Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-04-12
HALE on TARIFF.
CONTINUED from lst page

ton he presented the PETITIONS of 100 men
in Arooetook county, who, without regard
10 politics, he remarked, had signed their
nsmes in protest TO an aciion which as
they say viii drive an important industry
from cur side of the line into Canada The
men Who signed this petition, said the sena-
| tor, are the farmers and the laborers who
are founding 80 many of the towns of that
hitherto fioUrishing part Of Aroostook, which
| by the bill now before The Senate, are
threatened with death blow.
| Should this bill pass, l should lot like TO
take upon myself the task of addressing the
people of Arocst5ok county in the coming
| political campaign in the interests Of the
Democratic party and in the advocacy Of its
candidates before that people.
The granite industries Of Maine and the
| interests Of the hardy fishermen from the
Maine and MASSACHUSETTS, coasts re-
ceived mention and concerniT the former
Mr.. Hale remarked
1.-THE House bill upon this article, and
the Senate committee has adopted the
House provisions, instead of duty of
II cents Per ton upon the rough stone
including granite and other stone, has put
| it upon the free list and upon hew and
10 per cent. ad yalorcm to 20 percent
ad yalor2m.
never have been able TO discover any
reason for this reduction and This blow al
this important branch of labor in Maine,
but | am sure that the stouecutters and
qusrrymen of my own state will entirely
appreciate the act and will suffer from its
| results.
i -. E -
roc irg slate have been cut doTn, as shown
by the schedule, from 30 and 90 per cent
to 20 per cent. in each case.
After the presentation Of figures intended
to show 'sthe encouragement which is given
by this bill to the introduction of Cansdian
agricultural products which compete with
like products of the United States farmer in
the entire Northern belt" the senator con-
| cluded as follows
Mr.. President, the oppression of this
bill upon the industries Of the State of
Maine is so great that neither | nor my
colleagues will allow it 10 rest with the pro-
test which l am entering here. So indie
| :ensible are these provisions that, when the
| different par agraphs are reached in the bill,
we shall present to the Senate in greater
detail the merits of these Maine industries
and the destructive nature of the provisions
which work their ruin in the bill.
1t is given to no man to predict what will
be in this body the outcome of this bill. A.
have said the anxiety and solicitude of
country with regard to it are most profound.
No tariff bill has provoked such storm of
protest and Indignation and as the days go
by and the provisions of the bill are COM
| pletely understood the voice of the country
rises higher and higher against it.
have already alluded to the public ex-
preston of this feeling, as shown in the
| elections which have taken place since
| October last. Ii needs no pr )phetic ken to
| see what measures of punishment will he
dealt to the authors and upholders of this
measure whenever they fall into the peo-
pies hands.
If a straight-out vote could be had today
| in the Senate, representing the real convic-
| tons of senators upon this bill, it would
meet its death here without further word of
debate.
Whether party pressure and the feeling
that some bill must be passed or the party
will be discredited will finally carry this bill
through | nor no man can say, but it will
be debated and discussed in every para.
graph till all its provisions are laid bare,
and no man in the country, whatever may
be his party or his employment, will be left
without full knowledge of all its defects
and enormiiies. Whatever may hap
pen, Mr.. President, should the bill
be crowded through by admins
tration and party pressure, | can't
envey the task and the fate of the senator
upon this floor, or the representative in
another chamber, who goes before the peo-
| pie and lifts in his hands before them, the
Wilson bill with the Senate amendments
and upon it puts his fate TO the touch of
that public sentiment which will mete out
to him and his course here, exact justice.
| Hale was followed by PETER who did not
| finish his speech. The bill went over AMI
| the Senate adjourned.