St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-08
Continuance Of His Speech on
the Resolution to Refer
the Message.
Carrying Out the False Idea
? Of Absolute Free Trade
= in Everything,
But Admits the Necessity Of
: {. a Reduction in Some
Il Instances,
And Winds UP by Giving the
Democrats Some Good
Advice.

WASHINGTON, Feb. THE senate at
12:45 resumed consideration of the resO-
luton to refer the presidents message,
and Mr.. Platt resumed the speech
which he commenced yesterday. He
had shown, yesterday, (he said, that
the presidents message meant the alb
solute and final destruction of the pro-
tective system; that it meant practical
and absolute free trade; and that it
could result in nothing else than the
entire downfall of the protective sys-
tenn OF the country. He could not but
assume that the Democratic party in
tended to follow the recommendations
of its cOmmander-in-chief. There had
been, indeed, some straws that looked
as if there might be some question
about that; as if there would be an at
tempt at some compromise; as if this
would be studied effort on the part of
the Democratic party to do nothing at
this session in the line of the presi-
dents recommendations, and then to
go once more to the country on the
presidents free trade message as its
platform. But he could not assume
that the Democratic party and the
Democratic leaders in congress really
intended that course OF action. He adj
mitted the necessity of some reduction
of income, but he was not to be fright
ened into an abandonment of the pro-
tective system by the presidents raw
head and bloody bones figures.
AS TO THE SURPLUS
in the treasury, he denied that there
was any necessity for such an accumu-
latiOn. The question of a reduction of
taxation had very little to do with re-
lieving the treasury of what the presi-
dent called the ''cOngeSted condition."
The great talk about the surplus could
be for no other purpose, it appeared to
him, than to hold out an inducement to
break down the protective system.
Why had the accumulation in the treas
ury been permitted? Why had taxa
ton not been reduced? Why had not
the Democratic party, i'll power in the
house of representatives (where revenue
bills had to Originate), not sent to the
senate some bill looking to the reduc-
ton of taxation. That party stood
pledged, by its platform and by the
professions of its leaders on every
stump, to take steps Immediately OH
it's accession to power, for the reduc-
tioniof the surplus. The senate had
waited now nearly three years for some
bill for reduction of taxation to come
up from the house, and had wondered
why its coming was so long delayed.
Eight long weeks had passed since con-
greSS had been told of the dangerous
condition of the treasury, and no bill
had nf tnd in
looking to reduction of the surplus.
This was not Republican administra-
ton. 1t was Democratic adminiStra-
tiolf, and, if money had been allowed to
accumulate in the treasury and no
effort made for its reduction. the fault
was, that of the party in power.
What reason could be given for
that. delay in ,s the. past. what
reason could given for that delay to-
day, if it were not that the accumula-
ton in the treasury was being used, and
deliberately used, to force congress into
a destruction of the protective system
of the country. Why did the Demo
cratic party in congress refuse payment
OF the governments just obligations?
Why refuse appropriations for the needs
of the government Why constantly
resist necessary expenditures? Why
coast defenses, and none Qast year, for
Improvement of rivers and harborS?
Why, unless there had been desire to
hold up the surplus as menace to
TIE BUSINESS INTERESTS
of the country? But was there no
proper employment for the surplus? In
three years-On The 1St of January, 1891
government bonds to the amount of
1882 100000 would fall due, and the
per cent bonds would fall due in 1907.
Why not try to pay off that debt in ad-
vance? The president had cast doubt
upon the existence of any authority for
the treasury to buy up bonds. because
the authority was contained in an ap-
preparation bill. But the president
seemed to forget that his own authority
instead of $4,000, was also in an appro-
priation bill, the legislative bill of
1873. 1t seemed to make a
difference s'whose OK was gOred,r
Whether the president wanted to do a
thing or wanted not to do it, If the
mysterious agents fitting between New
York importers and the White house
and committee room of the house of
representatives had turned their atten-
ton to negotiations between the govern
ment and the bondhOlders, there would
have been no difficulty i'll arriving at
some arrangement by which the debt
could have been anticipated and the
treasury relieved Of its accumulation.
He wanted the Democratic party to fol-
low its leatler, to obey its commander,
to take off the mask and have square
fight on the issue presented by the
president; and he quoted from the
speech of Senator Kenna where he de-
clared that "both the internal and ex-
ternal tax system will be treated as a
whole" Was that (Mr. Platt asked the
recommendation of the president? We're
the Democrats in congress going to at
tempt to play that game and then go to
the country claiming the president to
be free trader? The benefits of pro-
lection (said Mr.. Piatt, in conclusion),
were as extensive as the country's
|, boundaries. Protection was the policy
of united America, in its competition
with the world. Unless Democratic
president and so-called Democratic
party were permitted to destroy this
safeguard, united America would con-
tinue to beat the world in the grand
/ struggle for human advancement.