Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-01-06
1allg 32rs Flsa 3aaptaiaa
SHERMAN SPEAKS.

SHERMAN SPEAKS.
a Senatorial Review of the Late rec
Trade Message OF Inc President OF the
JjDitcd states.
Washington, jap. A. When the senate
~reassembied to-day unanimous consent
was given for the Introduction of bills.
AT I2.45 O'Clock Senator Sherman took
the floor and began bis speech on the
pr -sident's message. He said:
Tue president of the United States,
departinEsfrom the practice of his Illus
tripus predecessors. dropped from his
recent annual message Gil reference to
the foreign. relatlons OF the country ard
the interesting qdestions IN national
affairs, ever omltting the usual reeog-
milton OF the Supreme Ruler of the MI
verse and postpopipg all things, CELESTIAL
and terrestrial, Dntll the surplus rev.
enue be got rid of. This extraordinary
message he (Mr. ShermaD) felt called
up on to oonsiders to inquire whether
the dangers spoken of in it were exag-
gersted or not; and to examine the
remedies proposed, The existence OF u
surplus revenue had been a constant
occurrence before and since the close of
the war. Instead of its being o danger
it was an Indication OF the continuous
increase of the domestic productions OF
the country and its foreign and domestic
predictions OF the commerce, and of the
steady improvement of Its financial con-
dition. When, in 1916, President jeff
eraon had the good fortune of
q surplus revenue, he asked lin his
message to copgress) to what pur-
pose the surplus should be applied, and
expressed his belief that the patriotism
OF the people would prefer the continu-
ance of the impcsts and the application
of the money to the great purposes of
the public education, roads, rivers and
canals. Gen. j ackson. when he had the
like good fortune had recommended the
distribution OF The surplus among the
states and . bill for that purpose had
been introduced aud passed. Largar
snfpluses had frequently been dealt
with wisely by republican administra-
tIons, being either applied by the exc
entive authorities to the payment OF the
public debt or its accumulation, having
been prevented by congress, from time
to time, by the reduction or repeal OF
taxes. These simple remedies had been
applied in the administration CT each of
MIR. Oieveland's predecessors, since the
CLOSE OF the war, without other matters
being neglected or o CRY OF alarm being
raised. All such reductions of taxes had
been made by the republican party. The
democratic party had now control OF the
house OF representatives since the suc-
cess of the mississippi plan" (exceps
for two years) and had moi in that time
originated or proposed o reduction Of
taxes. The o " republican in
ten years had by the act of March 1883,
largely reduced both internal taxes and
custom duties to meet the very difficulty
which o SO alarmed the president.
Why had not the president followed the
example Of his predecessors by using
the power conferred upon the secretary
of the treasury and applying the surplus
to the reduction OF the public debt.
Instead of that, ant though outstand-
ing bonds were redeemable at pleasure.
his administration has ohsngedthe form
Of the debt skRtemant sn az te conceal
nearly 50 millions OF money as unaVali.
able assets, and he'd swelled the surplus
for nearly o year until friend and foe
alike cried out against il. II the pEesl-
dent regarded this growing plus as
q danger, why had he not, as soon as
possible, brought his influence to bear
upon congress to provide for o reduction
of taxation Z and why had not congress
applied the remedy? III it had been the
desire to reduce taxes without reducing
American production, the task war easy;
but the enormous powers of the speaker
OF the house were used to prevent even
the presentation of such o bill; and in
this the speaker had, it was understood,
had the hearty symrathy and Support of
the president and the secretary OF the
treasury. He, Mr.. Sherman, had called
the attention OF the senate on the 10Th of
Jaly 1886, to the precise difficulty and
danger OF the situation, and to the ysRdi-
ness of the majority of the senate to pro-
vide for the reduction OF taxes and the
application Of she surplus. III 10 had
not been for the action of the president
and his administration, including the
de mocratic majority ia the house Of re-
personalities, the taxes wonld then have
been redaced without endangering
domestic Industries. Even without
8 reduction Of taxation, the surplus
revenue might have been applied for
great national objects but for the vetoes
OF She president, fox the failure OF the
secretary OF the treasury to exercise
PLAN, discretionary powers conferred
upon him by law, and for the failure OF
the democratic house OF representatives
to make appropriations for some OF the
highest national objects demanded by
the people. The president had, on what
he, Mr.. Sherman, regarded as q frivolous
reason, refused his signature to the
river and hsrbor bill, which would have
appropriated more than $40 600 ,0G0
for necessary public works; and, by his
veto of the dependent pension bill, he
had withheld from union soldiers
appropriations made for their relief.
The house, too, had refused to provide
for 6 system OF coast defencea, for a
proper increase and building ap of the
navy and a the commercial marine, for
postal communication with the South
American states, and for the encourage
ment and support OK schools. It had
also neglected or refused to appropriate
for eight millions OF deficiencies admit
ted to be due, or to pass the senate bill
for She refunding to the several states
the direct taxes levied in 1882, $f4 ,000,-
600. Had theae several appropriations,
sanctioned by the senate, been made by
tho house and approved by the presi-
dent, end had the residue Of the surplus
been applied to the purchase Of the