The Delta independent., 1888-01-10
THE FIFTIETH CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 4

| SESATE.-SenatOr Sherman began his
speech on the Presidents message at
| O'Clock.
| The President of the United States. he
| said. departing from the practice of his IL
lustrious predecessors, dropped from his
recent an zual message all reference to the
| foreign relations OF the country and inter
esting questions Of national affairs, even
emitting the usual recognition of the Su-
preme Ruler of the rniverse-postponing
all things, celestial and terrestrial. until
| the surplus revenue be got rid OF. The ek-
istence of surplus revenue had been con-
| slant occurrence before and since the close
otthe war. Instead Of its being danger. 1t
Is an indication OF the Continuous inctease
| in the domestic productions of the country,
and its foreign and domestic commerce and
OF the steady Improvement OF financial con-
| ditions. Larger surpluses had frequently
been dealt with wisely by Republican ad-
mlnlstrntions by the reduction. or repeal of
taxes. These simple remedies mad been ap-
piled in the administration of each of Mr..
| Cleveland's predecessors since the close of
| the war without cry Of alarm being raised.
Democrats had now had control of the
| house since the success of the mississippi
plan Except for two years) and has not
proposed reduction of taxes. Why had
not they proposed reduction of taxes?
| Why bad not the President followed the ex-
| ample of his predecessors by using the
powers conferred upon the secretary of the
treasury and applying the surnlus To re-
| duction of the public debt? His admins
| tration has changed the form of the debt
| statement so as to conceal nearly thirty
millions Of money as unavailable assets.
| If the President regarded this growing sur
plus as dangerous, why had he not brought
influence 10 bear upofl congress to provide
| for reduction of taIationp
| Procs eding to details, Sherman said that
on over one-third OF all the articles of for
| eign productions consumed in this country
| there was an absolute free-trade. They
were mainly such articles as could not be
produced here. and did not come intn com
| petition with domestiSindustry. With that
| kind of free trade he was in hearty SYM
pathy. The moderate protection given to
labor and capital employed in mining
and agricultural industries was favorite
point Of assault by the President and all
| free traders. Upon the protective policy
the farmer performed as valuable labor as
| the artisan, and the rights Of every produc-
er should have equal and inst cnnsidera-
| tion without fear or favor. Yet the Presi-
| dent had selected that class of productions
| under the name OF "raw materials for de-
struction- and had especially named wool as
| an article not 10 be protected. His whole
| argument rested on .he allegation that the
| price of wool was increased to the extentn
the duty and but for the duty the merchant
| could buy the wool cheaper in South Amer
| ica and Australia. This argument was
| fallacious because the destruction of the
wool industry in The United States would at
once advance the price of wool in foreign
| markets, hut even IL the argument were
true 1t would apply as well to all domestic
productions and 10 all manufactures. Wool
| was q completed article OF the farmer, Just
| as cloth was OF the manufacturer, and as
| the coat was of the tailor. and the objection
! that the duty on wool raised the price 10
the consumer applied as well to the duty on
| cloth and on every article on the tariff list
The all-sufiicient answer was that the duty
encouraged the production of wool. the man
nfacture OF cloth, and of an infinite varie-
| ty of articles produced by American labor
4 ss,.a- n. - Ii
| in this country meant the degradation of
American politics.
| He had thus endeavored to give re-
| spectful answer TO the Presidents message.
| He was willing TO correct Irregularities OF
the tariff and to reduce the surplus, not by
the vicious and discriminating process
| of horizontal reduction, but by such methods
as would relieve the taxpayer without in
jury TO the lahorer or the great productive
industries Of the country.
Mr.. Voorhees, denounced the statements
| of Sherman, Teller and other Republicans,
as insincere and misleading and asserted
that by way of preparation for the coming
Presidential election, Republican lesisla-
tors We're endeayoring to put the Presi-
den. and the Democratic party In an atti-
tude of hostility to American manufactur-
ing interests. Under the leadership of
Cleveland the Democratic party demanded
| such revision of the tariff. reduction of the
revenue and surplus, and such administra-
tion OF the powers of the government as
was most beneficial IN all interests. The
frosts of November would blight Republic
can misrepresentation and reouke Repubii-
can Senators who characterized as "huni-
bug the fearless and statemenlike mes
sage of the President.
The subject of taxation was as old as the
government itself, and yet II was full OF in
teerest to-day TO the lsboring masses. \
contraction of the volume OF the currency
had always been policy marked by disas
Ter and suffering, but when that abomtn-
la Hx-, afn1s
the money of the people from their hands
at the rate OF $1,000, 600 month every
honest man had to revolt against such wan
ton robbery: and yet the Senator from
Colorado had sueered at the idea of 3 sur
plus being of any consequence, and the
Senator fIom Ohio declared that il was
fortunate for the country that there was
surplus of sssoo0,0oo in the treasury. Ii
would be for that Senator. II he should be-
come Republican candidate for the PreSi-
deacy, TO explain why it was fortunate
that the peoples money was gathered in
the treasury in excess OF all wants OF The
government. q
Atthe close of Voorhees, speech Sherman
moved that the message be referred to the
finance committee. but action on that mo-
ton was Withheld to give Teller opportunity
to make some remarks.
Teller said that there had frequently been
greater accumulations of surplus in the
treasury than when the President sent in
his message. and that the assumption that
tne present conultion OF aUalrs was threat
against the country's prosperity was not
based upon an honest conviction. Wher.
ever the voice of the people had been heard
II had declared tito be fundamental Amer
lean principle that the funded debt shall be
paid. There were $50, 600 COO to become
payable four years hence, and how was
this to be provided for il the revenues We're
tD be reduced 10 a level of the current 1x.
penses? When some years ago 1t was pro-
posed TO exclude the Chinese because they
came here 10 compete with American labor
for wages, while their habits We're such
that they consumed little OF nothing pro-
duced by American labor, nearly all the
Democratic senators favored the PROPOSE
tion. Now 1t was proposed to extend to the
Chinese tile pttviege OF doing labor Mt
home and sending manufactures here. He
doubted II n Democratic house would ven-
ture tn face the American laborer with such
u record.
The pending resolution to refer the Presi-
dents message was not acted upon.
THURSDAY, JAN. D.
SENArn.-ln the senate to- day, the presi-
dents message concerning right OF way for
| railroad purposes through the various lu-
dian reservations also relating To trespass
on Indian lands and to timber trespasSers
was presented and referred to the conn
| mi,tee on Indian affairs.
Among the petitions presented was one
by Mr.. Blair in favor of n national prohioi,
tory amendment and one by MIR. Hoar
\ Al. q a..