Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-09
They re at It Again.
Resumption of the Tariff De-
bate in Congress.
SENATORS OPEN UP THE LONG TALK

An Attempt to Limit the Politico- Econo-
mic EIoquence Fails at the start-AI-
lison and Vance the First Speakers
Chief Justice Fuller at His Post-Oberly
Confirmed-Exclusion Seems to Exclude
The surplus-Congression
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct 9-Another long
siege of debate on the tariff was begun in the
senate yesterday, the opening speech on the
senate bill being made by Allison. He first
commented on the action of the house, stat
ing that its committee had taken long time
to present bill, and claimed for the senate
bill that it would stop the accumulation of
surplus beyond sufficient to redeem the
bonds falling due in 1891, and criticised the
administration for permitting SO large a sur
plus to accumulate.
Coming to the features of the Two bills he
said that the calculation OF the reduction to
be made by the Mills bill was based on the
assumption that the importation Of articles
on which the tariff was increased would be
| correspondingly reduced. This was prob
lematic, but there was no question of the re-.
duction 10 be made by the senate bill. 1t
was between SCI, 600 900 and s73, 600 900. OF
tobacco question Allison said that the COM
mittee had yielded to what they had sup
| posed was a universal sentiment in favor of
| taking the tax from that article. As to the
| abolition of the tax on alcohol for use in the
| arts, Great Britain and Germany had had
that principle in their taxing systems for
many years, and found no difficulty in pre-
venting frauds in that connection.
Coming to the sugar question Allison said
| that with the DropnSa,l ra3uotion of IN
per cent the duty would remain at Al per
cent ad valorem He believed that sufficient
encouragement for the production of sugar
| from sorghum or beets was left in this pro
lection The effect of the house bill in regard
to the sugar schedule, he said, would be to
Iegislate 81, 000, 600 a year, or 10 per cent. Of
their capital, into the hands of the sugar
trust The effect of the proposed advance in
duty on imported cigars would not be much
felt as they were a luxury. As to tn,
schedule of provisions" he said the senate
bill proposed specific duties as far as possible.
The committee was considering a rate on i'm
ported eggs. The committee had substituted
specific for ad valorem duties on silk ant
silk goods, following the recommendation
of Secretary Manning This he though
would increase somewhat the duty on silks
In conclusion Allison said that the senat
bill was distinct measure OF protection t
American industries, while the house bll
was long step in the direction of what wa
known as free trade.
Vance, a member of the minority OF tn
finance committee, said that the government
of the United States had entered into part
, nership with the manufacturers of the Unite
, States at the close of the war to establish a
unholy and iniquitous system Of taxatio
upon the many for the benefit of the few
, The house bill made total reduction G
7S,u00,000 How did the senate substitute
divide its reduction Of dutiesl 1t took s
from the government for every dollar
| took from the manufacturer Vance col
= tinued at some length to argue that the sci
: ate bill was framed in the interest of tn
= favored classes. He said that if Henry Cha
S were alive he would denounce the senate bi
4 most bitterly. 1t was nonsensical, he sal,
: to hold that high tariff meant higher wage
= II it did wages would not differ in ever
state of the union. He denied that Il
J; manufacturers furnished home market II
the farmer, and said that the decay of ayr
culture was most noticeable in manufacturin
districts. He accused the Republican part
of thwarting the efforts of the Democrat
party to reduce taxes. They would have IL
president pay premium of 80 per cent.
= their friends, the bondholders, to reduce Il
surplus, but the president did not choose
" do it. Nobody would be deceived by Il
charge that the Democratic house was
sponsible for the delay in sending measu
> 10 the senate, for it is well known that ii
Republicans of the housa had resisted evel
step in that direction, and the Democra
a who had helped them to defeat the efforts
4 the Democratic party had been landed to ii
6 skies
= In conclusion he said that the house b
had been framed to relieve the people, al
. the senate bill to relieve the treasury
To correct a statement of Vancs, Aldri
said that the bill did not recommend th
opium he added to the free list, but prohi
tied Its importation.