Show I MR BRIGHT AND MR STRONG Being Ono One Se Session lon of a u I Debate on tile the Tariff 1 I Mr Bright At At the lie last we wo talked about reciprocity most of or you seemed to be against 10 me me and yet Mr tr Joseph Chamberlain who Is lending lend lead ing lug a n. movement for lor or again fastening Plott protection upon Great Gleat Britain talks about tempering It h by reciprocity with the colonies promised the fm same thing when hien he lie fastened his high duties on this country Reciprocity seems ms to be he a good gool platform to get gret In Inon on on but not to stand upon Mr Welch Reciprocity he between tween tho lie different parts of oC the empire I Jq is an essential part of or the Chamberlain policy of ot Imperial Federation Its great reat object I Is to bind hind the thu United 1 Kingdom ln dom and all the British colonies more closely to together ether b by the bonds of mutual Interest The ss s's system em will vIli III then bert clo closely el resemble ours Internal free trade and external protection to tog together to- to g gether gother make our national po policy II C To say that thal external free trade would work ork ork as w well Il as Internal would be lip to Ignore national differences and interests and oUt our constitutional hIs hIs- tory lory Both parties in Canada favor the Chamberlain policy and for severn several I years ealS the Canadian tariff has promoted pro pro- It Jt by taking off third one-third of or the duties on British and Colonial goods Mr lr Gray Gra- Gra Gray Nevertheless our trade with Canada Is increasing over that of Great Grent Britain That Is no reflection on their policy polley however but hut results from our oUt nearness and the great reat convenience con eon of or getting goods quickly The tariffs of or the lie two countries do not stand In the lie way of ot a great and In Increasing increasing In- In creasing trade and of entirely friendly relations So long therefore a as I Canada favors the tho Chamberlain policy for Cor Imperial reasons she certainly will not favor Cavor reciprocity with the United States hence there never was n. n more untimely and senseless agitation than that of or the last two or three years In Massachusetts for reciprocity with Canada You might as well undertake undertake undertake under under- take to sow wheat In the winter or orather orgather orgather gather ather figs of or thistles in iii the fall Applause e. e Mr Thomas heres Wheres the sense in lu keeping duties so high Vh Why not nol revise tho lie tariff and get rid of or such monstrosities Mr Gray Why cry for Cor a theoretical cal hurt Domestic competition havIng having hav hay ing lug brou brought ht down domm prices so that the they are ate actually below some sonic of the duties this Is one of or the triumphs of ot protection pro pro- Prices however are always fluctuating and anti sometimes duties need to be he high to prevent the thc shutting of or our mills by the dumping here of or foreign bankrupt stocks Take a case lII like e this thus In January and February 1890 steel rails In England were regularly quoted free ree on board at 30 35 a a. ton In May Ia at only 23 2375 a 2375 G-a G a fall of ot nore than 11 In three months From May to August 1886 they were 1642 but In the fore fOle part of 1890 they were more than twice that Mr 11 James M. M S Swank ank of or Philadelphia the highest authority In this country on iron and amid steel well says that We e do donot donot not need protection against British steel rails at 35 per ton but against steel rails at 10 1642 42 per ton The rhe same Is true in varying degrees o of other commodities The point I make is that If we are to have havo protection at atall atall atall all tho the duties must be high enough to guard against violent fluctuations in foreign prices s. s for tor of course we cannot cannot cannot can can- not alter our oUt tariff el e every little while to conform to them Applause Mr i Bright Bright No 0 matter about British prices Didn't Mr Ir Schwab write another anthe Pittsburg steel magnate In iii 1899 You know we can make steel rails mils at a profit for tor 12 a n. ton This was Inside Information but It li got grot out Now why not revise the lie tariff tarm and give the American people the benefit of 12 rails Applause Mr Strong r I I suppose Mr 11 Schwab did use some such expression but it was vcr very Incomplete tion It had hall reference to the Carnegie Steel company's ability to compete an and It was as based on the tho cost of manu- manu f and not olf oit the cost of the ma ma- Look In the United States Statistical Abstract and you OU will see that the price of or Bessemer pI pig Iron at Pittsburg In 1899 was 1903 a at t ton tomb n. n It takes more than a ton of or pig to make a ton o of rails So If the steel company had been obliged to purchase Its material It would have lost from Crom rein 8 st E to 10 I 0 a ton on all the rails it sold for 12 I Applause Ever since then the price of pi pig has been heen above 12 12 2 and the United d States Steel cor con though the largest producer produce of or Iron ore and pig Iron in tho the country coun coun- try lIT and ln ha having vessels and railroads railroad cf of Its own for Cor assembling the ma mn- t Is constantly in the market as asa asa astL a tL buyer of pi pig and has paid from 1376 to 18 for Cor It durin during the last los four Cour years This completely disposes dispose of or the 1 12 stor story for tor of ot course 1 It would be absurd to expect producers t to give si away their raw material Applause Ap Ap- Mr 11 Welch Mr elch Mr Bright BrightS says S N No 0 matter about British prices but I think thc they como cOme In pat here for since sine 1899 the lie average price of steel rails In England has been 2904 1 the ton while In this country it has been only 2862 and Is on only 1 28 8 now no Speaking o of these these- prices General Draper Drapel mada made mad madea a good point In a speech when h he showed that If Ir the dut duty of or t 8 were added to the English price as ou our free Cree trade friends t So ay say It always alwn's Is the tho price here would have been the tho theton to ton on 1 moro than has been charged here Mr 11 Thomas Vh Why does docs the Steel Stee Trust deliver louver rails In Canada for Cor or 22 and demand 28 here Mr Because Velch Welch Because there are two important steel plants In Canada to j which the Dominion government so pays pay's pays bounties on billets and rails I This compels the British tho the Belgian and tho thie United States rail makers to cut prices In Canada if Ir they thoy sell there here Mr Thomas Yell Well Well If It they if-they the they can sell there here for 22 2 they can here Mr Velch Welch That does not follow tollow There Is no probability that th thy boy y make nake a living profIt In Canada Manufacturers Manufacturers Manu Manu- rs In all nil countries get more at home tome than abroad They rhey have to or orthe orthey the they hey could not afford to do business But lut the home price Is not excessive It t has come down from Crom In 1867 before fore we wc made steel rails ralls to 28 8 now I The protective policy polley which has made mode this possible has hns al also o brought down the cost of hauling a bushel of or wheat b by rail from Chicago to New NewYork NewYork ew York from cents in 1867 to 02 c cents in 1906 Thus not only do our workmen get general employment at high ugh wages but consumers consume get the tho of cheaper freights which means cheaper food Applause Mr Bright Still I think the tariff ought to be revised Mr Gra Gray Gray Of Ot Of course It will be some day but over every reason which any of you has given for Cor it It or which has been icon advanced In iii congress has been heen answered Why hy act reason Wh disturb prosperity What do rou ou seek seel b by revision re Mr Bright Wc e We seek lower prices sod lid nd we believe lower lowel duties will bring t them hem I i en Mr Gray r I I thank you OU for Cor that honest admission But lower lowel prices Ill mean lower wages More Ioro than nce lower duties have hav m meant ant antl l t no wages ages at nil all for the they hare have closed our mills Cheapness at atthe atthe atthe the expense of employment Would be bea a a. dear mistake If scaling scaling- down n Is what revision moans means W we had better postpone it as long as we can Mr tr Strong Stron G Strong Gentlemen our time I 15 j up and we must part palt Not only have laave we vre formed a pleasant acquaintanceship acquaint acquaint- with each other which I hope will be a lasting Listing friendship but butI I think we wo have ha learned a a. great deal about the tariff And Is It too much to claim that this knowledge mak makes makes' s' s us love our country a little better Before Before Be Be- fore tore we part let us sing Ing America Remember er the days of registration |