Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-01-13
SATURDAY, JAN. Is. 1894.
NIGH OLD TINE IN con-
GRESS.

HtQh OA0 luz A0 OOH-
GRESS.
They are having high old time
in Congress over the tariff question.
Even Tom l.. Johnson, of Cleveland
who is the real author of that part
of the Democratic platform, which
declares protection to be fraud and
unconstitutional, also millionaire,
declared, that IS a result Of their
wretched Wilson bill, they would be
certain to be swept out of power.
Strong words from Democrat.
Several strong speeches were made
and from the list we quote briefly
Mr.. Woomer, of Lebanon, and Mr.
Mahon,o Chambersburg, with whom
we have personal acquaintance and
can endorse their remarks
Mr.. Woomer, of the Lebanon
District, was the first Pennsylvania
to secure time in the debate. He was
accorded the floor last night and
made very strong argument
against the bill. He is thoroughly
conversant with the iron and steal
manufacturing interests, which are
So large in his district, and was able
to show the ruinous effect the pro-
posed measure would have upon
them. His speech was a compact,
logical argument. The benefits of
protection, the constitutionaliGy OF
the proposition and the ruinous ef.
feet of free trade or tariff reform as
outlined in the Wilson bill were
dwelt upon and firmly established
At the conclusion of his address Mr..
Woomer was surrounded by all the
Republican members and most hear.
tily congratulated on his effort"
Thaddeus NJ Mahon, of Cham
bersburg, who represents the Eigh-
teenth District, delivered carefully
prepared speech. He was listened
to closely and frequently Interrupted
by app .ause. In bis speech Mr..
Mahon reviewed tariff legislation
from the passage of the first tariff
act in the first Congress of l779 up
to the enactment of the Mckinley
bill of 1890. He controverted the
position taken by Mr.. Wilson in his
letter published in the New York
Press, December 10, 1898, that all
panics were mysterious as well as
periodical. He went on to show that
the low tariff OF 1916 produced the
panic of 1928. That the compromise
tariff of 1888 caused the panic of
1887. That the low tariff acts OF
1916 and 1851 resulted in the panic
of 1851 and bankrupted our national
treasury.
LOW TARIFF EFFECTS
From history we gathered three
great facts, first that low tariff
never brought prosperity to our in
dlstrial pursuits. But to the con-
trary a low tariff always increased
importations of pauper labor of Eu
rope; destroyed industries and threw
out of employment American wage
earners; second, we never recovered
from panics following low tariff un
til We enacted a protective tariff;
third, in every assault made on the
protective tariff system the Southern
free trade Democracy willingly or
unwillingly compelled the Northern
Democrats to stand with them IN
favor of cheap, slave and exslave
black labor. He showed that under
protection we had grown to be a
great people, and that the wages OF
the laboling classes had increased
from 10 to 30 per cent. since 1880,
and 35 per cent. since 1860; that the
tracks of the poor underpaid work
iDgman of Europe are all turned to-
ward America, the land of protec
ton ard high wages. American
workingmen never seek work in
other lands
Mr.. Mahon drew a striking pic
ture of the prosperity in this coun
try when it was decided to turn the
Republicans out OF office, and con-
trasted it with the present picture
OF panic, want and bankruptcy after
less than year of Democratic rule.