Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-02-09
THE TARIFF.
Speech OF
HON. THOMAS W. PHILLIPS,
OF Pennsylvania,
In the House OF representatives,
- pE 1904
Tridnn. JannarN %, ls94

Friday, January 26, 1894.
CTbe House being in the Committee OF the
Whole on the State Of the Union, aud hay-
ing under consideration the bill ii. X
4s641 to reduce taxation, TO provide rev
enue for the Government, and for other
purposes
Mr.. PHILLIPS said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN: have reirained from
speaking heretofore on this bill or Its
amendments, but now it seems to me that
the discussion has progressed far enough to
convince this body and this nation that the
proposed tariff changes should not be en-
acted into a law; and, although no further
argument is necessary to show that the
Wilson bill has already been weighed IL
the balance and found wanting, / desire to
enter my protests against it on both moral
and economic grounds.
But before entering into the discussion
of the question, | wish to call attention To
the fact that the Democratic party claims
that protection is unconstitutional. 1t IS
asserted in the Democratic platform, and
reafirmed in the majority report OF the
Ways and Means Committee, that taritf
for protection is unconstitutional; and this.
too, in face of the fact that there has been
protection in different periods from the
foundation ofthe Government to the pres
ent time. The Supreme Court has been
open for more than a hundred years, and
no one has ever brought suit on account
of the payment of the duty on the ground
that it was unconstitutional. Why does
not some Democrat appeal at once to the
Supreme Court and settle this question Tor
all time if he believes this assertionT
The gentleman from New York Mr..
Cockran] has tried to place free trade upon
high moral grounds. He seems to nave
great affection for humanity as a whole,
without distinction of nation. This Is
shown by the number of times that the ex-
pressions "human race" "all mankind,
universal history" ETC., were used IN ms
speeches on this question. | am glad that
this gentleman and others have invited
discussion on this question upon moral
grounds. If protective tariff can not be
defended from this standpoint, l am will
ling to yield the question and repddiate the
the principle TApplause.l
Protection is right because it is in strict
accord with the first law of nature-the
law Of self defense. And il the principle
of self protection is right it will as surely
survive this attack as freedom survived and
slavery went down in the abyss OF war
The law Of selt defence is universal; it pre-
vades all animated nature from the smallest
insect up through all animal life to man. All
defend their rights. their property, their
homes, against all invaders of their own
kind or any other kind. The sluggard or
the Democrat need only go to the ant or
the bee to learn this rudimentary lesson,
which is confirmed by reason and revela-
ton, and shown most clearly in Gods
dealings with the human race We are
not compelled to treat others better than
ourselves; and if we do, it is an act of mer-
cy or benevolence. Seine of the meanesi
men that | have ever known were those
that We're mean to themselves 1t is true
1--WE should do unto others as we would
have others do unto u.s." but it must be
borne in mind that no one will voluntarily
trade with another to his own disadvantage.
There is no principle in law or morals that
will COMPEL him to do this.
VINO made Europe a ruler or a Judge
over us, and gave it right to dictate to u'
terms of trader Our nation is the party oi
the first part. and has both the legal anc
moral right to say on what terms it vii
trade with other nations 1t is evident
that we can not compete with Europe
while admitting their products of cheaper
labor free of duty The American laborel
is better paid, better fed, better clothed
better housed and has more advantage
tor his family than the laboreTS of any
other nation on earth. Applause. We
have established and are trying to main
tain better industrial syste m and greater
equality of rights and opportunities thar
have yet existed. This can not be done i
our labor be brought 10 the level of foreign
countries, which would be the result o
free trade. Nor are We working agains
the interests of laboring men in foreign
countries, for their condition will improv,
in the future as it has in TIE past through
the influences of our Institutions and ex
ample After our great achievements ar,
we to be compelled by the Democrat,
party 10 surrender our justly won ddvan
tages, to abandon our infant industries
aud to renounce our aspirations for the ad
vancement of civilization and to promot,
, the good of the racer If this nation werj
to throw its ports open to the products o
underpaid labor Of other countries and t
unrestricted immigration from Europe ant
Asia, our whole industrial system would b.
| overthrOwn as was the ancient civilization
by the northern hordes who plunged th
world into thousand years OF darkness
and from which the Democratic party doe
not seem To have recovered.
A mans house is his castle. and thi
country is our castle. While recognizing
the brotherhood of man and the kinship q
the race, yet the State or the nation is a
iast distinction as the family, and b
''who does not provide for his own house
hold has denied the faith"
That the principle of protection is righ
may be shown by the Jewish theocracy,
people governed by God himself. Will
it is true that the promise TO the founde
nations of the earth should be blessed 9TH
blessing, however was subsequent
shown to be spiritual it is also true tha
the Jew ish nation was more exclusive j
legislative enaetments to prevent destruC
ti0n of its interests and the contaminatio
of its subjects by contact with other peopl
than any other nation, ancient or modern
If God himself so cared for nation whic
had better laws, civilization, and rehgo
than others, should not this nation, whie
is so advanced along all these lines, pre-
tect its citizens and not reduce its indus
tries and labor to the low level of Others
That this bill is not due to moral cor
sideratiOns is illustrated by the reductio
of the duty on tin plate. Before the Nc
, KiDleY bill, foreigners had a monopoly
this vast industry, and importers were Sc
ling poor quantity for high price an
would not guarantee the quality. Th
, Mckinley bill invited capital and labor I
build up new industry in our country, b
, placing a duty of cents per pound o
tin plate for the term Of six years Up0
the plighted faith OF the Government, man
citizens entered this new pursuit, expent
ing large su us of money and giving en-
plOyment 10 a multitude of men; and no
the quality of domestic tin being made
not only guaranteed, but is superior
l what we have been getting from abroa
r for many years. There is now tin nlat
mill in the city of New Castle, in my di
trIct which cost some $500, 900 and en-
ploys several hundred men. am inform
ed that, with the reduction of the dut
from to l , cents per pound not onl
this piaht bat all others in the country wi
be compelled to shut down. Now. If II
present duty were permitted to remain
: there would be no reasonable doubt thi
a | long before the contract of the Cover