New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-15
THE REVENUE BILL IN THE SENATE.
IBY rELEGRAPH rO TnE TRIBUNE.l


WASHINGTON, July 14.-The discussion of the
Revenue bill was resumed the Senate this after
noon, Senator Bayard having the floor His speech
was carefully prepared and interesting and COM
manded close attention from n majority of the
Democrats, and from many Republicans. 1t was of
course designed for campaign uses and it embodied
the best presentation of tariff questions from a
Democratic standpoint.
There was nothing in the Democratic record to
which the Senator could POINT with pride, and he
was therefore, compelled to limit himself to
assaults upon the Republican position and the his
tory of tariff legislation during Republican control
Even in this effort the Senator embarrassed by
the necessity of approving in general terms the
purpose for which the present bill was framed-or
rather for winch it was amended in the Senate com
mittee-and thus his line of attack was limited to
compIa Iaints because it did not propose to 90 far
enough and because it was not undertaken earlier
Upon tariff matters in general the Senator is
acknowledged to be authority, and his demonstra-
tions of the necessity for reduction of the burdens
of taxation were convincing and instructive.
He thought it "a cause of congra ulatIOn that the
subject OF a reduction of taxation was to be con-
sidered. lie dwet upon the Importance of the sub
ect and referred to the labor strikes, which he be-
eyed were the indirect results of tariff system.
He spoke of the power to levy taxes the greatest
of the poweIs of the Government, but expressed the
conviction that it had constitutional right to
exercise this power for the benefit of classes or in
dvduals. lie read from the speeches of Republi-
can leaders made when the present tariff system
was in process of formation, to show that it was
then designed to be temporary and was device for
raising the money necessary to carry on the war;
He anayzcd the bill feature by feature, declaring
that as it came from the House it was miscalled a
hill for tbo of the rpvpnue The rpIiaf II
afforded would be relief to the wealthy and the
powerful only.
In regard 10 the Senate committees amendments,
he found much to disapprOve The reduction upon
Bessemer steel not great enough, nasmuch as it
would still give the manufacturers an enormously
profitable monopoly. Look at Mexico and Canada.
he said where two miles of railroad built at the
cost of one mile in the United States. This added
expense in building American roads must inevitably
result in higher freight rates, and then it became
burden upon the producer. The amend
ment in relation to hoop iron, Mr.. Bay
ard said was IN effect laying additional
burdens iupon the cOton-growers of the South. h,
reductions OF the tax upon matches and sugar were
not measures of relief for the masses, but for par
tIcular interests. In general he favored these
auctions, but he would reduce the ariii upon other
commodities ut the same time. Protection was de-
sirabe, but IT should be an me ldent merely to the
raising of a revenue. lie dwelt upon the fact that
no proposition had come from the Finance Commit
tee for relief from the expensive aud inquistOrlal
operations OF the Internal Revenue Bureau.
when the speech of Senator Bay ird was finished
the dill was read, and the first of the Finance Com
mittees amendments was agreed TO without divi-
son it beng merely formal III its character. When
the clause repeating the tax upon bank deposits
reached senator Beck moved that IL be stricken
out, and that "a provision reducing the tobacco tax
TO 10 cents a pound be inserted. Pending the vote
upon this motion, the Senate adjourned.
1t is probable that the Democrats VIII do the
greater part of the talking upon the Revenue bill,
and that the speech-makIng will last a week, and
perhaps two weeks