Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-27
AMERICAN TARIFF LAWS
By FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.
MORRISON'S HORIZONTAL BILL.

was not enough protection in 1884.
The ways and means committee had
been framed up along free trade lines
on the Democratic side; a unanimous
majority report was therefore brought
into the house. It's principal provision
was that all duties should be reduced
20 per cent, except that no duty was to go
below the rates of the Morrill, tariff.
Salt, coal and lumber were added to the
free list. Four days after the bill was
favorably reported. Mr.. Morrison moved
that the house go into committee of the
prise that motion came within an ace
of being lost. 1t had only two votes to
spare out of the 27S cast. With such
narrow margin the reformers set out to
consider the bill in dead earnest. The
best argument the free traders turned up
was the one tending to show that the
prevailing tariff rates were higher than
the whole cost of the labor entering into
the finished product. They quoted gov
eminent statistics to show that the gross
value of all the products of all manufac-
! turing Industries amounted to $5369,000
000 and that the wages paid therefor
amounted to $947, 100000. From this they
reasoned that the cost of the labor en-
gagged in turning out this product
amounted 10 LII per cent the
value, while the tariff rate on the
product was 40 per cent. They pointed
out, too, that protection in 1892 amounted
to an average duty of IL per cent, while
after a hundred years there had to be
40 per cent given.
The Protectionists, on the other hand,
pointed to the growth of the country.
the development of its industries, the ell
% lee ola ed oil
to be the direct results of protection.
They submitted that the proof of the
pudding was in the eating thereof, ana
/ that settled it to their minds. Thus
/ debate dragged along for some three
weeks.
Then came the Democratic caucus.
1t was expected that each participant
should be pledged to carry out it's will
or get read out Of the party. But in a
moment Of weakness a vote was allow
/ ed to pass which made 1t a conference
| instead of a caucus. A resolution was
put through allowing each man to vote
his sentiments when the bill was put on
] it's passage. The free trade wing was
satisfied that II could rally enough votes
] to put the bill through the house without
the heroic application of the party lash,
which would be required to force into
line such wheel-horses Of protection as
! Sam Randall
AS the day for the vote on the pending
bill drew near, the free trade people
were in high spirits. and the Protection
1 lists were cast down. But when the
morning of May 9Th arrived the tide had
turned. The Protectionists who had
J been in the valley of despair were now
on the high hills of citation, and the free
traders had changed places with them.
| All Washington recognized that one of
the closest fights in the history of con-
gress was to be settled that day, and
/ the population turned out en- masse to
witness the spectacle. John G. Carlisle
was the speaker. The bill was prompt
ly taken up to be considered by para
graphs. At this juncture, Representa-
| tive Converse, of Ohio, pressed forward,
| gained the recognition of the chair and
moved to strike out the enacting clause.
This was the parliamentary motion for
beheading the bill forthwith. The mo-
ton was put, and the speaker announc-
ed that the ayes seemed to have it. The
ayes and nays were then ordered.
At this Juncture, Speaker Carlisle be-
| trayed q remarkable nervousness for so
seasoned a legislator. He should have
/ announced that the clerk would call the
roll. Instead, he told the ayes to rise
and remain standing until counted. 1t
was several moments before he recovered
his usual equilibrium. But he was not
! the only one who betrayed nervousness.
| Even the veteran Randall who had been
! speaker Of three houses, and legislator for
| a generation, trembled like a loaf as he
| declared to the house the necessity that
required him to break company with the
men with whom he had labored so long.
He carried forty-one Democrats with him
| in voting to kill the measure. He and
his friends were roundly denounced for
their action, the Democratic press sought
| to read them out of the party, any
everything was done TO bring them into
contempt with their fellow Democrats. 1t
1t not improbable that this action of Ran
] dalrs had something to do with losing