The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-02-14
The Free Trade Raid.
The Wilson Bill Passed the House
by Thirty-Six Majority.


After the speechmaking on the Wilson
bill had ended Thursday evening voting up
on the amendments then began August
"a was fixed as the date when the wool
schedule shall 20 into elect, and December
2d for The wooden manufactures. The
internal revenue amendment was adopted
by vote Of yeas Iss, nays 50. The amend
ments in committee having all been agreed
to in the House, the question was upon the
engrossing and third reading of the bill. Mr..
Covert offered a resolution Of recOmmittal,
which was defeated by vote OF I0S yeas to
177 nays. The bill was then passed yeas,
2O4 nays, l40. The announcement was
greeted with cheering and applause in the
galleries and on the floor, which continued
until the House adjourned.
All Of the Republicans voted against the
bill and all Of the Populists for IT, The
Democrats voted for il with the following
exceptions. Abbot, Texas Bartlett, New
York; Csdmus, New Jersey Campbell, New
York Covert, New York; Cummings, New
York Davey, louisiana Geary, California
Haines, New York Meyer, Louisiana; Page,
Rhode Island Price. Louisiana Robertson,
Louisiana Sibiey, Pennsylvania Schermer-
horn New York Sickles, New York; SpeT-
ry, Connecticut
The speech ofex Speaker Reed who closed
the debate against free trade was a most
mastery effort and stands out in bold relief
against the political rot OF Speaker Crisp
and the school boy platiiudes and pOiutless
uiierances Of Chairman Wilson combined.
The galleries. packed to sufocatiOn, seem
ed to rise as the Maine man stood up and
cheers hand-elapping and stamping of feet
greeted the high-tarih champion. Mr.. Reed
held up bis hand and endeavored 10 stop
the t1mult, but the cheering continued for
fully five minutes.
The enormous crowd was so noisy at times |
Mr.. Reed bad TO stop talking aud the |
speaker warned the galleries. The Maine /
man was in splendid form, and bis cutting I
sentences called forth frequent and noisy /
demonstrations. Mr. Reed first cal ed at
tention 10 the peculiar features Of the bill, [
which clumsiiy attempted to give some
protection and failed, aad offered temp,a-
ton to the free traders and failed 10 suit
them. Those who vote for it will do so with
the reservation that they will begin new
crusade against whatever barriers are left |
and in the hope that it will open our mark I.
cts 10 destructive competition.
The claim that the bill should be passed at /
10 ard tf.. tafrs
ical, he said, because there is no hope that /
it will LifJrd a rest for the interest involved /
inasmuch as the tariff tiAkers will never /
cease TO tinker. The question, therefore, /
presented could only be one Of free trade /
and protection Mr.. Reed expressed sur
prise that the question had continued to be !
agitsted despite the awful examples of free /
trade. He pictured the prosperity of the /
country since he war under A protective |
tariff despite the fact that We wers strug Z
Cling with an enormous war debt and dis |
ordered currency In picturesque fashion /
Mr. Reed pictured the marvellous develop /
ment Of the country east west, north and !
south, and pointed oct that we have bat /
sbarcely touched our magnificent resources. |
Mr. Reed quoted from noted English au
thoriiies, free traders, who marveled al cur
wonderful development and riches, all gath
cred under the "blighting infilence of high
tariff" He quoted from the Aldfich report
to the senate, that never in the history Of
civilization have Wsges been so high as here
Mr. Reed traced the history Of free trade in
Elg' and. he admitted that the repeal Ofthe
corn laws there resulted in benefit, but un-
der p-ots sction the English manufacturers
had grown so strong that they no longer
wanted protection. The fight against the
corn laws meant everything, but the repeal
Of the tariffs that affected the manufactur-
ere meant nothing. because they were in
position 10 beat the world a: manufacturing.
NJ. Reed discasse the relation Of wages
70 the tariff and cited statistics showing an
| Increase OF so per cent. in wages since the
war Mr. Reed declared that the Law OF
supply aud demand did not ii Z the Fats OF
wages always. He ridiculed the claim that
We can secure more Of the worlds trade and
claimed England, France and Germany
already had the field and with their i'm
proved machinery and cheap labor would
see to it that We we're kept out We now
have all We can do to hold our own market
even under high tariff Break down the
walls and we would neither have home nor
a feIeign market.
Mr Reed devoted some time 10 the charge
that the consumer pays the tax, and cited
the testimony Of the Bermuda produce deal
ers, who urged the reduction Of the tariff on
potatoes because the high rate hurt them
In that instance the fJreigner paid the tax,
as hegensrally does. When no protection
existed We were a. the foreigners mercy
and prices were always high. Mr.. Reed
would not claim that tariff mIle the lame
walk, the blind see, or bring the dead to life.
but it was good, sound, sensible policy Jr
this country which the people neser meant
/ 70 dispense With.
/ Mr.. Reed closed by saying: Though We
! fail here to-day we shall fiaally be more
than eouquerors. for this great nation,
shaking of the indaence Of a lower ciyilizA-
ton. will 90 on and fulfill It's high destiny
until over tie south, as well as over the
north, shall be spread the full measure Of
that amazing prosperity which is the wonder
I Of the world %