Show For Revenue or Protection WASHINGTON May BArer the reading of the journal the House went into committee of the whole on the tariff bU Dockery of Mis sour said that In tho last campaign the Re publican party claimed that the farmers would be benefitted by protection yet after a Ropub lican victory the depression in agriculture was greater than ever This depression fol lowed tho great protective victory It was not a temporary condition that the country had to deal with Farm prices had not iccov ered since the panic of 1873 Tho constant tendency in the west has been downward slhce that time He then proceeded to argue that it was not in the power of any tariff to raise the price of any agricultural product unless It could i be seen that it was brought into competition competton with a foreign article Instead of having to meet competition on our own spil American farmers exported their own produce to supply the agricultural deficiency of European coun tries riesMorse Morse inquired whether the farmers did not have to compete with the farmers of Canada Dockery replied that the question revealed another injustice of the tariff system Western farmers had no competition but the effect of the tariff on agricultural products was detrimental detri-mental to the farmers of the east Eggs with a duty of 5 cents a dozen were brought from Canada to New York because It was cheaper to pay the duty on eggs than to pay the railroad rates from the west to the east Therefore the tariff gave no benefit to the farmer of tho west and taxed the easter to the extent of the duty Dockery then submitted an argument In favor of free wool and a reduction of tho duty on manufactured products I his state there were 1000030 more people than sheep and be tween people and sheep his sympathy was with the people Discussing the subject of trusts a connected with the tariff he denounced the dressed beef monopoly of Chicago as havin plundered the farmers of the west by unscrupulous exactions I the farmer was to be relieved i the mortgage mort-gage was to be taken off his farm the government govern-ment must speedily reverse its policy in regard to foreign trade I the government would unshackle un-shackle our genius unhamper our enterprise unfetter our resources we would soon outstrip England Burrows of Michigan said the Republicans would reduce the surplus by one theory the Democrats by another and it was this conflict eonfct of theories which prevented a remedy being ap pled In the campaign of 18S3 the two theories were presented to the American people after a full debate on the platform and in the press a verdict was rendered in favor of the Repubh can theory a verdict so pronounced as to wrest the presidency and popular branch of Congress Con-gress from the Democratic party In the measure mea-sure the committee on ways and means presented pre-sented it was sought to execute the popular verdict and crys allzo It into law The Democratic Demo-cratic party was again going before the people with an appeal that they reverse their verdict The Democratic party favored a tariff for revenue the Republican party favored a tariff for revenue and protection not incidental not accidental but intentional Atariff for revenue only was a step towards free trade and the Republican Re-publican party was against i Ap plause The bill was intended as a measure of protection from the enacting clause to the closing paragraph Burrows defended tin plate surgar and wool sections Free trade meant unrestricted competion unrestricted un-restricted competition m ant chcap goods com potion in cheap goods meant cheap labor com Edition in cheap labor meant cheap flesh and blood competition in cheap flesh and blood was slavery Cheap clothing and cheap food were of no value i human labor was cheaper still Applause Free trade meant cheap ness to the rich and idle but longer hours and harder work to the laborer In this race cheapness the Republican party did not rco propose pro-pose to enter Whatever might be the cause of the present agricultural depression no agrculurl one would be bold enough 1 assert that it was due to the policy which had created a home market capacious enough to consume exclusive of cotton and tobacco 05 per cent of the products of the farm Whatever might be the remedy for the agricultural depression one thing was true it would not bo found in the markets of the world Jn this case sai d Burrows we have sought to reduce the revenues to the case of governmental need witnout imparing n tingle American industry or depriving a single laborng man or the product of his > toll McMillan of Tennessee proposed to stretch this bill this putrid patient upon the dissect ing table In some respects it was like a man for it was fearfully and wonderfully made Again it was like the earth at the creation without form and all darkness There was a general change from ad valorem to specific duties The prices of commodities were lulling all over the world and this change preventeu the consumer from getting the benefit of the reduction The Democratic party would take issue with the Republican party on the new doctrine of bounties He also denounced the increase in the duty on tin plate The gentleman on the other side spoko of the victory achieved by the Republicans Republ cans in 18 That was a victory where the100000 popular majority was for the Democratic candidate This provoked a political politi-cal tilt between Milllkcn and McMillan which lasted some time McMillan then proceeded to an analysis of the bill asserting that aside from the sugar schedule there was not a schedule In which the duties hadnot been Increased Mc Millan predicted when tho Ides of November arrived ar-rived there would go up from the Republican party a wall of defeat Bayne of Pennsylvania was opposed to any general discussion of the bill I should be passed speedily While this measure was pend ing in Congress the interests of tho country would be In a restless and uneasy condition which could only be relieved when the President placed his signature on the bill Referring to the agricultural depression he admitted that in i some parts of the country tho condition of the farmers was bad but he did not think fair that the inference should be drawn that the farmers In foreig countries were in favorable circumstances circum-stances On the contrary ho asserted that the foreign armers wore in a much more deplorable condition than the farmers of the United Stabs tan I the last ten years the farm lands of England small in area had depreciated 54000000000 In value while he asserted that in tho whole I I American union the value or farm lands had not depreciated one cent He predicted that the next census would show an increase In tho alue of th farms of the country over the value in 1880 1try Flower of New York spoke against the bill and tIe committee and House took D recess until 8 oclock Z At the evening session speeches were delivered de-livered by Simonds of Connetlcut Cooper of Indiana Kinsey of Missouri Pierce of Tennessee Ten-nessee Stockbridgo of Maryland Enloe of Tennessee Stewart of Teas anti Brookshiro and Snively of Indiana The House then adjourned ad-journed |