The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-04-27
HILL AND IT,. y RIFF
THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM NEW
YORK is FOR p ION

| ence Between Foreign and American
wages-He Has mo sympathy" with
Free Trade.
Outside the importing interest the peo-
pie Of New York largely favor a tariff
framed expressly for the protection Of
american industries from the destruc-
tive competition of cheap foreign labor,
/. and outside that same interest this has
= been the dominant sentiment of the state
over since the day of Alexander Hamil-
ton. Every statesman, irrespective of
party, who has represented New York in
. the senate, and excepting Mr.. Cleveland)
every New Yorker who has occupied the
presidential chair, has given official en-
phasis to the protective policy.
The bill now presented to the senate
offers the New York senator's renewed
opportunity to maintain the record of
their state. This opportunity receives
peculiar significance from the recent de-
c1sive expression of popular sentiment on
the subject, fortified as it is by the addi-
tional evidences of hostility to the pend
ing measure that are being daily given
! by Democrats and Republicans alike
among our vast army of manufacturers,
farmers and wage earners. Various in
dustrial interests in New York would be
fatally injured by the Wilson schedules
of ad valorem duties, while the large ex.
tension of the free list which the bill pro-
poses will be equivalent to q prompt
transfer Of certain important industries
from this state to the manufacturing and
mining districts of foreign lands.s
Referring to the deceptive character
Of ad valorem rates half century ago,
Henry Clay said, "Let me fix the value
Of the foreign merchandise, and do not
care what your duty is" The funda-
mental objection to the system of ad va
loren duties on which the Wilson bill is
based is distinctly stated in the QUOTA
ton from the Kentucky statesman. On
( Oct. 20, 1890, Goyernor-now Senator
Hill delivered at Wheeling a speech be-
fore a large audience of manufacturers,
mechanics and laborers, discussing the
tariff in view of the passage of the Nc
Kinley bill, and speaking as Democrat
in defense of his party he said:
sour opponents assert that the policy
which we advocate tends to lower the
wages of laboring men because they
must compete with the underpaid work
men of Europe. The proposition is as
insolent as it is unfounded. The Demo-
cratic platform of 1888, reaffirming the
platform of 1884, declared that
sour established domestic industries and en-
terprises should not and need not be endan-
H. Il
burdens Of taxation. On the contrary, a fair
end careful revision of our tax laws, with due
allowance for the difference between the wages
Of American and OF foreign labor, must pro-
mote and encourage every branch of such in
dustries and enterprises by giving them assur-
ance Of an extended market and steady and
continuous operations.
"This is plain and explicit 1t COM
pletely refutes the silly charges of our
adversaries. 1t entirely protects tho
American mechanic and places him upon
an equality with all others. The plain
and simple Interpretation of this plat
form is this: We believe in the recogni-
ton of the demands of labor and propose
to shield our workmen from such COM
petition as can justly be considered as
unfair for instance, if it costs So for la
Dor to produce certain manufactured
article in foreign countries, whileit costs
a to produce the same article in this
country, then we favor tariff of So on
that article in order to equalize the diff
ference in wages. The imposition of
that amount amply protects the Ameri-
can workman and prevents his being
placed at disadvantage by reason Of
the competition of the alleged pauper la
Dor of Europe. This is all the tariff that
any intelligent American workman ever
desired or asked for"
Less than two years ago, at q mass
meeting held in the Brooklyn academy
Sept. 10, 1892. Senator Hill expressed
his views 'as clear as the MONDAY sun"
IA the following language:
"Our position upon this question is as
clear as the noonday sun, and it required
no special plank in the platform to en-
sphasize it. We believe in the encourage
ment of labor and are DESTROYS of pro-
tecting its interests in every reasonable
way consistent with the rights of the
whole people,"
J. At this same mass meetingin Brooklyn
genator Hill was determined that his
large audience should haven no misunder-
Dtanding as to his being protectionist
and not u free trader. The year previous
(1601) he had been invited to address
<fee trade mass meeting in New York
city ct Cooper Union. Senator Hill de-
.cljned to do so. and in order to empha-
1ize his position as a protectionist he read
~ the Brooklyn meeting the reply that
be had made to the free traders. That
reply was as follows:
1xAzx or NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
ALBANY, April l, 1891. 4
Louis #. Post, Esq. President, ETC.:
DnAn SrR-I am In receipt of your favor Of
March q inviting me to attend free trade
13noes meeting to be held at Cooper Union on
1Aursday evening, April 2 While thanking
sou for your courtesy, cannot attend the
meeting because l have no sympathy with its
orofossed purpose. had supposed that my
<ninions upon the tariff question had been so
6oouently expressed in public that nobody
con1d expect me consistently to attend q meet
- Intended to promulsate the doctrine of free
1<ade
IN not an advocate of free trade and never
11ve been. believe that the best interests Of
r1r country- industrial, agricultural and COM
--demand the establishment of that