The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-04-05
THE WILSON BILL.
Mckinley Calls It = Marrow Sectional
MeaSuro.

Mckinley Calls 1t = marrow sectional
Measure.
The Wilson bill is not like any of the
early tariff measures. but is one in which
the changed condition of the country and
it's marvellous growth and development
are utterly ignored and forgotten. Its pro-
motors forget that slavery no longer ex-
lists. They do not recognize nor appreci-
ate the independence and dignity of labor
and cannot understand that the protective
policy under which we have had such
splendid prosperity is not to be determined
by geographical lines. The bill is mar
row, sectional and provincial measure, I'M
worthy the great party which proposes it
and wholly unsuited to the needs of the
country.
Finance Committees Action.
An examination of the bill by the Demo
cratic members of the finance committee
of the senate evidently convinces them
that Mr.. Wilson's bill and his argument
in support of the same are alike based on
false principles. So coal goes back to the
tariff list, iron ore to the tariff list and
lead to the tariff list, leaving free wool
alone, the only product Of agriculture, to
support the false theory of the house bill.
/ have looked with some degree of care
through the bill find nothing but irri-
tation and aggravation to the great indus
tries of the country. No interest suffers
by it more severely than agriculture, and
labor of all kinds seems to have been
singled out as its foremost victim.
But, doubtless, in compensation for this
added burden of upward of So, 00O, 600, and
because of it, they lowered the tariff on
tobacco and have extended the bonded
period for the warehousing of whisky and
giving to the distillers eight years in which
to pay the tax.
Anomalous Position on Internal Taxes
The present position and action of the
| Democratic leaders ON internal taxes is
peculiarly an anomalous one. They are so
| determined to break down the protective
system that they are willing to resort to
| internal taxes, which have been opposed
not only by every Democratic national ad-
ministratiOn preceding the present one
| from Jacksons to Buchanan's, but also,
as matter of principle by every other ad-
ministration, Federal, Anti-federal, Wing
or Republican in our history. The only
| excuse for the resort to such taxation has
been the financial exigencies of actual
war. Laws imposing internal taxes have
always been repealed as rapidly as such
exigencies disappeared and have never
before been seriously proposed in times of
peace.
As to Reciprocity.
To my mind another hurtful provision
of the Wilson bill, entirely unwarranted
by experience and unjustiiable as mat
ter of wise international policy, is that
which repeats section 3 of the act of 1890,
commonly known as the ''reciprocity
/ clause" This, it will be remembered, was
enacted to secure reciprocal trade between
the United States and countries largely
producing sugar, molasses, coffee, tea and
hides, and under which this country has
opened up foreign trade profitable to the
| people and of the most promising proper
lions.
AS the result of these commercial ar
rangements, and for the most part due to
them, our trade has shown gratifying in
crease. The total increase in the value
of exports to all countries with which re-
ciprocal arrangements have been made
lad been So, ~, Cpl, which sum is chiefly
from wheat, -four, meat and dairy pro-
ducts, from lumber and the manufactures
of iron and steel. And yet the Dem
cratic leaders ii congress seriously pro
pose to shut the door of this splendid CD
portunity in the face of the American
! farmer.
/ Not Discussing Tariff Rates
I am not here to discuss tariff rates OF
schedules. These are subject to change
up or down, as new conditions require it
but my insistence is that these changes
must ever be governed by the protective
principle, and within that principle rates
may be- should be and will be amended as
time, new processes of manufacture and
changed commercial conditions require
but they must not fall below a rate which
will adequately measure the difference be
tween the American scale of wages and