Evening star., 1894-04-05
TALKING ON TARIFF
Senators Allison and Mills Have Extremely
Divergent Views.
Ioyva's Senator Finishes His Speech
Enslands Attitude Alarms Him
Evidence From Mr.. Blatne's Book.

Senator Allison yesterday finished his
speech against the tariff bill. He began
thus: Here we have dissertation from the
majority Of the finance committee on the
beauty and loveliness of ad valorem duties;
and yet when we come to the great indus
tries of iron and steel, coal and iron ore,
we find that this ad valorem system is
blown to the winds and we have specific
duties. And I may say, without fear of
successful contradiction, that these specific
duties on these articles are in the bill be-
cause the people who produce them in the
United States know (as the finance commit
tee must have been concerned) that ad
valorem rates would be no measure Of pro-
lection and encouragement to them"
He read from Mr.. Blaine's Thirty Years in
Congress to refute Mr.. Voorhees, quotation
from the same text. Mr. VOORHEES,, in his
recent speech, had declared that the country
had enjoyed unusual prosperity under the
Walker tariff act, but Mr.. Allison declared
that that prosperity. as was well known,
had ended in 1867. and from that time for
ward there was deep and widespread dis
tress. He quoted from the message OF Pres
ident Buchanan to Congress, in 1888, in
which it was said that our manufactures
were suspended, our private enterprises of
different kinds were abandoned and thous-
ands of men were thrown out of employ
ment and were in want
Mr.. Mcpherson inquired whether the Sen
ator from Iowa was to be understood as
maintaining that the very small reduction
made In the tariff from 1S46 to 1857 had the
effect of throwing the country into eco
nomic and commercial distress.
My observations were intended to show
replied Mr.. Allison, that the prosperity
which followed the tariff act of 1916 was due
to outside and extraneous circumstances, as
50 well stated by Mr.. Blaine and that these
eXtrtnStC Influences having han al
selves In 1857, the Walker tariff act pro-
duced the distress mentioned by Mr.Buchan-
an In 1857. 1t was the first time it had had
an opportunity to act on thc ,eople of the
United States without outsice and extrane-
Gus Influences"
Two Duties.
He severely arraigned the action of the
finance committee in imposing a specific
duty ON coal. iron ore and sugar, while i'm
posing an ad valorem duty on other ar
ticles, and inferred that this was because
the people engaged in producing sugar, coal
and iron ore knew that an ad valorem duty
would not AFFORD them any protection, and
had sufficient influence to obtain the impo-
sition Of specific duty. Here" he con-
tinued, sarcastically, 'is dissertation from
the majority OF this committee on the beau
ties and lovelness of ad valorem duties for
the purpose of raising revenue. but yet
when 1t comes to the great questions of
coal, sugar, iron ore, &C., we that this
ad valorem system is thrown to the winds,
and We have specific duties.'
Mr.. Allison, in discussing the specific duty
on rice. compared it with the ad valorem
duty on window glass and beer, and showed
that the equivalent ad valorem duty on rice
would be much higher than either arguing
that the trainers of the provision must have
felt that rice was more Of a luxury than
beer.
Senator Mcpherson pointed out that the
ad valorem duty equivalent of the McKin-
ley duty on window glass would be about
twice as much as the duty on window glass
in the pending bill.
Questions and Answers.
Some controversy followed Mr.. AIlison's
criticism of the blind" way of estima ting
tie revenue to be derived from the bill by
basing that estimate on the importations of
last year, and he likened the bill to a mole
burrowing in the earth without knowing
where it would come out.
Senator Vest said that no man who was
not inspired (and the days of inspiration
were over in the democratic party, he saidD
could predict what the importation would
be next year or the year after.
In response to question, Senator Allison
declared that he intended to vote for free
sugar both raw and refined, as it was in
the bill as it came from the House, and
then he would propose amendment re-
placing the bounty on sugar, it was in
the Mckinley law.
He then branched out into q discussion of
the silver question. as the tariff bore on it.
maintaining that this country was follow
ing the footsteps of G: eat Britain. She was
losing her trade now because of her deal
ings with India, and she was losing her
trade there, and in all oriental countries
because of the position of England with re-
gard to silver. The looms of Manchester
were idle on account of it.
England Drawn In.
And now we propose to surrender our
markets to Great Britain" he continued,
earnestly, ''in order that she may take
our gold to fight her battles against the
world. We are to allow the wool growers
of Australia to come in here without op-
position and compete with the wool grower
Of Montana. sending to Australia from
$1OO,OOO.O00 to SfO0, 900 in gold to enable
one OF England's colonies to continue the
tight against the world in opposition to
double standard"
In conclusion he asserted that as a SEN
ator of the United States he should not
knowingly contribute by this bill or any
other to promoting the interests of Great
britain at the sacrifice Of the interests Of
his own country.
senator Mills Replies.
Senator PETER then obtained recognition,
but yielded the floor to Senator Mills, with
the understanding that he should not thus
yield his right to II tomorrow morning
Senator Mills spoke for about half an
hour. confining himself principally to a de-
fense of the ad valorem system of taxa
ton, which. he said. was indorsed by Sec
retary Carlisle as well as by Secretary
Walker. The value of all articles made by
human labor. he asserted, and especially
those made by machiI cry, were falling all
over the world. and had been falling for
fifty or sixty years, but under a specific
system Of taxation no change would be
nrr mob A11
account. He declared specific duties to be
unjust, un-American and un-democratic.
In reply to question by Mr.. Allison he
retorted: Why, when the tariff commits
sion appointed by President Arthur had ad-
vocated duty of Is per cent on hides was
the duty afterward taken off? 1t was be-
cause you New England people demanded
IL You must come to the confessional and
must come to the confessional" he con-
tlnued we cannot pass our bill without
making some concessions. 1 am between
the devil and the deep sea, and when it is
a question of going to the devil by keeping
the Mchlnley law, or of going to sea and
trusting to some favorable wind to blow
me back to land, 1 am going to sea-"