Protection Or Free Trade? by Henry George
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<^Jv^/^yiy ^jUrra^'J a/ ^'lt&£UlC; or z%U~& tZd&JLJ 3 9004 03467990 9 The EDITH and LORNE PIERCE COLLECTION of CANADIANA Queen's University at Kingston : : : "The good doctrine, which is sound democracy."—Hon. Joseph E. Washington. 14 If the Republicans don't like it, it is because it hurts."—Hon. Tom L. Johnson. 1 it. '—Hon. Jerry Simpson. f It would take untold volumes to reply to PROTECTION OR FREE TRADE? BY HENRY GEORGE. In the House of Representatives March II, March 31, April 6 and April 8, 1892. Speech of HON. TOM L. JOHNSON, of Ohio. Speech of HON. WILLIAM J. STONE, of Kentucky. Speech of HON. JOSEPH E. WASHINGTON, of Tennessee. Speech of HON. GEORGE W. FITHIAN, of Illinois. Speech of HON. THOMAS BOWMAN, of Iowa. Speech of HON. JERRY SIMPSON, of Kansas. Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio said I will print a few pages from a work by Mr. Henry Mr. Chairman— I desire to have printed with my re- George. marks the following, being an extract from Henry Mr. FITHIAN said: George's book, ,l Protection or Free Trade." This book, Mr. Chairman— I desire to have printed as my o'vn re- written by a man who views the matter from the stand- marks the following from the pen of Henry George on laboring masses, and point of the interests of the great the tariff question. who is acknowledged through the civilized world as the foremost of political economists, is the clearest and most Mr. BOWMAN said thorough exposition of the whole subject ever yet made. Mr. Chairman— I desire to have printed, as expressing very ably my views on the subject of this bill, the follow- Mr STONE of Kentucky said : ; being an extract from Henry George's writings. It Mr* Chairman—As going to the very root of the tariff ing, is the ablest paper that I know of in opposition to the discussion, and setting forth in the clearest of language, theory of protection. I desire to make a contribution to this debate from the pen of a world-famous writer on political economy, Mr. SIMPSON said : Henry George. I quote the following from his celebrated Mr. Chairman—There is no better way of getting at an book, " Protection or Free Trade." understanding of the justice of the bill before the com- Mr. WASHINGTON said mittee than by examining the first principles of trade and Mr. Chairman— I wish to contribute as my part to the of taxation, and to that end I offer as my part in this de- discussion of the general subject of the tariff the follow- bate the following from the pages of a work quoted in ing interesting thoughts from the pen of one of the ablest every land where the English tongue is spoken, namely, thinkers and writers on economic subjects of the day. " Protection or Free Trade," by Henry George. Congressional Record, April 15, 1892. Mr. Burrows. Mr. Speaker . I desire to call at- Mr. Burrows. I move to strike out, on page tention of the Chair to the Record of this morning. On 7556 of the Record, from what is printed as the speech of Eage 35<;6, there is a speech of Henry George, not a mem- Mr. Stone of Kentucky, all that Henry George says . er of this House, supplemented by five lines of the gentle- Mr. Richardson. I suppose the gentleman will include man from Kentucky [Mr. Stone]. If the Chair will ex- also the letter of Mr. Horr, printed on the same page, amine the matter he will see that chapters from 21 to 25 inserted by the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Dolliver]. inclusive are attached to these four lines. I desire There are about two columns of that matter. I move to also to call attention to the fact, that while the gentleman amend the motion of the gentleman from Michigan by from Kentucky embraces chapters from 21 to 25, another including the letter of Mr. Horr, and I also move to gentleman [Mr. Bowman], embraces from 16 to 20, strike out the poem on page 3368 inserted by the gentle- and the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Washington] man from Michigan [Mr. Belknap.] [Laughter.] Fublished chapters from 11 to 15; the gentleman from Mr. Stone of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the motion is llinois [Mr. Fithian] publishes chapters 6 to 16, and Mr. to strike out matter inserted in the Record by myself. Johnson of Ohio, publishes chapters 1 to 5. The title Now, I want to plead guilty to the charge of the gentle- " of this book is, Protection or Free Trade." . It is man from Michigan that I did insert that matter in the simply a question whether under leave granted to mem- Record, and did so for the reason that I had the right to bers of the House to extend their remarks on the tariff do so under the leave given by the House. I inserted it debate, it is in order to embody, without making any re- for the express purpose of having it go to the voters of marks of your own whatever under that order, except this country upon the question of tariffreform. I inserted sufficient to constitute a peg to hang it on, to publish a it for that express purpose and no other. I want to say printed volume in the Record for distribution. They to the House and to the gentleman from Michigan that have got chapters now, from 1 to 25, and the next Record, there are a number of members upon this floor who, at I suppose, to-morrow will complete the volume. I wish various times during the discussion of the tariff question, to know whether that is in order, and if it is in order, of have tried in vain to get an opportunity to address the course we have several volumes on the other side that House in regard to it— really to address the country, be- we propose to have published. [Laughter on the Repub- cause we do not listen to tariff speeches here ; they are lican side.] made to go to the country. The Speaker. How extensive the extracts which I myself, during the discussion that has gone on up to a member prints shall be is not a matter for the this time, have been so unfortunate as not to be recognized Chair to determine. The House itself has always, as the for the purpose of addressing the House, or my constit- Chair understands, determined the question whether or uents, through the funnel of this House, but upon the no there has been any violation or breach of the privilege day mentioned I did secure recognition for the purpose granted, and therefore the Chair thinks there should be of extending in the Record some remarks upon the tariff, eome resolution or motion on the subject. and I inserted the matter in question, and, Mr. Speaker x the aniclcth.it I have had printed in the Record. I had no opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to make any re- I put it in there, as 1 have had said, for the purpose of marks during the discussion of this question upon the having it ^ to the country. There is no denial to be floor, and I thought and think still I had the right— I in- that, and I do not "desire any denial or excuse. sist I had the right—in the absence of any remarks of my Further, upon that point, let me say that this is my fourth own, to submit remarks or writings of other gentlemen, terra in and that during my service here I especially the eminent gentleman from whom I copied ..ry gentleman that I have had any ac- the extract, for the purpose of expressing clearly the 3uaintance with who has been at all prominent in the views that I entertain upon the question ; and if it were n of public questions in this House, insert that not for the fact that the argument I inserted in that very class of matter in the Record. I do not mean matter speech goes to the very vitals of this question, if it were like this, because gentlemen upon the other side not for the fact that the argument I inserted in the Record do not insert this kind of matter [Uuighter]; and that is was a complete refutation of the position of gentlemen on where the thing is hurting, that this matter is going out the other side on the tariff question, the question that was to the voters of the country. But I have seen gentlemen under discussion at that time, no objection whatever _ insert almost all sorts of matter in the Rtcord under the would have been made to it even if it had occupied «p \ leave to print. Why, sir, members of the Republican twenty pages of the Record instead of a few columns. It party inserted the tariff articles of Mr. Blaine contained was not because of the space occupied in the Record that rwenty Years oi Congress; inserted them bodily these gentlemen complain, but it was because of the into the Record during the campaign of 1884. facts, the cold facts, that are laid down for the people to Mr. McMilun. That was done by Mr. Brewer, of read on this question, an argument which reviews and New Jersey, if the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bur- lays bare the position of gentlemen upon that side, that > :11 recollect, and it was done without any com- the complaint against these remarks being inserted in the plaint on the part oi the gentleman from Michigan.