National Republican., 1888-04-26
THE HOUSE.

rs soon us the customary routine bust
ness was disposed Of the House went into
committee Of the whole Mr.. Springer, of
Illinois, in the chair on the tariff bill.
Mr.. Bynum Of Indiana, was Immediately
recognized, and he proceeded to talk of the
danger of surplus, which would, he said,
result III contraction of the currency that
would swallow up in bankruptcy and ruin
our most cntcrprising business men, Con
eress could no longer escape the rcspOnsl-
bility which rested upon II without arous-
ing the indignation of an oppressed people.
The time had passed when the House could
refuse to consider measure for the rcduc-
tion of taxation; the time had come when IL
must meet the question fairly and honestly.
The bill presented did not meet with his
unqualified approval lie believed that
duties on imports should he levied and col
lcCtcd at all times to meet the current, or
dinary expenses of the government and
that any extraordinary expenses should he
met by resort to internal taxes. Believing
this 10 be correct, he would maintain the
present internal revenue system of taxation
until the last obligation of the war was dis
charged. But mindful of the diversified
interests of the country, he was willing to
come TO the consideration of the bill in Il
spirit of concession and compromise and
Join in the construction of a measure which
yielded something to the productions of
every locality. He argued that American
labor needed no protection; that It could
take care of itself and would il the oppOr-
tunity was only given IT, Statistical state
ments We're freely used in support of the
position taken by him.
Mr.. Browne, of Indiana, expressed him
self as not in the least frightened ut the
plethoric condition of the national treasury.
That our annual revenues Were in excess of
ordinary expenditures was not necessarily
to he deporcd, This was not the first
time that there had been surplus IN the
treasury, hut neither johnson, nor Grant,
nor Arthur had made the condition of the
treasury Il prctcnsc for disturbing the in
dustrial policy of the government. The
country continued to enjoy an unparalleled
prosperity. The aCCumulating revenue
might he male the occasion for doing much
for the peoples benefit The national
debt might be gradually paid OFF; the
merchant marine might he built up; harbor
and coast dcfcnses might he constructed;
navy might be provided commensurate
with our glory and grandeur MS II nation,
and n grateful people might tender 10 the
old soldiers who saved the country part
ing benediction. Why should Congress he
in such hot haste TO Overturn policy to
which the commercial interests had adjusted
themselves Under the protective system our
lllUNSlIlth HNu nttU 'llNtINllc'l NllNl
until the United States had become foremost
among the manufacturing and agricultural
nations Of the world That a surplus eX-
isted was an evidence of national pOsperty.
That II had been gathered into the treasury
without oppression or complaint was an
evidence that the protective system was a
Just one. II the surplus We're under the
cOntral of wise craftsmanship II would be
Il national blessing; hut as II was safer to
reduce II than to run the hazard of ill-ad-
yised expenditures, he was anxious To have
a revision of the method Of taxation so as
torcducc the revenues to the lowest limit of
national wants, But, he argued, that the
plan of reduction sketChed by the President
iuhis annual message would result IN dis
aster TO American industries, That the
Democratic party In the House had not gone
the whole length of the Presidents sugges-
tiOns was because it feared par y,
rather than financial disaster, Why had the
internal revenue taxes been reduced in the
presence Of the Presidents assurance that
no Just complaint could be made against itY
1t had been done TO avert a Democratic
strike In Virginia and other Democratic