National Republican., 1888-01-05
S H { R NJ A NJ
Strong Speech by the
Ohio Senator.
lie Completely Riddles Presi-
dent CleVeland's Message.
Great Argument iu Be-
half Of Protection.
Mastery Discussion Of The Surplus
Question.
Democratic House Continued
by the Mississippi Plan.
In Ten Years It Originates No Re-
duction Proposition.
Congress Gould Not by a Pre-
tended Outcry
Be Driven to Reverse the COuntry's
Policy.
Figures OF Interest and Indisputable
Facts.
In Ten Years It Originates No Re-
duction Proposition.
Congress Gould Not by Prs-
tended Outcry
Be Driven to Reverse the COuntry's
Policy.
Figures Of Interest and Indisputable
Facts.

The mere announcement of the fact that
Senator Sherman was going to dissect the
Presidents message and then scatter far
and wide the manged remains of what was
originally very feeble attempt was suf-
ficient to fill the Senate galleries yesterday
morning with large delegation of the
general public and to crowd the floor with
members Of the House, who would rather
hear good tariff speech than anything
else that congressional oratory can produce.
Mr.. Sherman said
The President Of the United States, de-
parting from the practice OF his illustr!ous
predecessors, dropped from his recent an
relations OF the country and to the interest.
ing questions In national affairs, even omit
ting the usual recognition Of the Supreme
Ruler Of the universe, and postponing all
things, celestial and terrestrial, until the
surplus revenue be got rid OF. This extra
ordinary message he (Mr. Sherman) felt
called upon to consider; to inquire whether
the dangers spoken Of in 1t were exagger-
ated or not, and to examine the remedies
proposed. The existence Of a surplus rev.
enue had been constant occurrence be-
fore and since the close of the war. In
stead Of its being danger It was an lndica-
ton of the continuous increase Of the do.
mestic productions of the country, and its
foreign and domestic commerce, and OF
the steady improvement OF It's financial
condition. When, in 1906, President Jeffer-
asked, in his message to Congress,
to what purpose the surplus should
be applied, and expressed his belief that
the patriotism Of the people would prefer
the continuance Of the imposts and the APP
plication Of the money "to the great pur-
poses of public education, roads, rivers, and
canals" Gen. Jackson, when he had the
like good fortune, had recommended the
distribution Of the surplus among the states,
and bill for that purpose had been intro
duced by Mr.. Calhoun, had passed both
houses by large majorities, and had been
signed by President Jackson. Larger sur
pluses had frequently been dealt with
wisely by Republican administrations, being
either applied by the executive authorities
accumulation having been prevented by
Congress from time to time by the reduc-
tion or repeal Of taxes, These simple
remedies had been applied In the admins
tration Of each Of Mr.. Cleveland's prede-
cessors since the close Of the war without
other matters being neglected or cry Of
alarm being raised. All such reduction Of
taxes had been made by the Republican
party. The Democratic party had now had
control af the House Of Representatives
since the success of
''THE MISSISSIPPI PLAN"
except for two years, and have not In that
time originated or proposed reduction or
taxes. The only Republican Congress in
Of OF Msncs, SSas 1883, $751; largely 'Af reduced
both internal taxes and customs
duties to meet the very difficulty which
Iow so alarmed the President. Why had
not the President followed the example OF
his predecessors by using the powers con-
ferred upon the Secretary of the Treasury,
and applying the surplus to the reduction
of the public debt Iustead OF that, and
though outstanding bonds were redeemable
at pleasure, his administration had changed
the form Of the debt statement so as to con
ceal nearly thirty millions Of money as un'
available assets, and had swelled the sur
plus for nearly year, until friend and foe
alike cried out against 1t. II the President
regarded this growing surplus as danger,
why had he not, as soon as possible, brought
his influence to bear upon Congress to pro-
vide for a reduction Of taxation? And why
had not Congress applied the remedy The
forty-ninth Congress had lived its two
years and died. Mr.. Cleveland was then
President OF the United States. The House
jority Of his political friends. They alone had
the initiative-the constitutional-powe
to introduce q bill for reduced taxes. Why
had Lot that been doneY The only answer
was that controlling majority of the
Democratic Farty would not allow bill Ia
be reported unless 1t contained provisions
which lin the opinion Of majority OF the
members Of the House, would greatly in
jure or
DESTROY DOMESTIC PRODUCTION,
create great distress, and reduce wages, Il
1t had been the desire to reduce taxes
without reducing American production
the task was easy; but the enormous
powers Of the Speaker OF the House wert
used to prevent even the presentation Of
such bill, and in this the Speaker had u
was understood) the hearty sympathy ant
support of the President and Secretary o.
the Treasury. lie (Mr. Sherman) had called
July, 1856, to the precise difficulty ant
danger of the situation, and to the reail
ness OF the majority OF the Senate to pro
vide for the reduction OF taxes and the ap
plication OF the surplus; and II 1t had moi
been for the action OF the President and hi
administration (includlng the Democrati;
majority IN the House OF Representatives
the taxes would then have been reduced
without endaDgering domestic industries
Even without u reduction OF taxation th,
surplus revenue might have been applied
for great national objects but for vetoes o
the President; for the failure OF the Secre
tsry of the Treasury to exercise plain die
cretlonary powers conferred upon him by
law, and for the failure OF the Democratic
House OF Representatives to make appro
priations for some of the highest ma
tional objects demanded by the people
The President nad, on what he (Mr. sher
man) regarded as
FRIVOLOUS REASON,
refused his signature to the river and harbol
bill, which would have appropriated more
than SO 600, 900 for necessary public works
and by his veto of the dependent pension bill
lie had Withheld fIom Ulion soldiers apprO