Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-17

| The Mills Bill.
! I'm 1883, the Mills bin. after siren
uous debate. followed in the footsteps
, OF the other attempts to halt taxation
tor privat" uses.
| The Mckinley IN cam" in 1880
increasing III" a,"ra&" duties beyond
any point th,r' totOrc known.
| The Wilson till passed in 1894
| which was a Great disappointment "a
| that patriot and statesman SO long
associated with on--PrcSl
dent cleveland became a law without
his signature" It's provisions demon
strated that the projected interests
| were not without friends on the Demo
cratic side OF the Congress when 1t
came 10 the test The average rat"
OF dMy under that law for the Year
ending July lst. 1877. based upon act
ual imports. was 81. per cent.
ut was repealed in about two and
n half years. and the so-called Dinelcy
| i'll was passed. imposing the highest
average duties in our history.
NO reductions whatever have sine"
been made TIL" owners OF quarries.
mines and forests hay" under II. had
apparently but to name any additional
sum they wished to tax the conSum-
or in order To receive It, Prior TO 1870
our only suppl, of marble came from
Vermont. Italy being the competitor.
The duty on marble of 80 per cent.
in 1861 was raised - 40 per cent. IN
1869. 10 80 per cent. i'll 1864. and to
100 per cent. in 1870 This will serve
to illustrate In" burden placed uron
the people In ,hrir consumption of the
PRODUCTS OF mines quarries and for
ests. bv means Of which great for
tunes have been builded UP at the
expense of The citizens at large. the
homc-builders and general consumers
of the country.
What Roosevelt Omitted.
Recently. our late executive head
made an appeal for forest preserva-
ton. asserting that our forests were
being consumed three times faster
than prodno ed. and pointing oit the
danger therein to the nation. hut he
omitted to cav The attention OF Con-
,ress TO the fact that our tariff statute
not alone invites. but rewards foreSt
destruction. Every thousand feet OF
logs or lumber. whatever its form.
that comes from Canada IS taxed--tax-
ed that our lumlTrmen may proit AZ
the expense of the hOmr-builder nor
the forests is protected. Instead. IN"
money of the former is taken from
him, while the latter is devastated.
The builder suffers now and IN" nation
will hereafter. because the prlfileSeu
protected interests are banded tog"tA-
er for NUT. ;al self interest at the "N-
pense OF the community.
"A careful survey OF the course OF
tariff LEGISLATION confirm the state
ment of the late Henry LOOMS Mel
son, recently Professor OF Political
Economy IN William College. that
since 1878 Congress has not legislat'
ed on the tariff: II has simply az
firmed or ratified the decrease OF the
benefciaries OF the tariff.''
= Grown bolder and more arrogant
in the exercise o! the vast politica!
power which they have acquired by
the expenditure of money in politics.
the protected interests have filled the
land with combinations. shutting on.
connection to the end that the iast
penny NAV be exacted from the por'
chaser.
"Rascality and Corruption
When two years ago me cry
against trusts and predatory wealth.
and gigantic fortunes, was borne upon
every breeze did Congress ATTEMPT
to revise the tariff the fruitful moth.
er of trusts and a major source Oh
the great majority of the great lot
tunes? No: working silently, but
powerfully. the organized protected in
terests proved strong enough. as II
seemed. 10 turn the rising tide OF
public Indignation full against the ra'i-
roads. And yet 1t is true. as Jonh
, Sharp williams said. in support OF ms
bill providing for a reduction Of all
duties above 100 per cent to 1oo per
cent. that The world has never seen
more ubiquitous proceeding thah
the operation of the existing Dingiey
Ifavor.ism and the abuses Of the power
of taxation. Talk Of railroad rates
and rebate aluses-nothing That the
railroads have ever done can lo'
q moment be compared to the odiouS
exactjon of the Dingley Law. The Ne
publ.ca party has been guilty OF more
rascaiity and corruption in connection
with public affairs: II is now working
hard TO rerpetuate the iniquitious
system.
The method By which the protected
interests acquired this power Is plain
is indeed hardly concealed or denied
II has neen accomplished by their
active and interested participation
in politics. The head Of great cor
porat:ou testified before Congress
| ioual inv csticating committee: we
| make i, \ rule TO make political con
| trim ions to the Republican party in
Republican states and to the Demo
cratic parry in Democratic states
! We get a good deal Of pro
| money OIt of the Mckinley bill.
Our company has made considerable
money out OF the Mckinley bill.
Source Of Political Power.