect taxation. 1t must all como
from our own people and from those
who do business with us from other countries,
selling us the products that come from their
soil or that which Is manufactured by the skill or
labor Of foreign workmen- Our people pay
their taxes for the support of municipal, county,
state, and national government, and, in
addition thereto, they must pay special license
for conducting the business in which they are
engaged.
Why, then, should we permit foreign nations to
bring their products here TO compete with our
industries, giving them eq, ii II not better ad-
yantages than our own people
IL Iho DceH INC pan loE pust tuiItg ycdts
of wise American statesmanship to raise about
one-half OF the expense OF the government by
placing an import duty upon the products Of
other lands that come into this county for con-
sumption or use of our people, and to so adjust
these duties that they Will best protect and los
ter American industries, and thereby dignity and
protect American labor against the cheap, SER
vile and contract labor of foreign lands That
this is the correct principle is evidenced from
the fact that during this time our industrial in
terests have been stimulated and our people
rnVtC .apf faha a h.ya
The bill before us for consideration, designated
tariff for revenue proposes 10 take from the
import duties s15,0O0OO0, which is simply a
license the producer pays for the privilege Of
entering into our home market with their mer-
chandse on equal terms, and impose this addi-
tional burden upon our own people in the form
of an increased excise duty and an income tax
upon the gain or profit made by their diligence,
industry, and enterprise.
We have been accustomed to hear much
about a tariff for revenue without discrimina-
tion as the only constitutional tariff and a tariff
for revenue with discrimination, and upon these
distinctions the American people divided into
parties In the early part OF the century. These
propositions were well defined in the platform
OF the two political parties in the last general
campaign, and these were expected to be dis
cussed in this Congress But we have wandered
far away from our course. The Democratic
party has fallen from its high estate,
abandoned its principles utterly, and instead
OF making open and bold war upon its ancient
doctrines and adopted platform enters beneath
tho Republican platform, attacks the Republi-
can tariff measure, which il declared unconsti-
tctional and robbery, and tearing IL down, at
tempts TO build up on the same principles
weaker structure from the same materials. We
are thus brought to this strange contest with no
great fundamental principle 20 investigate, but
to contrast es a measure of polity the legitimate
with the ilestilmate, the complete with the in
complete. the strong and carefully completed
with that made Of the madly gathered and
weakened Fragments
He then took up and discussed the gues-
ton in detail and al some length as to the
various California interests, borax, quick
silver, beet sugar, sulphur. salt, fruits. nuts,
wine. wool, and coal as affected by the bill
claiming for them all the protection given
under the present laws. Referring to the
labor problem. he said:
We are indeed confronted with the strange
problem OF an overcrowded people, a problem
which the fathers Of the republic never
dreamed would come soon. To this may be
added the marvellous devices of invention in the
direction Ct labor-saving machinery. Men were
never so cheap nor muscle so superfious in the
work OF the world as now The star Of empire
has moved westward until the tide OF population
has met the confines of the Pacific We find un-
employed men everywhere Mines and factories
closed and thousands marching toward this city,
and everywhere enforced idleness and suffering
Ii WAS not so in the early history Of the repub-
lie. II was not so before the attempt to depre-
ciate the intrinsic value of one-haf our circulat-
ing medium. And indeed 1t was not so before
the threatened blight of free trade fell upon the
country
The present administration assumed the con-
troll of the country the 18th of March, 1893. Dur
ing the seven months following, shown by
Bradstreet the falling of in the business of the
clearing house amounted TO the vast sum of
nearly s5,O00O00,0nD. and 1t has kept up at that
fearful rate ever since This stupendous deficit
represents the countrys value Of trade. Twelve
billion dollars less money circulated in the ordi-
nary channels of trade and commerce, in wages,
in the manufacture of goods, in the employment
of labor and all this under the tariff reform or
free trade policy of the present administration
in the brief period of twelve months. Indeed,
the nation stands appalled, before the peril that
threatens
OF the income tax can but say that it appears
in the bill before one of the most insidious
and deceitful ever expressed in multitude of
words
The condition of affairs in this country is
vastly different from what IL was a quarter of
century or more ago. The discontented and un-
increasing, have no longer new and virgin terri
tory TO occupy when they become dissatisfied
with the older communities The time has come
when in the order of things must have n
fixed national policy upon all questions affecting
the stability of the government. The shifting,
iuctuating policy of the managers of the party
of free trade in seeking to force its views upon
the country. whether the people indorse them or
not, is striking illustration of its unfitness to
manage national affairs, and can but result in
disaster 10 the party that attempts IL. We can
endure less foolishness than formerly The peo-
pie can stand less nonsense in the shape of un-
wise laws than when there was less suffering
and idleness among them.