Evening star., 1896-04-09
Senator Mantle Defends tho Morality
# tho West.
@ WANTS HasEflONAI PROTECTION
A Lively col'oquy on the Subject
of Free Wool.
| MATTERS IN THE HOUSE

referred feelingly in his prayer today to
| the illness Of the senior Senators from In
diana and Alabama MIR. voorhees, and Mr..
Morgan.
Mr.. Gallinger On. H. read letter from
the general secretary of the armenian Re-
lief Association referring to the extreme
| urgency Of the situation In Turkey, and
| asking that steps be taken to stop the
| most apf alling sacrifice in the history OF
the world. Mr. Gallinger added that while
he would not suggest ways and means to
the foreign relations committee, yet he SIN
cerely hoped that some method would De
| devised to check these Turkish atrocities
Mr.. Nantes Maiden Speech.
Mr.. Mantle (Mont) was then recognized
for speech on the resolution recommit-
ting the tariff bill to the finance COM
mittee. There was special interest in the
speech from the fact that Mr.. Mantle was
one Of the five republican Senators who
voted against proceeding with the tariff
bill. It was, moreover, his maiden speech
OF formal character. He said he hes
itated as a young and new member Of the
Senate to address the body, but the inter-
probation and MISREPRESENTATION which had
been fndulged In against the representa-
ttves OF western interests led him to speak
He spoke of the recent utterances OF Presi-
dent Cleveland before missionary gather
| ing, derogatory to the west, as but one
rotten boroughs and mining camps" Of tho
west, as the metropolitan press designated
the silver states.
Western States Defended.
Mr.. Mantle declared that within a ra-
dius Of five miles from Carnegie Hall, New
York, where Mr.. Cleveland spoke. there
was more poverty, ignorance. squalor.
starvation. crime and criminals than in all
of the silver states combined. He gave
statistics comparing the silver states with
| five eastern states, showing the former to
be abreast and ahead Of their eastern Sis
ters in material and moral standing.
Mr. Mantle said the attacks sprang main
ly from the fact that five republican Sena-
tors from the west voted against proceed
ing with the tariff bill at an inopportune
time. Any tariff bill, he asserted. would be
vetoed by the President. The House Of
Representatives was chosen not SO much
for tariff legislation, but in protest against
the bond-sssuing policy Of the present ad-
ministration.
The Mckinley law was, said the Senator.
a strictly high protective measure. SO high
that some republican Senators now nn the
floor Of the Senate doubted its expediency.
and would, IL the republican party was
fully restored to power. oppose its re-en-
sctment. But the Dingley bill was not a
measure designed for protection or reve-
nue.. 1t was. he believed, q political meas
vre, and it was framed without due con-
sideration to western interests.
The silver Republicans Defended.
There are some republicans" exclaimed
Mr. Mantle, willing to sacrifice the prin-
ciples Of tie republican party SO long as a
measure affords protection to certain inter-
ests." TIL. five silver republican Senators
were denount ed as traitors" to their par
ty for failing to vote for tine tariff bill, but
he denied that the Dingley bill was a re-
publican measure and he quoted the state
ment of Mr.. Sherman that the bill was
strictly non-partisan and was not repub-
licen measure. If the Dingley bill was a
reverue measure. as claimed by its friends,
then no manufacture suffered from its fall
ure. as 1t was protection not revenue, that
was vital % this interest.
In view Of these facts, Mr.. Mantle sug-
gested that the efforts made to read him
and his sily er associates out of the repub-
lican party mad better be reconsidered by
the eastern press. and that these Senators
be permitted to remain in the party.
Protection, Not Sectional Protection,
Favored.
The Senator declared himself in favor of
protection, but rot sectional protection. 1t
was prir ciple too great to be used in be-
| half of any special interest or any monop-
oly It must shield and upbuild the west
as we'll as the east.
While however, he favored true protec-
ton, he favored equally true bimetallism-
the coinage of both gold and silver at a
ratio Of 18 to l. He believed also in a BIZ
metallism which did not wait for the ac-
| ton Of foreign countries.
| In conclusion Mr.. Mantle expressed the
| hope that the tariff bill be so remodeled
| by the finance committee as to be truly
| republican, combining tariff and bimetai-
| lism. After paying glowing tribute to the
| republican party, Mr.. Mantle said he hoped
| that great party, though wavering would
| in the end refuse to be guided by greed and
selfshness; would refuse to stand as the
| representative Of corporate interests; would
stand for the whole people, and when 1t
| meets in national convention would give
| such a consideration to the toilers as would
| be a harbinger for ar other republican vic
| tory.
| close of his speech by the silver Senators
| from both sides Of the chamber.
A Lively Tariff Colloquy.
There was lively tariff colloauy fol-
! lowing the Mantle speech. Mr.. Hawley
| (Conn.) questioned some Of the woolen
figures which had been given, and spoke of
| the idle woolan factories and stagnant con-
dition of the industry in the east. Mr..
| Hoar added that the remarks Of Mr.. Mantle
| implied that eastern manufacturers were
willing to leave western wool IN the lurch
after getting protection for their own man
| ufactures But Mr.. Hoar declared that
eastern Senators had voted here for pro-
| lection on wool, while the western states
had sent senators HeFe-ITOm TAduSdS,
Texas and Oregon-who had voted for free
| wool.
| This brought Mr., Mills to his feet. who
declared that against the statements made
| that the wool manufacturer had suffered
| from the Wilson bill tariff law he would
| place the fact that there was a greater
| use of wool than ever, every fiber of 1t
| was manufactured by American labor, the
people of the United States got cheaper
wooden goods, the government received
| more revenue than ever from wool and
| wool itself had advanced.
LET me add the further facts" inter-
| jected Mr.. Hoar3t that wool manufacturers
are still failing, and the government IL still
! bankrupt" 1.t
Mf. Mills ON Wool.
Mr.. Mills gejoiped that every particle Of
the wool now manufactured was made by
American labor. Then he added, "a pro-
tective tariff is,a protective humbug."
| LET me ask the Senator from Texas"
inquired MT Mitchell, 'if there has not
been a vast decrease in the number of
Texas sheep since the Wilson law went
Il don't Believe it." responded Mr.. Mills.
But the statistics Of the state show it.
| insisted. Mr., Mitchell.
''The statistics are made BY the wool
men in the deIusion that they will be bene-