Mr. HENDRICKS. Then why not put it all at 50 cents? There is nothing in the treaties to prevent us putting all coals at 50 cents, I suppose, if that is right, if that is the tax that ought to be upon them. Now, I know of no interest that can be protected, if we are to have protection as a purpose of legislation at all, with less hurt to the country than coal. It will make no difference to us in the western States whether the tax upon foreign coals be one dollar or 5 dollars a ton, for no coal can reach the interior of this country from the sea coast; and I suppose that the only section that can be affected by this provision is that section that lies upon the At lantic coast; and it is simply a proposition that they shall have cheap coal from the Provinces coming in immediate competition with the coal interests of our own States. I do not think that is right if we are to have a tariff bill at all like this. The burden of the argument of the Senfrom Ohio [Mr. SHERMAN] in support of this bill, who represented the committee in its advocacy, in its protective features, was this: that the volume of our currency is so great that labor is high, and that everything which goes to decide the cost of labor is so high that we cannot compete with the labor of other countries; and he took the position, as I under stood, that labor was higher than gold in comparison with former times. Then, sir, if that position be true, ought not the laborer in the mines to be protected from it? If that be true ought not the interests that are invested in coal to be protected upon that proposition, the proposition upon which this whole bill stands as a protective bill? Another thing: is it right for the manufac turing localities to ask a high tax upon all they produce and then to refuse a similar protection to the laborers in the coal mines? By this bill you add a%. to the clothing that the miner purchases from NewEngland. That goes into the cost of labor in the mines. 'Is it not fair, then, as you talk in this bill so much about compensations, that you shall, protect the miner in his labor? You make him pay something more for every article of clothing that he buys, that that protection may go to the benefit of the manufacturer. Is it fair, then, to say that the manufacturer shall have a benefit in this legislation of cheap coal coming in competition with the laborer in our own mines? I do not think it is right; and although I generally vote for the lowest rate of duty that is reasonable and right, I shall vote for a liberal protection to coal in this bill.