The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-01-26
SH { R MAN
Strong Speech by the
Ohio Senator.
lie Completely Riddles Presi-
dent CleVeland's Message.
Great Argument IN Be
half of Protection.
Mastery Discussion Of The Surplus
Question.
Democratic House Continued
by the Mississippi Plan.
In Ten Years 1t Originates No he
duction Proposition.
Congress Gould Not by Pre-
tended Outcry
Be Driven to Reverse the Country s
Policy.
Figures of Interest and Indtsputable
Be Driven to Reverse the COuntry's
Policy.
Figures of Interest and Indtsputable
Facts.

The mere announcement of the fact that
Senator Sherman was going to d1ssect lne
Presidents message and then scatter la
and wide the ms1gled remains OF what was
originally very feeble attempt was SUI
fieient to fill the Senate galleries yesterday
morning with large delegation of the
general public ana to crowd the floor with
members of the House, who would rather
hear good tariff speech than anything
else that cor gressional oratory can produce
Mr.. Sherman said:
TIE President of the United States, de-
parting from the practice OF bis Industrious
predecessors, dropped from his recent an
nual message all reference to the foreign
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 postponlAg all
thmgs.r 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 it were exagger-
sted or not, and to examine the remedies
proposed. The existence Of 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 iDdica-
ton of the continuous increase OF the do
nestle productions of the country, and its
foreign and domestic commerce, and OF
the steady Improvement of Its financial
condition. When, in 1906, President Jeffer-
son had the good fortune Of surplus, be
asked, in his message to Congress,
to what purpose the surplus sheuld
be applied, and expressed his belief that
the patriotism of the people would prefer
the continuance of the imposts and the sp-
plicstion 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 fer that purpose had been intro
sduced 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
TO the payment of the public debt or its
accumulation having been prevented by
Congress from time to time by the reduc-
zion or repeal of taxes, These simple
remedies had been applied in the admins
tration of each Of Mr.. Clevelsnd's prede-
cessors since the close Of the war without
other matters being neglected or a cry OF
alarm being raised, All such reduction of
taxes had been made by the Republican
party. Tao Democratic party had now had
control at the House Of Representatives
since the success of
stTHE MISSISSIPPI PLAN"
except for two years, and have not In that
time originated or proposed reduction OF
taxes. The only Republican Congress in
ten years had, by the act
of March, 1888, largely reduced
both internal taxes and customs
duties TO meet the very difficulty which
now 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? Instead of0 that, and
though outstanding bords were re deemable
at pleasure, his administration had changed
the fern of the debt statement so as to con
.real nearly thirty millions of money as I'M
;aVsilsble 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 a danger
why had he not, as soon as possible, brought
his Influence to bear upon Congress to pro
vide for reduction of taxation? And why
had not Congress applied the remedy? The
forty-ntnth Congress had lived it's two
yeafs and died. Mr.. Cleveland was then
President of the United States. The House
of RepreseE tstiyes contained large ma
FORTY ef bis political friends. They alone had
Che fnftiative-the observation-disclosures
30 fp5rodnce bill for reduced taxes. Why
sad rot that been done? The only answer
gas, that a controlling majority of the
Democratic party would not allow bill to
he reuorted unless it contained provisions
which lin the opinion of majority OF the
members of the House, would greatly IL
jure or
DESTROY DOMESTIC PRODUCTION,
create great distress, and reduce wages. If
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 were
used to prevent even the presentation OF
such bill, and in this the Speaker had lit
: was understood the hearty sympathy and
support of the President and Secretary of
the Treasury. He (Mr. Sberman) had called
the attention of the Senate on the 10Th of
July, 1856, to the precise difficulty and
danger of the situation, and to the readi-
ness of the majority of the Senate to pro.
vide for the reduction of taxes and the ap-
plication of the surplus; and if 1t had not
been for the action of the President and his
administration Gncluding the Democratic
majority In the House OF RepresentatlVes)
the taxes would then have been reduced
without eudangering domestic industries.
Even without reduction OF taxation the
surplus revenue might have been applied
tor great national objects but for vetoes of
the President; for the failure of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to exercise plain dis
cretionary 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.
: TIE President naa, on what he (Mr. sher-
maui regarded SIS
FRIVOLOUS REASON,
refused his signature to the river and harbor
bill, which would have appropriated more
= than $40 900, 900 for necessary public works,
and by his veto of the dependent pension bill