Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-12
THE TARIFF DEBATE.
TContinued from lst page.]

| fore, because of the larger market given
home makers and resulting decrease in
the cost of production.
The 1890 tariff reduced the duty on pine
| lumber 81 per thousand but the price re-
NAMED unchanged. the Canadians raising
their price as much as the duty was re-
duc,d.
Under protection we have in 80 years be-
come the most prosperous and greatest
manufacturing nation in tie world, and
labor has received the highest reward ever
known, wages advancing GS per cent. II Is
a teneficept policy that benefits the laborer,
mechanic, farmer and trader, and every
class of our people, and one year ago uu-
der it our industries were all furnishing,
everybody was employed at the highest
wages ever known and activity ard happl-
nees everywhere prevailed. The e1pecta.
ton of a change has reversed this state OF
affairs.
Springer Dem of illinois asserted that
the sooner the bill was passed tie better 1t
would be for the country. Said Springer
Just as soon as this bill is passed every
loom in the country will be started, every
furnace fire will be lighted, every instru-
ment of production will be put in active
oueration and that will be witne ssed by
revival of prosperity such as this country
hes never before seen. Give thi, country
free wool, free ores, free coal, free raw
msterial for wor kiopman's industry and we
will take a front position in the markets OF
the world"
Springer chi icised the Wilson bill 10
some particulars. The bounty on sugar 10
especially obnoxious to him ard in every
Democratic body the doctrine of bounty
giving la, been repudiated. In the lieu OF
this bounty he would have substituted tax
OF one cent pound on sugar which would
produce annually revenue of S31 600 ,0oo
He would also put light tax on tea and
coffee which would not bear heavily on any
one, ard would produce revenue of about
$50 GOO 900. lie would have left the tax
on diamonds and precious stones. opium,
cigars, clgart ties and tob'c co.
Springer said that Mr.. Hopkins stated yes
.erday that prote elton lowered the price Of
goods instead of raising it. "What brought
down the p,ice in England of steel rails to
SIS or Sl9?" asked Springer, at certainly
was not the prote tariff. 1t was the
rproyed processes of manufacture which
brought the price down both here and
abroad"
lie asserted that the price would have
been lowered in this country if there had
been no tariff at all. Springer asserted
that the Mckinley bill urjustly discrimi-
mated against Canadians. There should BE-
free commercial intercourse between this
country and Canada. In retaliation for the
discrimination of the McKialey bill, Eng
fish agricultural pr, ducts were put in com
uetti0n with American products in Canada,
and the Canadians were willing to pay the
higher cost of the English goois.
Wages, said Springer, were at tn, bottom
of the whole tariff discussion. lie asserted
that protection did not raise the wages OF
the workingman; that it was lsrg' ~ 4
question of location. He showed by the
C 'nsus bulletins that in the WOODEN indus
trj, with high protective tariff on raw
W ool, the wages paid skilled labor were less
tn IN in the boot and shoe factory, Deepen
ent as it was on free hides. He thanked
tn, Republicans fer putting hides on tn
free list, and promised that like prosper
it, would appear in the wooden industry il
it was given free wool.
Reed interrupted: "What about cotton
Cotton is free" said Springer.
"Then what are you talking about9'
asked the ex-SpeSker.
IL am talking abont wool, not cotton,
said Springer. 1.-The gentleman must have
co ton in his ears. Democratic laughter
Springer ssl:
"In every protected country with the ex-
ce 3tion of the United States the rate OF
W ,ges is lower than in free tcade countries.
With free raw material and the exts nsion
of trade which would follow, the United
S ates would not have to be content with
$4,000 600 customers, but would have l.
400, OC0 600. Garry out this reform and in
a few years we will obtain the carrying trade
of the world, and our country will be recog-
n zed as the leading maritime country OF
sne world, as it is now recognized S the
greatest manufacturing nation Spri gers
s,eech was frequently applauded.
Deliver (Rep.) of Iowa spoke next, and
elected frequent laughter and applause.
He criticised some statements made by the
chairman of the ways and means committee
in his opening speech. Carter Dem } OF
Ohio made speech which kept the House
in roar of laughter and was frequ ebtly
applauded.
Brosius, (Rep.) of Pennsylvania, stated
that for 20 centuries manufacturing inter-
ests of every civilized land had been made
the special object of governmental care and
protection. The Wilson bill, he said was
fairly liable to indictment upon the charge
of assault with intent to kill the maj ufac-
turing industries of the United States. He
agreed with Henry Watterson in the OF iniop
that because of the betrayal of the trust re-
posed in it by the Introduction of this bill
tn Democratic party is marching through
the slaughter house to the open grave.
Without completing his remarks, Brosius
yielded the floor and recess was tax n.
Mcguire (Dsm,) of California was the
first speaker at the evening session. He
arraigned the system of protection which
enabled one company to accumulate for
tune of S2C0 900, 900 in 25 years, as Car
negie is SAID TO have done. He showed
that coal from the mines of Pennsylvania,
while it had tariff protection of 75 C, hts
ton, was soll at So a ton more than i'm
ported coal, although it could comp,te in
foreign markets with foreign coal md az
the same rates. Cockreli Dem of Texas
defended the bill. At the conclusion of his
speech the House adjourned.