Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-12-17
WASHINGTON NEWS.
A DEBATE UPON THE TARIFF QUES-
TON IN THE SENATE.
senator Morrill, Makes an Able Argument
The Senate Electoral Count Bin
Passes the House Slightly Amended
An Abstract of the Measure,

his resolution upon the tariff question
Senator Morrill, Of Vermont said
The protective tariff democrats, were
receiving vtriolic denunciaton from
their half-breed allies of free trade
because of their honest efforts to prevent
their party from violating the pledges on
which the party obtained its victory by
majority of only fingers breadth. Be
fore the election "The devil was sick, the
devil monk would be" But after the
election "The devil was well, the devil a
monk was he" Promises to associates,
he continued, are said to find the
honor OF class not to be named by
me and assuredly should have bound
that branch of the democratic party which
prides itself on tariff REFORM But for
getting they had sOlemnly declared that
lit is not proposed to iniure any demo-
Graf iC industries, but rather to promote
their growth we find instead that their
conduct bore no reference TO their creed
and they were ready not only to iniure
but TO injure fatally whenever they acted,
as was shown by their latest edition of
tariff bills which favored the repeal of
all duties upon imported wool and hemp,
as well as upon salt and fish, flax and flax
straw and lute, measure which at one
blow could blot out a.. of these domestic
industries vital to the prosperity of all the
portions OF our country and stamped them
directly into alien hands. When business
OF all kinds Is moving in a normal condi-
ton of general cOntentment, neither ey-
clted nor depressed, a change in the tariff
laws by which trade and industrial affairs
are TO be governed or effected is ever I'M
welcome and only to be justified when
promising great immediate and pal
pable benefits, as any change must,
to some extent, dislocate the repu-
of oil 10,
dustrial establishments But to propose
such a change when business affairs have
been unusually depressed, when trade
everywhere has offered only meagre in
ducements, when wage .earners find
steady employment uncertain and unsat-
isfactory, but showing signs of improve
ment, it would seem peculiarly inauspi.
ciouS.
He proceeded to ridicule Morrisons
scheme for the horizontal reduction of the
tariff and said their effect could only be
to let a flood of foreign productions pour
in and Over-run the American market.
He admitted that the extinction of the
public debt had proceeded so rapidly that
there was a temporary surplus. "What
should be done with it ?" was a fair ques-
ton. Some of a surplus would have to
be used for new navy and for seaboard
defences and then the internal revenue
tax on tobacco may be wholly surrender
ed. The consumption of tobacco added
much TO the workingmen's cost of living
and to them the repeal of the tax would be
a substantial boon. The duties on raw
sugar might also be either wholly re.
moved or cut down TO the lowest point
from all countries which do not impose
duties and then generous bounty might
be granted to all domestic sugar re
vision of the tariff at an early day would
be eminently desirable, but the work
should not be entrusted to those who are
color blind and who can see nothing but
reduction or abandonment of all duties
Senator Beck said he did not propose TO
argue the tariff question to-day. The
senator from Vermont had evidently spent
his vacation in getting up his usual essay
full of tropes and figures and poems, and
the boys might have rung the chestnut
Dell' on him several times. What he
Beck desired to know was whether the
senator from Vermont proposed to advise
his friends in both Houses to resort to all
efforts that might be made toward the
reduction of taxation.
Senator Morrill, said he only desired to
show that he was opposed to such pro
position as had come at the last session
from democratic sources, but he was quite
ready to unite with any party that would
take hold of the subject in the spirit
which he had suggested in his remarks.
Senator Sherman spoke at length laying
upon the democrats the responsibility of
the failure to reduce taxation. Senator
the Senate when the subject is next taken
up. The Senate at $3.50 p. m. adjourned
until Monday.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-In the course of
his remarks Senator Dawes criticised the
tariff views of Secretary Manning as out
lined in his annual report and, in his ad-
vOcacy OF protection, he declared that the
man who would attack home industries
and home labor would strike a deadlier
blow at the welfare of the country than
could be inflicted in any manner short o
war and treason, 1t was treason itself &c
the great untiring interests and prosper
ity of the country on which its future de
pended, and by which alone its stability
could be maintained. He who impaired
and weakened these industries came very
near to him who Slapped and mined the
citadel of the nation.
Senator Morrill, moved the reference o.
his resolution to the committee on tiuanc,
but Senator Beck desired an opportunity
to discuss the questions involved and tn,
resolution was laid over. Senator Hoa
moved to take up the bill repeating thu
tenure of Office act, but pending considera
ton message from the House was pre-
sented announcing the death of Represen
tative Dowdney, OF New York and AS
mark of respect the Senate at 1885 ad
journed.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Alter DrleI remarks ny MesSrS BAKER
New York and Herbert of Alabama tn
House proceeded to vote upon the Hous
amendments to the Senate electoral coun
bill, and they were agreed to, but tn
amendments offered by the minority 0
the House committee were rejected. o.
motion of Oates of Alabama tn
amendment was adopted, yeas al, nay
l09, striking out the clause directing tn
president of the Senate, upon the declara
of the vote, to announce the names of tn
persons elected. The bill was then passe
az amended without division. The bin d
reefs that the electors Of each State sha
meet and give their votes on the I'd Monda
in January following their appointment
Section . provides that if any State sha
have provided by laws enacted priC
to the day fixed for the appointment of II
or any of the electors of such State, by il
dicial or other methods or procedures an
sucn determination shall have been mad