MILLS TARIFF BILL OF 1888

U. S. Senator Roger Q. Mills

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, August 10, 1888.

The Mills Bill.

   The first tariff for the protection of our "infant industries," was passed in 1789. The average rate on all dutiable imports was then fixed at 8 per cent.

   The tariff of 1824 raised the rate to 38 per cent.

   Four years later, in 1828, it was increased to 40 per cent.

   The tariff law of 1842 reduced the rate to 32 per cent.

   The next raise was in 1861 when the rate was fixed at 35 1/2 per cent.

   The tariff in 1864 for war purposes was 47 1/2 per cent.

   The Mills bill fixes the rate at 40 per cent—only seven per cent less than in war times, and 32 per cent higher than was necessary to protect our "industries" in their infancy in 1789.

   We ask all fair minded men if the Mill's bill, which leaves the tariff higher than it ever was, with the single exception of the war tax of 1864, is a free trade measure?—Ithaca Democrat.

U. S. General Philip Sheridan

Death of General Sheridan.

   General Philip H. Sheridan died at Nonquitt, Mass., at 10:30 o'clock last Sunday. While his death was not unexpected, the public were given to understand just previous thereto, that there was no immediate danger. His death is said to have occurred from heart failure. "Little Phil," as his soldiers called him, was a born fighter, and was almost invariably successful in his battles. About the only adversary he ever met that he could not overcome was the grim monster death. He was born at Somerset, Ohio in 1833.

PAGE TWO/EDITORIALS.

   If a tariff tax of 47 1/2 per cent helps the working man, why not double the tax and possibly he might not have to work at all? If the first proposition is sound, the latter ought to be.

   The republican doctrine can be summed up in this sentence: The more taxes the people have to pay the more prosperous they become. In other words the more money a man is compelled to disgorge for taxes the more he will have left in his wallet.

   Chairman Mills owns more sheep on his Texas ranch than do all the Republican editors and politicians put together who are shouting that he is ruining sheep raising by declaring in favor of untaxed wool. Intelligent people know that between 1867, when the taxes on wool were raised, and 1872, only five years, the number of sheep in this country decreased nearly eight millions.

   How many diamonds, stuffed birds, cabinets of coins, snails, quoits, tortoise shells, and how much attar of roses, mother of pearl, rosewood and mahogany, meerschaum, and jewelry, do the railroad laborer, mechanic and farmer have use for during a year? Is it for their interest that these articles should be free of duty; or would they gain more by cheapening handsaws, cream of tartar, rice, garden seeds, books, boards, hats, thread and clothing?—Exchange.

   Republican papers are now claiming that taking the tax off whiskey is "in harmonious accord with the most advanced and enlightened views of those who are honestly striving to promote the cause of temperance reform." In other words our friends profess to believe that to lower the price will lessen the consumption of whiskey, make it easy to get and it will not be required. Evidently our friends have placed the appetite for stimulants in the toper’s mind instead of his palate. To be consistent they must also reason that to make clothing cheaper would reduce the necessity and inclination for its use. Reduce the price of coal and fires will not be needed when the thermometer goes down below zero. If this reasoning be sound, why not put all the necessaries of life on the free list and thus abolish the term. It would be a great saving to poor people.

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   The peach crop to Ontario and Niagara counties promises splendidly.

   Horseheads [New York] claims to have a colored man 150 years old, employed in a livery stable.

   The goblets and lamp shimmys that the glass eaters in the dime museums eat are made for this special purpose of isinglass and silicate, and are comparatively harmless.

   Joshua Hirst, the aged janitor of Cornell University, was found dead in bed Tuesday morning of last week. Some years ago Hirst willed his body to the anatomical department of the University to be dissected and the skeleton to be mounted and preserved. He left no family.

   A break in the Erie canal was discovered at one o'clock, Thursday morning, a little east of Brighton. The heel-path side of the canal was washed away for a considerable distance. The break was caused by rats. Thirty-nine boats were caught in the three mile cut east of Rochester, and with their cargoes are badly damaged.

   A case that has battled the skill of the best physicians in Western New York for the past three years just reached its climax and is a large-sized surprise party to the physicians. Four years ago this summer, Nina, the 2 year old daughter of Dr. S. G. Lewis of Olean, while playing with other children swallowed a piece of dirt. The other children thought it contained a small angle worm, but the child's parents thought not, and paid no attention to the matter and soon forgot it. Nearly a year later the child began to complain of its stomach feeling badly, and said that something was alive and wiggling about therein. She grew worse and became so nervous that it was impossible for her to keep quiet more than a moment at a time. The little girl, now 6 years of age, was taken with a violent fit of vomiting, Wednesday, and in her struggle threw forth the little angle worm which had reposed in her stomach for four years. The worm had grown to an enormous size, it measuring nearly ten inches long and as large around as one's finger. The child is rapidly recovering.

References:

Senator Roger Q. Mills: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Q._Mills

General Philip Sheridan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Sheridan