Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-29
Senator PettingreW's Spirited Com
ment on the Tariff Bill.
BELIEVES In A TARIFF COMMISSION
Agreement With the SiIver-Usinp
Countries Strongly Advocated.
APPEAL FOR THE FARMER


senate today, and presented his views with
logical cleaness and effective force. He
has Ideas OF his own as to the best method
OF increasing the general prosperity of the
country In all sections, and did not mince
words IN arraigning the sectional SELFISH
ness displayed by democrats and repubh-
cans alike in the consideration Of a meas
ure ostensihly intended for the benefit OF
the entire country. His arraisnment Of the
democratic party for it's alleged lack OF
faith was especially severe. He said:
Mr.. President the democratic marty
came into power i'm 1892 on issues clearly
stated in their platform. among which was
the statement in substance that a tariff
so adjusted to protect American indus
tries is robbery and should be abolished
After thirteen months of power we are pre-
scented with a tariff bill which has but one
releeming feature. and that does not re-
late to the tariff in any way: / refer to
the income tax. The Wilson bill is a pro-
tective tariff measure. maliciously arranged
SO as to increase the burdens of the poor in
the interest Of the rich. This strange bill
takes the tariff or from most of the pro-
ducts of the farm, but retains il on almost
everything farmer has to buy. The
farmer must have been the 'robber' re-
ferred to In the democratic platform"
Tariff Commission.
Mr.. Pettigrew made a vigorous attack on
the bill. and advocated in its stead the
creation Of a tariff commission, which
should be permanent bureau, non-partsan
in its nature, with ample power to thor
oughly investigate the whole subject. and
report to the next session OF Congress and
/ to all future Congresses. The question OF
protecting American industries he said
would then be placed upon a firm basis. and
adjusted so to be great blessing. rest
ing upon equitable and scientific principles
He said he would materially reduce the
/ a
which trust has been formed since the
Mckinley bill was passed. and to sugar
and binding Irvine. he would repeal all duty.
He would repeal the whole duty on binding
/ Irvine because ii is the subject of a trust
| and was the object of trust at the time
the Mckinley bill was passed. and was one
| of the things which the Senate. by its
amendment. placed upon the free list. The
members of the sugar trust, he said. are
bad citizens; they resisted the laws of Con-
grcSs in regard to trusts, and they had de-
! fed Congress in refusing to give informal
ton desired for the eleventh census. IL
this bill fails to pass. he said. he would be
pleased to vote for an amendment 10 some
appropriation bill placing sugar on the free
! list. and he added that fearing the Wilson
bill may pass, he would offer an amend
ment to that effect I'm the hope OF thus
| DESTROYING the greedy monopoly"
| While the Mckinley bill contains many
| defects, he said. and should be amended.
| the measure offered in its place and now
under consideration does not contain a sin-
| gle redeeming feature, so far as II relates
| to customs duties. Ii is fit product OF the
democratic party. framed for the purpose OF
deceiving and defrauding the people.
| He saw no reason why the DUTY on wooden
| goods should be reduced. 1T is a voluntary
tax" he said. land paid by people who
| think themselves too good TO wear home
made goods. by the bucks who deck them
selves In 'weskits' and topcosts.' and who
| travel with luggage and book themselves.
who drop their his and doctor their inlec-
| tons and learn the London brogue: and
| who wear a monocle because the Duke Of
| Edinburgh has a defective eye, and who
put arnica on their knees and elbows when
ever the Prince OF Wales falls on his cob
while taking a ditch in the highlands"
! According to Mt. Pettig-ew. the Wilson
/ bill is a swindle upon the people OF South
| Dakota in every respect, as ''it robs the
farmer it robs the tin miners and ruins
our mica industries"
Not for the Masses
Continuing. Mr.. Pettgrew said that out
of the alleged reduction OF SIS. 800. OO0 on
wooden goods not one cent will be saved to
| the farmers or other producers Of this
4 country. He said also that slS.OJ0.ooO is
taken of from fancy dress goods, cloths out
| of which swallcw-tailei coats are made
goods which are Imported by the dudes be-
cause they are foreign goods. The total re-
| duction Of duties by this act is S5G67OuOl
| OF which S4a,2ls.ocO is taken of from silks,
! fancy dress goods 0or the backs CT the
! richD, wines Tobacco and jewelry ostrich
! feathers. and from the products Of the
| farm. and 81. i,:2. 90 of from the thinrs
Used by the masses. How does the bill
make up for the less Of revenue? Those
| friends OF the people do il by one stroke 81
| the pen. They levy a duty of Ia cents on
| sugar, which is now free and as We import
3.eo.Uo.Vn pounds per year, a duty CT / Il
| cents amounts TO just Si5.o5o.oO0. And yeS
the trainers Of this bill pretend they are
the champions of the rights OF the produc-
iiig masses.
| He made a strong appeal in behalf of the
I f-r "a he hot
/ they had committed to be lerislated against
| in the interest OF foreign producers. ile
| warned democrats that IL this b.l passes
( the farmers OF the west may Join with tie
! south and do that which Will iaiurc them
I and ruin you, enact free trade and collect
the revenues to run this government bv a
tax Injuries aad an income tax" lie
| gave scathing review Of the political blum
! Gers Of the democratic party. especially n
its surrender Of the wealthy Frazer river
| region of the Pacific ana the enactment Of
! the Walker tariff with its pernic.ous al
| valorem system He implorei the gentle
! men of the south to forget the past and ioin
with them OF the west in demanding free
silver and a protective tariff. for IL they
I would be rich and prosperous rs a nation
they must do their own work and furnish
the people the tools to do IL with he said
he knew it was useless. however. 70 appeal
to them; they were following the lead OF
! Grover Cleveland. who Influences by mo-
I tlves he would not attempt TO define. n
bound to an English gold basis and an En-
In closing his argument. which was
listened to with general interest senator
/ Pettigrew addressed some pertinent re-
marks to the representatives OF New Eng
land and the east I'm criticism Of their
stand against silver. lie submitted a table
| showing the silvcr-usiHg countries that
sell us more than buy Of them.
! These countries are Argentine, Brazil
Central America. China. Colombia. Japan,
Mexico, Dutch East India. S3nto Dominyo
India, Uruguay Venezuela. Cuba. In them
the net balance Of trade against the United
States in 1871 was SaG"aoop; m 1872.
S255ouooo0 and IN 1S1. s=iS.2o9Vn
! Combine With the silver Nations.
These are the nations" said AR Petit
grew, with which We should make BIZ
metallic agreement for the free coinage Of
both gold ana silver on a ratio of y IL or
lG TO /. We should have done IL years AGO.
Il do not want the sol-using rauocs 10
join US I'm this aSrc -ulcat; l want the entire
| advantage which win accrue from leader
ship. | want a common coin legal tender
| in all nations VINO join us I'm bimC ;allic
agreement. so that. with "a. We can pay Tor
our sugar tea, coffee. spices and iadia rub
Der and furnish a market for cur -four, cot
ton goods. ba con and silver. ana thus estab-
! lish I'm this country clearing house fJr
I -.