Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-10
A seathlss asrataamess

4
We present, elsewhere IN this issue, the
full text Of the mastery address Of Hon.
julius c. Burrowe, IN azraigEm mt Of the
Wilson bill. 1t il 9 logical and icathins
expoee of the inherent weakness and folly
Of that Ubiquitous by Bird measure. We feel
that tie people will not fail to see and &C
knowledge the force OF the Irresistible ar
guments adduced by the able Michigan con-
g'es.man TO prove that the highest Interests
of the nation and the peace and prosperity
Of it, citizens demand that the bill should
not become law.
Mr.. Burrows points out that the practi-
| cal workings of the Mckinley law have
justified its passage; thatthe recent decline
of revenue cannot be attributed to the
MEASURE. Every prophecy of i'll made By
the Democrats concerning the measure
proved groundless. Under it new indus
tries we're created by hundreds, workmen
received enlarged employment and increased
wages, the cost of the manufactured
article was chespened to the consumer, ex-
ports and imports increased under it. The
depression came not because of existing
tariff rates, but from apprehension of what
might happen under the Democratic de-
struction of them. The speaker pithi'y but
strikingly contrasted the tariff policies of
the two opposing parties. He showed con-
clu.ively that the principle of q protective
tariff was one of those which led to the
adoption of the Federal constitution. This
should be borne in mind:
The bill proposed. he said. the transfer
Of 1871 articles from the dutiable to the free
list, nearly one-half Of which are the fruits
of domestic husban1ry. As a whole the
proposition is to open our markets to the
free importation Of nearly $4,000, 900 Of
foreign products, accompanied with the vol
untary surrender Of nearly $4,000. 900 OF
annual revenue.
The act of 1890 enlarged the free list to
the limit of safety.
The inconsistencies of the Wilson bill
were held up to the light by masterly logic.
BY this m azure the hoop iron about tie
farmers bucket would be taxed, about the
cotton planters bale be free. Washed
wool is held to be a raw material but
washed clay produced in the South highly
finished product. The disastrous effects
the bill would produce in the case Of iron
and wool we're pointed out. He expressed
bis amazement that certain sections of the
South should cringe under the party lash
and rally to the support of a measure that
would work nothing but injury t, them.
He said there was not schedule in the bill
which did not imp ,ril some industry and
many industries would be utterly destroyed.
He said 1.-THE measure as a whole looks only
to the lessened in u ,tries and lover wages"
and declared that it ought to be
entitled "a bill to lessen the revenue, des-
troy American industries and pauperize
American labor" Not a line in it is
responsive to the public hearings before the
committee. Mr.. Burrows pointed out that
there is no compensatory advantage to be
derived from the bill and that revenue uu-
der it is likely in many instances to be less.
Numerous incongruities and glazing marks
of favoritism and sectionalism were ex-
posed in the clearness of the speakers
logic, as was that startling feature
of the bill, the substitution of ad valorem
for specific duties. The speaker made
elaborate comparison between the eras of
free trade and protection and supported Lis
conclusions with statistics and in closing
implored the Democrats to desist from their
suicidal policy. The Democrats are wise
in trying to shut off such debate as that
by Mr.. Burrows. Otherwise their fallacies
would find no support among those who
keep informed of the congressional debates. |