The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-20

tween the republican proposition to favor
the manufacturers by increasing the t1xcs
of all other classes for their benefit pnd Z
this other proposition to favor them by re-
hitting their taxes. The object OF each y Y
to Increase the profits OF the manufacturers
and one accompilshcs II by allowing an ad-
vantage In the sale OF goods, while the
other accomplishes 1t by allowing an ad-
vantage In the purchase Of materials; but
each Is equally special privilege. and each
| must always be equally Objectionable to
men who believe In the sacred principle Ut
equal rights to all and special privileges to
| none.
FARMERS NED WHAT GIFTS ARE TO
| BE MADE.
| Why should the manufacturer who ships
| his wooden goods to other countries and
exchanges them for raw wool be allowed
to bring that wool Into this country free
of duty. when the ool-grower who ships
| his wool to other countries and exchange
IL for wooden goods Is compelled to pay
high duty on the WOODEN goods which he
brings homer II anybody needs an adj
vantage In the export trade Of this coun-
! try, II Is not the manufacturers, who fur.
nish less than 20 per cent OF our exports.
but It is the farmers. who furnish more
| than 20 per cent OF o,ir exports: and 1t
is illogical and indefensible for a demo-
crat to insist that those who furnish but
one-fourih OF what we ship to foreign
countries shall be permitted to return
with their exchanges free from taxation.
while those who furnish three -foYrihs
shall he compelled TO pay tax on almost
Everything for which they exchange the
products OF their land and labor. This
free raw material proposition revcrses the
democratic position that the nocessarles OF
| life should he free from taxation. II ex-
cmnts an article when # is not In the
| form OF necessary OF life. and lays
~. 49,, l,.-
| been converted Into n necessary OF life. 1t
| Gun not be contendod that wool In Its
raw condition is necessary OF life. but
| everybody understands that wooden
I clothes are. and the proposition OF these
men Is to lay heavy tax upon the wool
IN goods, and lay no duty at all upon the
raw wool. Why should the manufacturer
he permitted TO buy the farmers wool free
from duty while the farmer is compelled
TO pny tho manufacturer high duty on
the goods made out of his free WOOL The
manufacturer Is not compelled to buy his
wool and only buys 1t for the sake OF the
profit which he can make out Of 1t by man
ufacturug II into wooden goods: the peo-
pie are compelled to buy WOODEN goods.
and yet we are asked 10 increase the profit
Of buying wool by Increasing the cost OF
buying clothes.
Mr. Speaker. we might with Justice de.
mand that those who buy wool for the
those who buy clothing for the sake OF
comfort should be untaxod; hut we do not
demand this. All that we demand is that
the men who buy wool for the sake OF
profit shall he compelled I" contribute
toward the support of the government
equally with those who buy WOODEN
clothes for tho sake OF comfort. For twenty
years | have heard protection denounced
as n species of favorltlsm to manufacturers,
and have heard manufacturers described
ms selfish and rich beyond the dreains OK
avarco; and. sir ! was astounded wien
our old leaders suddenly changed their po-
sItion and proposed n systcm which they
| openly averred was more favorable TO the
| manufacturers than that OF the republicans
| party.
| CONCLUSION.
| II tho manufacturer are as selfish ana
as prosperous as we have been taught 10
| believe then, sir, 1t Is an unpardonabie
crime 10 exempt them from taxation and
| thus increase the burdens OF the patient
| and unn,imbercd multitude. ] can not find
language strong enough 90 deiounce the
policy that would lit the burdena OF this
| government from the great manufacturing
| esta blishments and lay 1t with Increasing
! weight upon tho farms. | know the agri-
| cultural people of this land. and ! know
| their ,nnsclfish devotion to their country.
4 u
| economic 1t is In the physical world
that all things rest upon the earth. and
| when those who ca tlyate the soil are made
| to suffer the Nation must suffer with them
| The farmers are the moet useful ana the
| mcet conservative OF all our citizens. Their
labor supplies us with food and clothing.
and 10 them We turn when the riots and
| bloodshed of our cities render the fnture
| OF the Republic gloomy and uncertain.
| From tho bitterness Of class antagonieme;
l ma. INft rl.,l In
poor, and from the desperation OF the poor.
| who would despoil the rich, we turn to the
| rural bomesteads OF this land and there we
| find rugged independence tempered with
! a reverence for the law which CONSTITUTES
| the Nations best and wisest safeguard.
| Around these humble firesides. cveu In this
age OF sclfshness and greed. the love OF
| country is above the love Of self and Sec
ond only to the fear of God. republic
| which practices injustice against homes
| like these. which mnltiplics thcir burdens
and drives their impoverished end discon-
| tented occupants TO already 0vcrcrowded
towns and cities invites It's own destruc-
ton.
| do not plead for special privileges for
| tho farmers: only plead In defense Of the
democratic party for having said that In
dealing with this question II VIII keep Its
| pledge that none shall enjoy a special favor
nor shall any suffer n special burden; but
| that all shall stand equal before tho law.
TO establish ana MAINTAIN the cuuhi riBhts
| Of all mon was the great mission to which
IT'S founders dedicated the democratic party
| one hundred years ago. and to which we re-
| coDseorated II last year. IL we adhere
etendfastly and faithfully to this, the most
vital OF all our principles. the American
people will reward our fidelity with their
| confidence md we can reward their confl-
dence by perpetuating forever and forever
more this, the greatest. the freest and
therefore the hest government that ever
rose to animate the hopes or to bless the
sacrifices OF mankind.
SUCCESSOR TO HARRIS.