The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-06
HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?
Congressman Dingley's Speech On
the Tariff Bill
AT THE YARMOUTH REPUBLICAN
RALLY LAST EVENING. a
He Points Out Some of the Advantages ~
to the People of Maine Given Under the
New Bill-Protected Rice and Cotton
but Free Lumber-The Results of


New Bill-Protected Rice and Cotton
but Free Lumber-The Results of
Southern Bourbon Rule
Yarmouth, September AT the Repubh-
can rally here this evening, Congressman
Dingley spoke at length on the issues of the
campaign substantially as follows:
For the first time for many years, said Mr..
Dingley, voters of Maine in this campaign,
have the opportunity of testing the COM
parative merits of the policy and fitness of
the TWO great political parties to control the
country, by actual present experience of
both. Heretofore for more than quarter
of a century the principles and statesman
ship of the Republican party have alone
been subjected to the test of Responsibility.
To be sure, the Democratic party had the
Presidency from 1885 to 1889. but as the
Senate remained Republican, the Demo-
cratic President could not change the Re-
publican policy which had been established
in 1861. The Democratic leaders and organs
thus diverted of responsibility could and
did indulge in miscellaneous fault-fnding,
without responsibility and made CONTRA
dictory professions and pledges to obtain
the votes of every element of discomfort.
Nu6u LILO ptOplo WSut " LILO DOllS IL IooS
and voted for a Change this country was
enjoying such prosperity as never before
such as no nation on the face of the earth
ever had; and the prospects of still greater
prosperity were never better. For thirty
two years, under the policy Of protection,
under Republican control, our prosperity
had been well-nign continuous. From an
insignificant manufacturing nation weshad
L g ,.~~=~
country on the face of the earth. Our
agricultural products had become larger
than those of any two countries. Our inter-
nal commerce was the marvel of the world.
The wages of labor had steadily increased
until on the very day that the people voted
for Change" they commanded 80 per
cent more Cf the necessaries and comforts
of life than III 1861.
What change has come over the country
since then. Business and industries have
been paralyzed for more than year. One
third of the machinery that was successfully
running in 1892 is idle. Millions of workmen
are ont of employment. Wages have declined
from l2 to % per cent. The losses of capital
have been enormous. And the end is not
yet.
One year ago, it will be rememb cred
President Cleveland and the Democratic
leaders, hoping to avoid the respons bility
for the destruction of industry and busi-
ness, set up the cry that it was the result of
the so-called Sherman silver act of 1885,
Congress was summoned In special session
to repeal til S act. Notwithstanding the Re-
publicans nearly solidly supported repeal
because they had never favored the silver
purchase policy which was inaugurated in
1878 by nearly Solid Democratic vote over
the veto of President Hayes the act of 1896
simply throwing new guards around that
policy which could not then be repealed,
yet it was three months before repeal could
be carried through Democratic Congress,
in which majority of Democrats voted to
go back to the act of 1878 instead of for
absolute repeal. But when repeal was
carried, the paralysis of industries still con-
tinued as before, showing clearly that the
trouble was the Democratic threat of tariff
revolution. 1
There is nothing mysterious in so
disastrous results from this cause. From
1861 to 1898 the business and industries of
this country were adjustedto the protective
basis, and with the most gratifying results.
This policy contemplates production and
manufacture in this country, instead of
and made here without natural disadvant-
age. 1t looks also to the maintenance of a
high wage standard and of high living
standard as essential to the highest pros
perity.
Speaking of the bargain and sale feature
of the bill, Mr. Dingley, said: On what basis
of Justice, for example, is the Southern
planters rice given protection of SO per
Al. co. ,c, a oi,x-
products vegetables, horses, cattle. hay,
etc., always subject to sharp competition
from Canada, now lett with protection
practically oblterated hy a redaction to 20
per cent? ie4a iretad @aa1 ss.s
| Why should planed and stongueGI and
grooved lumber, laths, picketsS. shingles,
clapboards, slaves and other manufactured
lumber, constituting one of the most import
ant, manufacturing ind ustries of many
states, be placed on the free list, while the
coarse cotton goods OIL the south are given
80 to 40 per cent of protection "a
Why should hoop iron when made into
cotton ties be free, and when made into
hoops for hay bales bear duty of 10 per
cent?
Why should collars and cuffs be protected
by duty of 5s IL per cent-the highest
duty on manu1aCJureu BoouS- -"HiAo lie
most highly finished manufacture of granite
is admitted to compete with our graLite-
cutters at the destructive rate of 80 per
cent?
How does it happen that so crude raw
materials as mica, coal and iron Gre are
accounted finished products worthy of II
proteo tive duty, while manufactured
articles like planed lumber, barbed wire and
cotton hagging are placed on the free list?
No wonder President Cleveland, in his
letter to Chairman Wilson, was compelled to
exclaim:
sHcw can we tthe Democracy face the
people a1tel induiging in. such outrageous
determinations oil minciplesT
His denunciation of this Democratic bill
as party perfdy and uarty dishonor cannot
be strengthened.
The Democratic party in lS9. declared
that protective duties are unconstitutional
and robber'' 1t has now passed tariff
, bill having in part high protective duties.
The Democre tic party in lS9. declared for
free raw materials. 1t h.s enacted tarifl
law tn places the c1Udcst of all so-called
raw material. to wit, mica, coal and iron ore
OH the protected lists, and AT the same time