Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-12-17
senator Morrill, in Defence of the Tar

senator Morrill, i'm Defence of the Tar
iff
In the Senate on Thursday Of INST week
senator Morrill, called up his tariff resolu-
ton in accordance with a notice previously
given 10y him. His speech, the first speech
Of the session, occupied in its delivery about
an hour and half. 1t gave rise to lively
debate in which such men as Sherman and
| Beck took an active part A leading Wash
ington correspondent says Mr., Morrill,
was in excellent FORM his seventy-six years
notwithstanding, and throughout the deliv
cry of his speech commanded the undivided
attention Of his audience. An unusually
large number of Senators paid him the com
| plnment of remaining in their seats while
he spoke-a compliment rarely bestowed
nowadays upon any speaker in the Senate
chamber, After finishing, the author Of
the Morrill, tariff received the warm con
CALCULATIONS of his friends on the Repubi-
can side.
Mr. Morrill, said it appeared that some
new Democratic leaders had determined
upon a national contest ON the tariff ques-
|
away from the example Of the first act of
the first Congress, away from the teachings
Of jefferson and Jackson, as well as from
the latest democratic national platform
The avoidance Of old issues by those tariff
reformers might be wise, but it was not so
clear that the new issues would be less cal
amitous than those issues from which they
sought to escape, or that heretofore ended
in inglorious defeat. Neither the magni-
tude of the question nor the courage of
those who Haunted free trade on their ban
ners would be denied, for it threatened
nothing less than ruin and disaster to many
| of the great industries of the American
people Under these circumstances it would
be cowardice To shirk the discussion So
broadly rendered. discussion wherein the
Senate had not had, and might not have
any formal opportunity to participate. 1t
was clear that the democratic presidential
candidate would have been defeated but for
the protective tariff back bone inserted in
the democratic platform by the national
convention at Chicago July 10, 1894.
The protective tariff Democrats, he said,
were now receiving vitriolic denunciations
from the half breed allies of free trade, be-
cause u their honest efforts to prevent their
party from violating pledges ON which the
party obtained its victory by majority OF
only fingers breadth Before the cleo
ton ''the devil was sick, the devil monk
would be" but after the election ''the devil
was well, the devil a monk was he"
Mr.. Morrill, spoke at length in favor OF
protection He admitted that the extinc
ton of the public debt had proceeded Sc
rapidly that the temporary surplus of reve
nue. might become an inevitable question
What should be done with it was a fail
question, Some of the surplus would have
to be used for new navy and for seaboarC
defences, and then the internal revenue tax
ON tobacco must be wholly surrendered
The consumption of tobacco added much Il
the workingmen's cost of living, and I,
them the repeal of the tax would be a sub
stantial boon. The duties on raw sugar
might also be either wholly removed or GU
down to the lowest point from all countries
which do not impose duties, and then gen
erous bounty might be granted to all domes
tic sugars A revision of the tariff at al
. early day would be eminently desirable
but the work should not be entrusted 4
those who are color blind and who can SCI
nothing but reduction or the abandonment
of all duties.