AN AMUSTNG DEBATE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 23 July 1888, Page 3

AN AMUSTNG DEBATE.

Tha New York correspondent of tho Melbonrne " Age," writing under date M»»v 25, says : — Mr Mills, the father of the Freetrnde Bill now before Congress, had drawn a pathetic picture m hia opening address of the troubles of the working men under the Protective Tariff. He allowed th»t m Freetrade countries a nv*a could boy nn all-wool Buit of clothes for lOdols or £2, while m the United Htateß, under our present system, he was obliged to pay doable that amount for tho same thing. This suit of clothes has been one of the stock arguments of the Freetraders and they hav^ put It on whenever occasion offered. Oa the day In question, the debate hod fallen into the hands of M»jor M'Kinley, aProtectlonUt whom the Freetraders foar as well as respect, and on whom the Preteotionlsta always lean with entire confidence. One of the Freetrade members of Congress is Leopold Morse, of Massachusetts, and at Home he is the prinoipal member of a large' warehouse for the Bale of clothing. During the debate Mojor M'Kinley took up Mills' story about the poor working man and his lOdols suit of clothes. 'The trouble with that story,' M'Kinley said, ' was that the lOdols suit does not coat 20dols, as Mr MUli stated. I', can be bought at retail here for lOiolu.' ' Not at my store,' quoth Leopold Morse, the clothing merchant OoDgress man, who stood near by. Whereupon Major M'Kinley drew a bundle from beneath nin desk, opened it, and displayed a suit of all wool clothing. Then he read a bill showing that this solt of clothes was bought from Mr Morse's store, m Boston, forlOdole, within the last fortnight. ( I never knew (hat Mr Morso aoldolothea without making a profit,' added Mejor M'Kinley, whose vo'ce was drowned In roar a of applause and laughter, Jamld which the Boatonjclothing merchant slunkaway. 'Thio suit of olothcß, 1 continued Major M'Kinley, ' would have coat 40 por cent more m 1860 than It did In 1838' It was an or pot lesion that ought to flak deep into tho Freetrade heart if anything will, , and the advocates of Freetrade are not like'y to hoar tho laat of the lOdols suit of all wool clothing for a long time to come. In regard to the last remark of M* j>r M'Kln!ey. about f tbe coat m 1860, it should b 9 explained that m 1860 wo were nnder what waa practically a Frectrado tariff, and clothing was dearer then than it is at present"