Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-06-22

upOu Will hCOIA anu 10 SOASAuSASN .
doubtful investment by the Legislature
of the United States
In addition, Mr.. President, it is a
very poor argument, when you have
been robbing some man for years and
he asks you for Justice, to say that you
propose to continue to rob him of more
and say that you do not know where
you are going to get the money with
which to restore that which you have
unrighteously taken. 1t is the very first
duty of the congress of the United
States to provide bill which shall not
only be honest in its present applica-
tion, but which shall pay back some
portion of that which has been taken
from the pockets of the toilers of this
land.
have talked with the farmers in 20
states of the Union since last fall. and l
firmly believe that this tariff will no
longer endure than until the farmers of
the United States can have chance 20
revise it at the polls, If you do not give
to them some portion of its benefits.
The farmer is bending beneath bur
den which he cannot carry longer. He
has been the backbone of the integrity
of the United States, but there comes in
the place of the free and independent
farmer of this country race of tenant
ry to reap servilely where he sowed
nobly, men who receive their opinions
from others instead of giving their own
independent voice at the polls and in
all their declarations TO their fellow
men.
The senate of the United States can
afford to be absolutely just believe
the amendment should be adopted.
Mr.. Chandler-May ask the senator
from Utah a question?
Mr.. Cannon-Certainly.
Mr.. Chandler-I heard the senator
speak of robbery little while ago with
reference to the tariff Does the senator
mean that the farmer has been robbed
all these years by the tariff? Is that the
senator's argumentf
Mr.. Cannon-Yes, sir, decidedly.
Mr.. Chandler-When did the senator
first think that the American tariff sys-
tenn was robbery of the farmer?
Mr. Cannon-Just SO soon as the SEN
ator gave sufficient attention to the sub
ject to understand the truth of it. 1 ad-
yocated Republican tariffs as earnestly
and as faithfully in my humble way as
the senator from New Hampshire, and /
believed exactly what taught
But I am not disposed any longer to
advocate system by which one portion
of the population is taxed for the benefit
of another portion of the population. I
think that it is unfair to cherish only
one class, and that the class which has
already the most power of self protec-
ton. If the senator from New Hamp-
shire will go across the plains of Kansas,
as 1 have gone, and across the plains of
Nebraska, 1 believe in him sufficiently
to think he will come back and say that
this bill is robbery of the American
farmer.
I have stated that am in favor of a
protective tariff system. 1 stated that
in the guilelessness of my soul, being a
Republican, went out and advocated
the Republican idea of protective tar
iff 1 never was brought quite so close
to responsibility concerning it before as
1 am today. Heretofore 1 have discussed
it ON the stump, advocating it in gener-
al terms, but as soon as am confronted
with responsibility which obliges me to
look more closely into its application to
all the people am simply discharging
my duty when I seek to amend this
measure so that it shall be honest to all.