Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-08

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body the debate became most interest
ing. Daniel Webster spoke against tn
bill for three days, and that you ma.
understand how that great Statesman
viewed the effect of protective tarif
upon labor, we quote from his speech
And, sir, take this great truth
j place it on the titIe-page of every bool
of political economy intended for thu
use of the United States; put it IL
every farmers almanac; let it be the
i heading Of the column of every me
chanic's magazine; proclaim it every
| where and make it proyerb, thai
where there is work for the hands o.
Where there is employment. there viii
be bread. Employment feeds
and clothes and instructs. employment
gives health, sobriety and morals. Con
slant employment and well-paid labor
produce, in country like ours, gen
eral prosperity, content and cheerful
ness"
The democratic party was not a unit
in it's favor. Senator John NJ Niles Of
Connecticut, democrat, made an i'm
portant speech, which would be appli
cable now as it was applicable then
1t had been said by those who spoke
in favor Of the bill that a protective
tariff created monopoly and enabled
those benefited thereby to demand ex-
tortionate prices. In other words, the
| a
tariff then as is used against the tar
if now. In Senator Niless speech
against his party's determination to
interfere with the then prosperous
condition of the country by lowering
the tariff, he used this language:
why disturb the business and pur-
suits of the people? Why unnecessarily
agitate and alarm the country?
| l have again and again asked for the
reasons for passing this bill at this
time, and could get no response, no
reason. We now have ne, and what
is it? Why, to curtail the profits Of the
large and wealthy manufacturers. But,
sir, the fact is assumed; there is no
evidence as to those large rofits. But,
admitting it to be so, will not competi-
ton correct the evils? Will it not bring
down these enormous values? With an
enterprising people like ours will there
not be enough to rush into any bust
ness which affords such enormous
profits? But is not this something
new? 1t is not strange reason? Can
any example be found in the history OF
the world of a legislature passing laws
to arrest the prosperity of the country
or to reduce the profits Of any particu-
lar class of citizens in pursuit open
to all? Certainly, sir, this must be the
great measure of the age when we con-
slider the great good 1t is to effect;
when it is to stop individuals from get
ting rich too fast, and to check the
prosperity Of the country.
"The senator says it will not affect
the laborers, the mechanics, nor the
small manufacturers. Now, how does
he know this? tell him he IS mistaken,
those are the very men on whom the
blow will fall. You may diminish the
profits Of the large establish
ments some, but you cannot
crush them. They can stand
by warding off the blow and transfer
ring the sacrifice to others. They have
hundreds and some thousands Of la
borers in their employ, and they will
save themselves by reducing the wages
of those in their employ The blow then
falls directly upon the laborers.
But how is it with the mechanics
and small manufacturers? Those who
do their own work and perhaps employ
a few apprentices? They must sustain
the sacrifices themselves. They will
not be able to sustain competition
with the large establishments. But why
is this experiment to be tried? To see
how much reduction labor will bear?
Is it to carry out theory? Is it to test
the cold, heartless, miserable theory
of free trader"
And now comes the interesting part
of the controversy as it relates to North
Carolina. Rather than vote for a bill
that would close the New England fac
tories which consumed cotton and fur
nished employment for labor in its
conversion into fabrics with which to
clothe American people, Senator Will
liam H. Haywood of this state resigned
his seat and retired to private life. He
did not see his way clear to vote
against his party, and he would not
vote for what he believed to be VIC
ious bill.
In Senator Haywood's address to
the people of his state, while describ-
ing the effect of tariff legislation of the
pending character, he used this Ian
guage:
Infant factories are destroyed by
the hand Of legislation, and the older
and more mature establishments are
compelled to diminish their operations
forthwith and consequently discharge
a number Of their laborers and reduce
the wages of all. The laborers suffer
more than the owners because they are
less able to bear it. The sudden loss of
work will be to many Of them and their
families loss Of food and raiment;
and that for which the lawmaker is
commanded to pray-his daily bread
he thus rudely takes by law from the