The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-08
PLArT ON THE TARIFF.
Hot Shot at the PrsSIdsnI's MeSSnEe-sOmS
Pointed Ouestiona.

WASHINGTON, D. O., Feb. I'm thl
Senate to-day Mr.. Plat continued hil
tariff speech. He had shown yesterday
he said, that the Presidents message
meant the absolute and final destruction
Of the protective system; that 1t mean
practical and absolute free trade; and thai
1t could result in nothing else than the
entire downfall Of the protective system
Of the country. He could not but assume
the Democratic party intended to follow
the recommendation OF the commander.
in.chief. There has been indeed some
straws that looked CO II there might be
some question about this; as II there would
be an attempt at some compromise; aa
II there would be Q studied effort
on the part Of the Democratic party to do
nothing at this .ssion In the line OF the
President's recommendations, and then to
20 once more to the country on the Presi-
dents free trade message as its platform.
But he could not assume that the Demo.
cratic party and the Democratic leaders in
Congress really intended that course OF
action. He admitted the necessity OF
some reduction OF income, but he was not
to be frightened into an abandonment OF
"raw head and bloody bones" figures.
As to the surplus In the Treasury, he
denied that there was any necessity for
such an accumulation. The question
Of reduction OF taxation had very little
to do With relieving the Treasury Of what
the President called the "copge1ted con.
dition." The great talk about the surplus
could be for no other purpose, 1t appeared
to him, than to hold out an inducemsnt
70 break down the protective system.
Why had the accumulation in the Treas.
ury been permittedP Why had taxation
not been retusedP Why had not the
Democratic party In power in the House
Of Representatives (where revenue bills
had 10 oIiginatel not sent to the Senate
some bill looking to the reduction Of taxa.
ton?
Why did the Democratic party in Con-
gress refuse payment OF the Governments
Just obligstiona2 Why refuse sppropria-
tions for the needs Of the Government?
Why constantly resist necessary expendi-
tures? Why pass no bill for Notifications; /;
none for coast defenses2 and none (lsst
g6hIJ luz tu6 lupIOFeueuL Vi IlVbIb Huu
harborsP Why, unless there had been a
desire to hold up the surplus as menace
to the business interests OF the country?
He wanted the Democratic party to fol-
low iEe leader, obey its commander, TO take
of the mask and have square fight on
the issue presented by the President,
and he quoted from the speech Of
Senator Kenns, where he declared
that "both the internal and external
tax system will be treated as O whole"
Was that, Mr.. Plat asked, the reCommen-
dation Of the President? We're the DEM
ocrats in Congress going to attempt to
play that game and then 20 to the country
claiming the President to be free trader?
The benefits Of protection, said Mr.. Plat
in conclusion, were as extensive as the
country's boundary. Protection was the
policy Of United America in its competi-
ton with the world. Unless Democratic
President and a so.called Democratic
party were permitted to destroy this safe
guard, United America would continue 10
bsat tho world in the grand struggle for
human advancement.