Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-04-01
DOWN ON plne,EMsm.
McMiIltn. of Tennessee. Attacks the
Policy of Protection

Policy of Protection
During the third day of the debate On
the Dingley bill in the house Mr.. Nc
Mi!lin, of Tennessee. took shy az the
protective policy of the proposed tariff
law and delivered some telling shots
at the republican scheme of revenue
building.
He prophesied repetition of the dis
aster which overlook the congress that
enacted the Mckinley law if this bill
were passed, and made the republican
change of front on the subject of sugar
bounties the text for some caustic re-
marks. Despite the appeals of the
Louisiana sugar powers, he declared,
the bounty was established in 1890.
''The cry of free breakfast table had
gene FORTH" said he, land although
everything on the breakfast table ex-
cept coffee was taxed, the promise made
that sugar should be put on the free list
was kept. And only the tax necessary
to enable the sugar trust to exact its
millions from the people-one-half cent
pound between raw and refined sugar
was imposed" He continued:
''But, sir, you viii search in vain fer free
sugar in this bill or anything else which
demag ogic cry of a free breakfast table
has had to be abandoned. The democratic
party can at least boast that 1t has ac-
complished something by preventing this
pernicious principle from being perman-
emily ingrafted our American system
of taxation by government. But what
comes of all those fervent utteranceS
which rang through these halls only seven
years ago, proclaiming the beauties of free
sugar? What has become Of the laudation
of free sugar by the cohorts of protection
and the advocates of bounties? remember
how the melodiOuS voice OF the present
chief magistrate proclaimed the boon Of
untaxed sugar remember how the gen.
tleman from Maine, who now increases the
tax on sugar, proclaimed that the sugar
tax was a burden paid by the consumer L
remember how the vigorous and vehement
gentleman from New York CMr- Payne)
stood up and lauded the republican party
for taking the tax off sugar
IF the transfer to the free list of sugar
and molasses gave the greatest relief. then
1t must follow that the reimposition of
high tax on sugar will be the greatest
hardship now. These gentlemen must con-
fess themselves as standing for an increase
of the burdens of the people. according to
their own confession. Not only have they
reimposed this burden of taxation, but in
doing so they have taken good care of the
corporations and trusts which now control
the sugar market. The profit to the trust
is raised by this bill from one-eighth cent
a pound by the present law to from IS to so
cents on the nunQroQ POUNDS QlIerencS
between raw and refined"
He discussed in detail the metal
schedule, arguing that as we were be-
coming heavy shippers of pig iron,
which he said could be produced in the
southern mines as cheaply as any place
in the world, the duty of four dollars
per ton should have been reduced.
He declared that the agricultural
schedule was humbug and enumer-
ated long list of trusts which he said
would fatten on this bill. He said:
THE gentleman from Maine tells that
they have taken lumber, salt, wool, bag |
ging, cotton ties and books from the free
list and put tax upon them. Why does
he not tell US the reason for retaining free |
salt for his Maine fisheries and imposing |
a duty the salt used elsewhere? Why |
does he not explain the reason for increas- !
ing the duties on linoleum, some grades to |
between 100 and 200 per cent. when it is in |
a trust and when one large concern in his |
own state has not lost g days work in |
many years? We make two-thirds of all |
the cotton that is produced in the world: |
two-thirds of all we make Is shipped |
abroad; the bagging that surrounds 1t and |
the ties that bind ii are a total loss, being |
consumed in the use. The makers of bag |
ging in this country organized a gigantic |
trust to rob the farmer. The ties can be |
made as cheaply here as anywhere in the |
reason for thus hampering agriculture and |
shifting the tiller of the soil? After care |
tul and painstaking examination of this |
bill do not hesitate to declare it the most |
unconscionable effort at legislative rob- |
berry ever attempted upon a people. Neither |
the great fires of Chicago. of Boston nor |
the fearful flood that now devastates the |
south land could begin to compare with 1t |
as a calamity.
MIR. Chairman, this bill carries not only |
higher rates of duty than the present law
and higher rates than the Mckinley bill, |
but higher than any law ever passed by an
American congress or groaned under by
an American people.
1.-The claim that the increased burden is
on Injuries is not sustained by the facts.
Are coarse shawlS and knit goods luXurieS? |
Are wool hats and overcoats luxurieS? Are
knives and forks IN this urbane age lux
uries? And beg with all Difference to ask
whether in the state of Maine a clean shirt
has become such rarity that it is classed
with the Injuries. ! ask when among |
Americans the sugar that sweetens tea and
coffee became a luxury, when trace chains
became a luxury to the farmer. Not only
is the bill itself a higher, but the different
schedules average above those of the Nc
Kinley bill.
THE reciprocity clause is remarkable for
the fact that it puts into the hands of the
president absolutely the power to impose
taxes and remit taxes at pleasure. He can
impose them this month. remit them the
next. He can do so without converting
congress or consulting 1t IL convened. |
The taxing power is thereby surrendered
by congress. Its constitutional repository, |
to an executive who was never clothed
with such power by any statute framed by
those who adopted the constitution. The
reciprocity clause is an effort to counter
act the i'll effects of the bad legislation
which this same bill proposes to enact If
reports be true it is more than likely that
some such safety valve will be needed, for
already France, Canada and other gov
aFnn6ntE preparing to resist THIS as |
sault on commerce.
There are about 3S,OOO,00O sheep
an the United States, and about q, OO0.-
Goo people. If Mr.. Dingley can have
his way the 73,OOO,OOO people will be
obliged to pay about two dollars per
-. IL "a