The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-19

position In the very language OF these plat
forms. lie ID, IN otner words. free
trader, nut as long as the government must
be supported by taiin taSat,en he wants
this united TO the actual necessities OF an
economical government, with duties ad-
lusted, in the language of the National
platform, SO as Ito operate equally
throughout the country aud not TO as
eliminate between class or section. On
the question OF levying taxes on raw ma
teiial his position Is that stated In the
platform adopted by the State democracy
IN 1876. which Is as follows: I'VE believe
that the present tariff law, which let's
into the country raw materials free of
duty and levies heavy duties on manufac-
tured products. thus subjeoting our agri-
cultural and pastoral classes 10 competi-
ticn with the world. while 1t enables the
| ich manufacturers. by means OF comblnh-
| lions and FRUITS, 10 extort their own prices
| Tor their products from the people, yio-
| lates the Federal constitution as we'll us
| the fundamental principles OF the demo
/ cratic party, that tarin duty shall he
| levied aud collected for the purpose OF
revenue only" Manifestly this position is
| sound, and for the reasons stated IN the
| Platform itself, because II raw material Is
! admitted free OF duty and hsavy taxes are
| imposed on the manufactured article, 1t is
! an unjust discrimination against the pro-
| Gueers of raw material. who are mainly In
| the South and West, and particularly be-
cause tho heavy duties levied on the man
ufactured article are protective in their
character and are levied for the purpose
OF preventing competition with New Eng
land manufacturers, thus keeping UP the
price OF their goods, which are sold TO
consumers throughout the country.
Senator Mills nntagoni2es this position
~ the democracy ON tho tarl6 as he does
their position on the silver question, In
,,,at "A
and heavy duties maintained on manufac-
tured articles. He necessarily insists OH
this because IL raw material is free, heavy
duties must be levied on manufactured ar
tcles in order to yield revenue enough TO
support the government Besides this In
his card replying TO Congressman Bailey,
he says that II a revenue duty lis laid on
raw material IL necesstates compensa-
tory duty on tho manufactured article. and
he fayors such compensatory duty in that
case. a compensatory duty such as ne
favors Is no more nor less than tax In
addition 10 the revenue tax which Is laid
on the manufactured article In order TO
prevent foreign manufacturers from com
peting with American manufacturers, and
becoming, therefore. protective tax. TINS
without doubt would tend to keep up the
price OF the manufactured article and thus
increase the cost Of living TO the people
Of this country. The position OF Senator
Mills, therefore, - not only hHthkUhist'
10 the National and State democracy but
In addition and notwithstanding his anti
protection utterances, makes him in fact
protectionist. Senator Mills, however,
in his search for election expedents, and
endeavoring to shield himself from the
public condemnation which awaits him on
the tariff question, quotes extracts from
speeches OF Mr. Bryan when he was
member OF congress and also from Judge
Reagan. His constituents would have
considered him more candid II he had
stated that Judge Reagan was the chair
man OF the committee on resolutions In
the State convention, and presented the
platform on which Governor culberson
stands and Senator Mills antagonizes. and
that both Mr. Bryan and MIR. Reagan were
members Of the committee on platform of
the National convention which voted down
the proposition OF Senator Mills to place
raw material on the free list and continue
high duties on manufactured articles.