Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-12-02
POLITICAL.
SPEECH OF SlLAS WRIGHT
On The Final Passage If The Tariff Bill
L.. Sr..an A.. o 1910
liz SENATE, Aug. l6, 1912

IN SENATE, mug ~. lO4S
Mr. WnIeuT said he rose not to make speech,
but to declare that he about to record his vote
in favor of this bill "A declaration which il pained
him to know would carry disappointment and sor.
row to the minds of macy of his most respected
and esteemed friends, both in aud out Of this hail.
IL had been his habii, MS it had been his pleasure
and PRIDE, to act with his political friends and he
could not describe the reluctance under which he
now found himself compelled TO separate from
mem. Yet after the most mature and anxious
reneclon he had come to the conclusion that il
was his duty 10 vote for this measure because he
assumed that this bill must puss in the form il now
hears, or that no Revenue Inv can pass ut the
present session. " he was correc, IN his assump-
ION, then he could not avoid the conclusions he
had announced aud he did not SUPPOSE here was
n single member of either house of Congress- who
supposed for n moment that, irthis bill be rejected
upon this vote, any attempt is to he made, at this
session, to pass n Revenue bill. The alternative
presented, then, is this bill or none and the deem
and deliberate conviction of his mind was that this
bill should pass bad and loaded with defects as he
believed tito he, rather than that none Should pass
collateral consideration had greatly troubled
him in asserting to this conclusion. lis first SER
vice IN Congress was ms Il member of the Commit
tee on Manufactures of the House OF Representa-
tives, during the session OF 1927 and 1923, when
In assisted TO form and voted for the Tariffb of
1898, which has been so extensively denomnated
!
without experience in legislation of this class and
character but his experience from that action had
taught hun the truth of the adage, that " mems evil
deeds follow them" He became very soon con-
yinced that he had committed great error on that
occasion and IL was possible he was about TO com
NIT another rs great now. Ii grieved him TO know
aud feel HAT many friends within the reach of his
voice, whose judgment he most highly respected,
aud whose good opinions were most valuable to
him, would 50 look upon his present vote. He
could not. The occasions Appeared to he wholly
'lissimilar. The Tariff of 1898 was avowedly
passed for protection and Demonstrations OF rev.
enue had any connection with it, they were only
Incidental to the main object of protection. There
was no complaint of want Mt the Treasury; no al.
legged necessity for increased revenues and no
blemlsh upon the public credit, so far as his rccol-
lection served him. Not so now, but precisely
the reverse in all these respects The treasury is
empty aud almost daily the public creditors are
turned away from it without payment. This very
Congress has increased and is daily increasing the
public expenditures, and thus creating the neces-
sry for increased revenues. And the puhc cred
It is NOT sinking, but sunken; so that loans at high
interest and long time cannot be negotiated at
home or abroad, upon the declared reason that we
have not revenues TO meet the payment of the pub
lie linbies.
These changes OF circumstances constituted, in
ms mind, the highest necessity for revenue law,
and forced upon him, under the most solemn sense
OF public duty, the course of action which he pro-
posed 20 pursue. All he could ask of the friends
who should differ from him, and believe HIM to
be still in error was that they would believe him
to be governed by pure motivesi and it in error,
to he honestly So lie owed it TO those friends as
well ms himself TO make another remark which
was, that the consequences OF his action, il evil,
should be visited upon himself and himself alone ;
as no friend here or elsewhere, had interiered to
bring him TO the conclusion he had pronounced.
Many very dear friends, whose Judgments upon
all uimost all occasions, he valued more highly
Than his own, had kindly attempted 10 convince
hm that he was i'll error not one to urge him to
give the vote.
Alter what had been said, and so well said by
the honorable Senator from Pennsylvania Mr. Blu
jchannnl, upon the subject Of distribution, and the
condition of The Treasury, and of public credit, as
connected with the passage of the bill, he should
be required but briefly to aude to those topics,
although upon them rested his action. Ii was
known to the Senate that he had entertained deep
feelings against The policy of distribution in any
torn, or tor any purpose and it certainly was
powerful and leading nducement with hm to
vote for this BILL that its effect was be 70 arrest,
and, he hoped, to eradicate forever, that policy.
lie begged TO he believed in the assertion that, IN
speaking of distribution with the irankncss aud
piannees which this occasion required. he did not
design TO utter one word which should, wound The
| feelings OF single individual on any side of The
House. lie knew there were many as honestly
and strongly friendly to the policy. as lie was hon.
eslly and strongly opposed TO it, 1t was his inten-
ton, upon all occasions, TO award others that cred
ii for sincerity and purity OF purpose, which he
now asked from them and he now certainly felt
the heavy responsibility resting upon him too SEN
siby TO entertain unkind feelings, to give utter
uncc to unklnd words, towards any one.
The honorable Senator from Massachusetts mir
Choate in the course of his eloquent appeal in
favor of this bill had heaufed and embellished
the policy OF distribution, 0s we'll as of protection,
in manner to which he could not, il he would,
reply; nor was it his object 10 reply to that fervid
and imaginative speech.
| Tie must, however, entrent his friends who did
not reside in sections OF the country where the po-
icy OF protection is advocated, and who are to vote
against this bill because it embodes that principle,
10 consider, for one moment, one OF the dec lara
tons of that Senator in regard to distribution as
distinct it is significant II was that the friends
OF protection were, by natural consequence, AMI
rs II matter OF necessity also friends of disribu-
ton Could any sentiment be more pain aud nat
ural, or be more clearly evlnciVe of the eXpedien.
cy OF roofing out upon the first possible occasion,
the very germe of this distribution policy? The
passage OF this bill will do that, while yet the poll
cy llsel! is not settled and established. Reject this
bill, and distribution continues as 10 the whole
ladd revenue, notwithstanding the treasury will
remain empty, our appropriation for the public
service will be unpaid, and the public credit will
receive a further and more fatal wound. And still
The Senator tells us the friends of protection are
the natural and necessary friends Of distribution
that is TO say, they wish 10 make and perpeuate
necessity for high taxes and high tariff and
what policy can prevent TINT necessity so certain
y, and make it so surely perpetual, that of dis
lribution. Establish that policy and our short
experience has already proved to us that it will
confne itself TO the land revenue. Already it is
proposed TO carry it beyond all the revenues to the
credit of The country andb the interest and prn-
cpal OF debt TO present an occasion for high tax
es, which will he endless. Once settle that fear
iul system as part Of our established policy in the
administration of this Government, and The calls
for taxation, in the shape of duties upon imports,
will only be limited by the wants Of this Govern
ment for expenditure, added to the combined
wants of the Governments of all the States which
now do. or hereafter NAV cOmpose this extended