The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-03-27

MAJORITY Report on the Diaslsy Tarsa
Measure.

A
the minority of the COMMITTEES on ways
and means upon the tariff bill were pre-
sented to the house Monday evening by
Representative Bailey (dem., Tex.), the
leader OF the democracy. 1t reads M
| follows:
This bill was framed with the avowed
| purpose OF protecting the manufacturers
| OF the United States against foreign COM
petition. and II Is perfectly obvious that II
II accofnplishes that purpose II must result
| In compelling the consumers OF this coun-
| try TO pay more for their manufactured
goods. and for this reason we think IL
should not pass. We rest our opposition
| upon the broad principle that congress was
invested with the power OF taxation as
means OF collecting from each citizen his
| fair proportion toward the support OF the
government, and that II Is gross perver-
sion Of that sovereign power 10 employ II as
a means OF enabling favored classes 10
levy unjust charges upon the great body or
the people.
''If government has a right 10 levy taxes
mon the people for the purpose or IN
duclng men TO establish Improbable In
dustries. or industries which can only be
made profitable by compelling the consum-
ers OF the United States TO pay eNorDi-
tant prices for their products. then the
bounty system IS a more direct and less
complex way OF attaining that end. ana al
least has the advantage OF directness ana
simplicity.
"It follows as a matter OF course that
hill based upon vicious principle must
be Injurious I'm its effects. and perhaps no
effect could be more pernicious than the
extravaganza which the bill encourages.
The tabulated statement embraced In tho
committee report shows that the bill is ex-
pected TO raise sl1S.0OO.00O more revenue
than was collected I'm customs during the
last fiscal year: and yet, as Is shown by
the same report, the difference between the
government receipts and disbursements
during that year was only $25.0OOOOO. IL -
well known that the importations OF last
year were smaller than usual owing to the
general depresslons that existed I'm all cir
cles but even supposing that importauons
hereafter can be Kept at level with the
importations OF 1896, the bill Will collect
from the people more than 500. 100000 an
nually above the requirements OF our pres
ont cxtravagant and wasteful appropria-
tions.
FAN overlooking treasury is constant
temptation TO enter upon expenditures that
corrupt both tho public mind and the pub
lies servants. Under system or high
taxes there must be a surplus or there must
be waste. and both are serious evils. Pres
ldent Jackson hardly overstated the danger
OF a surplus when he declared that Il was
more dangerous than standing army;
and yet, dangerous as surplus is, IL Is not
80 dangerous as the extravaganza which IS
always resorted 10 In order 70 prevent its
accumulation. II cannot be forgotten that
many OF those who now advocate a high
tariff and defend the extravaganza which
II engonders did not hesitate to donounce
the administration OF President Buchanan
because In its last year the appropriations
exceeded the sum Of S60,OO0OOO. our popu-
lation at that time was nearly half what Il
Is to-day. and II the government were now
properly and frugally administered our
expenses, including liberal pensions for the
soldiers OF the late war. ought not to and
would not exceed the sum OF 50,0oO,0OO.
IF the system OF unnecessary taxation
Is fndefensible because OF tho extravaganza
which IL encourages, II Is sim more so on
account OF the trusts which II fosters and
promotes. IL Is not more certain that pro-
lection encourages extravaganza than II Is
that Il breeds unlawful combinations or
capital. Indeed, protection "a justified upon
the avowed theory that competition should
be restricted. True enough, II assumes the
patriotic pretense that foreign competition
ought not 10 be permitted against our
home industries; but they little understand
the selhshness OF human nature, and es-
pecally they little understand the SELFISH
ness OF that human nature which relies
upon the favoritism OF the law TO increase
it's fortune. who suppose that these men.
having secured themselves against for
cign competition by the favor OF congress-,
VIII fan TO secure themselves against do
nestle competition by voluntary combina-
tons among themselves.
1T IS an old adage and Il IS as true as II
Is Old that competition is the life OF trade
and whatever tends TO restrict competition
must tend 20 restrict trade The majority
OF the committee seem 70 think Il an easy
matter for us 70 build tariff wall about
our borders and thus prevent the foreign
ers from trading with us, but they forget
that the same wall which shuts the for
cigncr out shuts us In, and that regula-
| lions to prevent tho foreigner from trad
| ing with us must AZ the Same time prevent
as trading with the foreigner, We boz
| lieve In the principle OF competition, and
| we believe the people OF the United States
can successfully compete against all other
people OF the world: and we dcnounce as
/ n crime against the best interests OF our
! people any law which leaves the consumers
i Of this land subject 20 the cXactions or
i reckless and corrupt combinations formed
10 destroy competition and control prices.
"Thc report or tho committee on ways
ana means - slngularly silent upon the
\ old prctcxt that these high taxes are im-
| posed for the benefit OF American labor,
i and the silence may be taken as conccd-
i irr the democratic contention that the In
/ tclliEcnce and skill or tho American fac
/ tory operative are all the protection which
i he needs or desires The labor argument
i OF tho protcCtionist can be reduced 20 an
\ absurdity which makes Il amazing that II
i should ever have been seriously advanced
i TO say IN one breath that the welfare or la
i Dor depends upon its wages and that It's
wares IA turn depend upon It's skill and IN
tclligcnce and In tho next breath 60 say
that the very intelligent and highly skilled
| laborcrs OF this country cannot success
| fully compete with the ignorant and un-
skilled laborers OF tho old world ~ equiv
! alent TO saying that skill and intelligence
are not OF great advantage to the laborers
| who possess them TO our minds. Il In
wolves a contradiction In history as well
| as In economic theory, 20 hold that the
/ factory labor OF a civilized country needs
| protection against tho factory labor OF an
uncivilized country.
I'VE are unable 10 offer a substitute for
/ the pending bill. because we have not been
allowed seasonable timo 90 prepare one.
Congress convened IN extraordinary seg-
sion on Monday, the 18th day OF March. ana
this bin was introduced the same day and
/ referred 20 the committee on ways and
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