The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-18
A STRONG DEBATE.

TIT Congressional Record for Monday
last brings us the belated report of an
interesting and instructive discussion that
took place in the House OF Representatives
on that day, in which Mr.. Tom. Reed was
the principal speaker on the Republican
sid and Mr.. Bourke Cochran on the
Democratic side. In the course Of his
remarks Mr.. Reed said:
Now let us come for a moment to this
question OF wages. The gentleman says
that 1t depends upon supply and demand.
] say that Is an utterly exploded doctrine.
Wages depend upon the amount of the
market. and also upon the nature of the
w-orkingman himself. l anticipate what
the gentleman is going to say in response
20 the suggestions of other gentlemen on
his side. that what they need Is a more
extensive market; that what they need is
20 20 forth to the rest OF the universe and
obtain q market; and the method they
propose IL 10 obtain "a market somewhere
else by giving up the market that we
have here. But we on our side believe in
charging the market in a different fash
Ion. we do not mean to go to the ends
Of the earth and struggle with the cheaper
labor of the whole world. What we mean
TO do Is 10 elevate the market of this
country by giving higher wages 10 the
laborers. and thereby constituting o. mar
ket az broad as our production
II must be admitted that Mr.. Reed has
here stated both the Democratic and the
Republican theory of tariff very fully and
very frankly. Nor Is it easy to deny that
his statement of the Republican view of
the case Is an argument Of the sort that
a nan uses when he makes himself be-
iieve he can hold himself out Of a third
story window by his own coat tails, or lift
himself up from thes ground by his own
boot straps.
Mr.. Reed frankly admits that New
England manufacturers do not intend ito
give up the market they have here" But
how 10 they secure that market here =?
IL all Americans were permitted to buy
hats and coats and shoes and carpets.
etc. where they pleased. most Of those
articles would be imported from abroad.
because they can be bought cheaper there
than they can be bought In New England
hut Mr.. Reed puts a tariff tax on those
articles when imported that shuts them
out. In this way he forces all other
Americans to buy those articles from New
Engianders, and forces them thereby to
pay much more for them than they ought
10 pay. This is frst-rate for the New
Engianders. but it is very hard or
all other Americans. Mr.. Reed ~justiles
this pillage OF all other Americans by
saying II is necessary for the proper sup
port OF labor. meaning thereby New
England skilled labor only. since he
imposes his tax on all other labor equally
az on ali other Americans.
Mr.. Cochran made this answer to that
pea:
Now. the theory of the Democratic
party on this economic question IS that
when by legislation ysu make production
expensive you limit its amount. and l do
not think any gentleman on this floor
has disputed that II you limit the amour,
Of production YOU limit the opportunity
of'labor 70 ind employment. The gentle.
man from Maine (Mr. Reed has said with
perfect truth that there IL no such thins
~ charity In agree with
him. The contest Of m - the con.
tAot fos c~heapness. In m the sur
53vi - the nttest IL the domination Of