The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-04-02
THE TARIFF.
Speech of Hon. L. W. Carmack, of
Tennessee,
In the House of Representatives, Mon
day, March 22. 1897.


to encourage the industries of the United
States
Mr.. CARMACK said: :.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In the short
time during which I shall claim the
attention of this House I shall not
attempt any elaborate discussion
of the principles of tariff taxation,
and still less shall attempt to re-
view in detail the features of the
pending bill, which members on
this side of the Chamber have bare
ly had the time to hastily read.
The most hasty reading, however,
is sufficient to show that it is bill
to exorbitantly increase the rate of
tariff duties and to pile higher and
heavier the burden of taxes on the
shoulders of the people. The pre-
cipitate manner in which this bill
was prepared and the unseemly
haste with which it is being pressed
on to its passage, seem to indicate
that gentlemen on the other side of
the Chamber believe that they have
been commissioned and instructed
by the people to pass this particu-
lar measure without the slightest
modification or amendment. In no
other way can we explain the man.
ner in which this bill is being tele-
graphed through this House and the
lack of consideration shown to men,
bers on this side of the Chamber.
Whence comes the demand for the
passage of this bill? 1 assert, Mr..
Chairman, that there is absolutely
nothing in the history of the late
campaign to justify the assumption
by that side of the Chamber that the
people of this country approved, in
tended, or expected the passage of
such a measure. 1t seems to me
that in the prominence now being
given to the tariff question by the
Republican party they are making
an issue here that was not an issue
in the campaign. We see here re-
peated, with variations, the history
of the campaign of 1892. In that
contest the tariff question, so far as
the Democratic and Republican par
ties were concerned, was the lead
ing, the all-absorbing issue. Both
the great rival political organiza-
tions agreed to put the money ques-
tions aside with few soothing
platitudes and propitiatory generali-
ties and to make "high tariff and
Glow tariff the shibboleths of the
campaign.
In that contest the Democratic or
low tariff party achieved a great
triumph, and Grover Cleveland,
called to be an apostle of tariff re-
form, was elected President, with a
Democratic Congress at his back.
But, Mr.. Chairman, hardly had he
been inducted into his office before
he forgot that the tariff question was
living, and proceeded to call Con-
gress together in extraordinary ses-
sion to legislate in favor of the gold
standard. The legislation that fol-
lowed and the policy of the Admin
istration forced the money question
to the front and made it the great
issue of the campaign. That was
the issue upon which the people di-
vided and the opposing forces came
together in conflict on the 3rd day OF
November.
In that contest free traders and
protectionists fought side by side for
the gold standard; free traders and
protectionists fought side by side
for the free coinage of silver. Mr.
Mckinley and Mr.. Cleveland
marched shoulder to shoulder under
the same flag, and the distinguished
Speaker of this House and one oil
his predecessors, Mr.. Carlisle, kept
step to the same music, slept under
the same blanket, ate in the same
mess. | say to you, Mr.. Chairman
that Mr.. Cleveland, Mr.. Carlisle
and all that class of free traders die
not vote nor intend to vote for
high protective tariff when they
helped to restore the Republican
party to power. The result of thai
campaign was not victory for pro
lection, nor was it a defeat for free
trade. 1t was simply a defeat fol
the cause of bimetallism and a vic
tory for the single gold standard. L
was the gold standard and not the
protective tariff that brought to YOU
help in the hour of your peril the
money power, not only of thi'
country, but of the world.
} Throughout the campaign you APP
pealed to all classes opposed to bi
metallism to lay aside their differ
ences on other questions and unit
with you in maintaining and per
! petuating the single gold standard
, Yet, while the din of the great con
fIct is still echoing through thu
land, before the smoke of battle ha
lifted from the stricken field, tn
newly elected President hastens t.
| call Congress together in eXtraordi
, nary session and tells us that tn
. Wilson bill is the source of all on
troubles and high protective tarii
| the panacea for all our woes. Dur
t ing the campaign you told us tina
the industries of the county. wer
paralyzed by the dread of "chea'
money;''-by the dread that til
: Democratic party would pass a las
to diminish the purchasing power o
the poor mans dollar" You nov
propose to calm those fears by in
creasing the prices of the necessa
ries of life and, to that extent, di
D minishing the purchasing power o
. every dollar in the country. ZAP
q plause.l ~r
But, Mr.. Chairman, there is on
thing that should be said with re
$ spect to the 'protective-taritf polio
r of the Republican party. 1t recog
{ nizes the existence of an actual evi
and the necessity of a remedy b.
legislation. 1t is an evil, too, tina
| was not wrought by the Wilson bil
nor by the Democratic party, for