Question

What do you think Senator Morrill meant by “‘revenue reform’ conceals free trade under its cloak, it conceals a dagger aimed at the American laborer”?

Answer 1

Senator Morrill viewed 'revenue reform' as a threat to American workers, implying that free trade policies could harm their livelihoods by introducing greater international competition.

Step-by-step explanation:

Senator Morrill's statement that "'revenue reform' conceals free trade under its cloak, it conceals a dagger aimed at the American laborer" suggests that he believed efforts to reform revenue through free trade policies were disguised attacks on domestic workers. His use of the metaphor of a "dagger" implies that these policies would be harmful to American labor, potentially by undermining job security or wage levels as a result of increased international competition. The historical context of this statement relates to debates over tariff reform and the protection of home industries versus the benefits of free trade to consumers. During this period, there was significant tension between the desire to protect American jobs through high tariffs and the push for lower tariffs to reduce costs for consumers.

Answer 2

The text comes from a speech called "The Tariff Bill" given by Hon. Justin S. Morrill of Vermont in the Senate of the United States in 1872.

In this sentence, the senator is arguing that "revenue reform" is just another way to refer to reforms towards free trade. He believes that free trade hurts American labourers by forcing them to compete with cheap imports from other countries. His view is called protectionism. It encouraged the establishment of tariffs in trade in order to protect national industries.