The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-01-27
THE TARIFF.
synopsis OF the Debate In the National
HOuse of RcprcaentatLves

On inc llln Mr., BrccKturtugc 'ucW, NyD
opened the discussion. He said he had always
considered himself the foremost free trader In
the house, but since the recent speech OF his
friend from Ohio, Mr. johnson. he had learned
that he Mr Brcckinridge, did not occupy the
most distant Outpost of free trade democracy.
In tome particulars the Wilson bill did not
meet his approval, In that IL did. no, go far
enough. He would like to have seen tin plate put
on the fee list even II n heavier tax would
have to be levied on whisky. He would like io
see the bounty on sugar removed, but he want
ed the sugar men OF the south and the sorghum
men OF the northeast placated. In order that
they might be brought into the democratic fold.
for IL was only by union that the reform could
be contaminated. Bv our pc!icy OF large prof
its on small sales and our imposition Of taxes
upon merchant vessels our carrying trade has
been thrown into the hands Of the English,
The speaker favored the ad valorem feature
OF the pending bill. While It did not meet
with his unqualified approval he was ready to
vote with his party on the experiment Of an in
come tux In conclusion he said he hoped TO
'live to see the day when this continent will be
one for freedom and the tariff restrictions be
wiped out from the St Lawrence 70 the Column
bia, when free religion, free government and
FREQ education will be put side by side with free
trace. ;
Mr. Dingley (rep., Me.) spoke in opposition
to the bill He said instead OF being q meas.
ure, as termed TO provide revenue, 1t was IN
fact a bill to abolish revenue He argued in
simply says TO the foreign manufacturer:
"You must pay our government as o duty the
difference between our wages and your wages
in the production or manufacture and distribu-
ton of any article which you have withheld
from your labor and which we have paid ours"
He said the democratic majority, deaf to the
protest Of the people in the recent elections,
ere hurrying forward their scheme OF warfare
on domestic industries under the mistaken
idea that they received commission in 1892 to
enact In to law the tarin theory enunc1ated In
the Chicago platform.
Mr.. Springer dem, Ill.) said 1t was unjust to
attribute all the distress which had been pre-
vailng to the threatened changes in the Nc.
Kinley act There were other and substantial
causes contributing to this condition Of d,s
tress. Under the protective system, which
had prevailed for thirty years, private indebt.
edness had largely increased in this country
The sooner the pending bin was passed the bet
ter 1t would be for the country. And mark my
/ Words" he continued, "just soon rs this
bill is passed every loom in the country will be
started, every furnace fire will be lighted and
every instrument of production will be put in
active operation and there will be witnessed
arevival Of prosperity such as this country has
never before seen. Give this country free wool,
free ores, free coal and free raw material,
workingman's industry, and we will take front
position in the markets Of the world"
| Mr.. Doliver (rep., Ia took the position that
the remedy for the prescSt depression is the
employment OF our own people, not giving it to
those of other countries The opportunity to
work created the wage fund on which the pros.
perity of our people depended.
| Mr.. Harter (dem., o. said that there was q
| greater difference between the wages of pro-
! tected France and free trade Great Britain, In
favor of the latter. than there was between
America and Great Britain protective tariff
put down wages and lowered their purchasing
power by putting up the price of goods
Mr.. Brosius (rep Pa) was the last speaker
In the afternoon and at the evening session,
Messrs. Mcguire dem, CALI and Cockrell
dem, Tex.) spoke in favor Of the pending
measure, arraigning the system of protection
as one which served chiefly to foster monopoly.
Mr.. Brosius rep, Pal concluded his speech
on the 18th, In the course OF which he gave an
amusing description to show the limited ex-
tent to which local goods were used at home
even in the various states
Mr.. Everett dem, Mass) said he was going
to vote for this bill because he had believed for
years that such measure as this was demand
ed " patriotic considerations l.e thought,
however, that the Wilson bill did not go far
enough. Its free list was not wide enough but
he accepted 1t as the best thing that could be
obtained at this time
Mr Black (dem., Ga) devoted large part OF
his time to q discussion of the income tax fea
ture, which he understood to go hand in hand
with the Wilson revenue bill. If any mar
should endeavor TO escape from the imposition
. of such a tax rs the income tax he would advo
cate thorough search into every secret recess
. into which man might hide, and he would dt
. | 1t by process of law in order that such maj
might be compelled to bear his share of the
burdens of the government The wealth of the
country was better able to bear the extra bur
den than the common people.
Mr.. Pendleton (dem.. w. Va.) said it was un
fortunately true that one of the reasons for Oh,
, reduction of the tariff no longer existed Th,
surplus in the treasury had disappeared in tn,
, four years of the Harrison administration.
Mr.. Payne rep, N. W said the pending bill
; was a sectional measure in that 1t extended
protection to southern while cutting the dutie
on northern agricultural products. He attack et
the ad valorem system and asked why shoult
the committee open the door for frauds ant
crime? The more he examined this bill tn
more he was convinced OF the astute
ness of that Canadian member Of parlia
ment who stated that Canada got NOR
out of the Wilson bill, without givin
j up anything in return. than she could hav
{ hoped to obtain by the most favorable rec
procity treaty. The pending bill, If passed
will drive the honest importer from business
will put direct, offensive and inqusitorial tn
, upon our people, will give gratuity to tn
sugar producer without farthing OF benefit t.
Q the'country, will foster the interests OF section
5 at the expense Of others, will impoverish ou
0 farmer and continue the blight of poverty an
!. want and hunger and cold which has so recent
ly overtaken the people OF country one yea
2 sgo the busiest. the most prosperous, the mos
3 progressive the happiest, and the most indt
. pendent the world ever saw.
Mr. Simpson (pop.. Kan.) said that while h
n intended to vote for this bill there were man
4 provisions In 1t that did not meet with his al
. proval; but tnasmuch as 1t was robber tart
y at least % per cent lower Than the McKinle
i bill he should have TO support IT, The people
q party stands to-day pledged TO the principles
4 free trade. The cause Of the exis ting trouble
ne found in the intolerable burden put on the af
ricultural classes by the system OF indirect tai
!. alton. He described the effects OF the McKinle
!, protection upon the farmers-it was to II
q | crease the cost of things they bought and I
reduce the price OF things they sold. A resu
of this system had been to concentrate In tn
nands OF per cent OF the population OF th
| United States II per cent OF its wealth. Fl
: illustrated his remarks on the deplorable cor
, dition of the agricultural classes by displayin
o dilapidated overcoat which he got from
farmer on the market place. He said he coul
duplicate II on the backs Of o million farmer
v in the United States today.
a Messrs Daniels (rep., NJ W and McDowe
(rep, Pa) spoke against the Wilson bill A
the evening session Messrs McKaig dem
Md and English dem. N. ~ advocated th
D pending measure, and Messrs. Herman (rep
| Ore.) and Waugh rep, Ind.) spoke In oppos
, | tiOn
! On the 18th Mr.. Pickler (rep., S, d. spoke
4 opposition TO the Wilson bill His state beir
4 principally engaged In agriculture he conane
his remarks almost entirely to the agricultul
features. He said South Dakota had all Il
natural advantages for the raising OF sheep Il
wool, and had facilities for raising many MOI
sheep than II now possesses; but under tho o
erations OF the Wilson bill this industry wou
: horses and other farm stock
D Mr., Turner (dem., Ga smoke In defense