Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-19

Mr.. Breckinridge began his speech with
review Of the situation 50 far as the surplus
| IN the Treasury was concerned, and with
statement Of the dangers attendant on the
| further accumulation OF the surplus. He
then said: When the Committee on Ways
and Means was announced on January 9Th,
II necessarily had TO confront this condition
OF affairs and attempt TO frame bill which
would reduce the revenues OF the Govern
ment 80 a. 10 bring Its legitimate expenses
and It's revenues dose together; and this,
too, In such way as TO reduce the bur-
den OF taxation upon the people. IL
recognized that the revenues could be
reduced by raising duties TO a preliminary
standard but this only increased the bur.
dens OF taxation. The repeal OF the entire
| internalrevenue law would also reduce the
revenue 10 a point where there might be an
sunusl deficit OF 500, 900, 900, but this deficit
could not work harm for the present, as the
surplus remaining in the Treasury June 30,
! 1888, would be sufficient 10 comply with the
requirements Of the sinking fund until 1891,
when the Al per cents fall due. But no
| large section OF the American people really
| favored the plan which removed taxation
from spirits, beer, and tobacco, and left
the necessaries Of life buIdened; nor
was the committee willing IN the assort-
| ing OF taxes, and ia the attempt to give SUBJ
stantlaI relief from present unnecessary
taxation, to adopt a plan which did not
/ light single furnace, causea single wheel 70
| reyOlve, give 10 labor single days wages,
remove from commercial activity any bur-
! den, nor from the manufacturer any annoy
auce. This plan simply took from the pub
/ lie Treasury that amount OF taxes which
were voluntarily paid In a mode which dis
I frfp fas- acuufiv iunrarfialIV and
not by burdens upon the necessities OF life.
Rejecting, therefore, the proposition 10
| increase the duties for the purpose
Of reducing the revenues OF the Government
and increasing the revenues OF the manu-
facturers and the proposition for the repeal
Of the revenue system, the committee at
| TENTED to frame bill which would reduce
/ the revenues by a safe amount and would re-
| lievp, as far a. a moderate bill could do, the
| evils OF the present tariff, and pro-
mote American industry by giving 10 Arneii-
can labor the hope OF a permanent, stable,
and profitable market. IL recognized that
the system which bad been in existence Tor
over a quarter Of a century could not be
! hastily nor rccklessly overturned. 10 de-
sired TO harm no industry. II constantly
leaned in favor OF established rates OF
duty, aud in case OF doubt proposed
rate which il believed to be
entirely safe. No one can appreciate
more than we that the bill reported by US
does not answer all the conditions OF to-day;
that many duties are left at a rate entirely
too high; that the relief which ought to be
given has not been granted TO the extent
which the condition Of the country aud OF
labor required, but venture to affirm that
under all circumstances which surround us
70 rarfeFut a Dnliie nTllT
with an eye single to public goOd-we have
reported bill which every fsir.minded man
in America NAV accept as wise. moderate,
and proper legislation. And upon this state
ment. for one, am willing 10 20 to the coun-
try and submit TO its Judgment.
Referring TO the criticisms OF Mr.. Bur
rows, OF Michigan, upon the Committee on
Ways and Means and its manner Of framing
the bill under discussion, when he stated
that IN his criticisms he was violating no Sc
crcts OF the cOmmittee.roOm, Mr.. Breckih-
ridge said " with a wit that was equalled
by courtesy and much greater than the desire
for accuracy exhibited the gentleman from
Michigan nsinuated what he would not be
reckless enough to assert-that not ONLY was
the hill not prepared by the Committee
on Ways and Means which reported
II, but that there WAS no member OF the
majority so lost 10 all sense OF per-
sonal pride rs TO admit its parentage. /
trust that 1t X within the most rigorous
bounds OF parliamentary language TO say
that this is absolutely without foundation.
ln its length, breadth, height, depth. ard
thickness it is a creation OF the gentleman's
fancy except that he violated no secrets Of
the cOmmittee-rOom in making the state
ment. What he violated leave - him 10 de-
termine. At no meeting IN the committee
room, or elsewhere, at no time or place, in
no manner whatever, has the majority OF
that committee ever given any one any pre-
tence 10 say that IL denied its responsibility
for this billie that any one but the members
Of that majority was in any degree whatever
responsible for It. But il is proper that this
house and the country should know what
doubt not is known that this bill was the
result Of great labor, OF an earnest
desire 10 reach a far and conservative
COMPROMISE measure, and that every item OF
IL underwent the scrutiny OF every men,
Der OF the majority Of the committee. As
a whole, it is compromise OF the indie
pendeut aud earnest opinions OF earnest
men bent on practical legislation. II does
not pretend 10 change the system, to get
aside the present system, aud substitute in
lieu Of Il another and different system. 1t
leaves the average rates Of duty higher than
they were under the Morrill, tariff, and 1t Is
a protective tariff bill. The committee did
not believe that it was IFS duty 10 do more
than TO propose a moderate reduction OF
taxation bv increasing the free list, reducing
certain rates, and removing as far as pracii-
cable unnecessary restrictions, and TO make
an effort TO render the administration
Of the law more Efficient to the protection
tv,,oVfgra and the HafqptIOU and
prevention o! fraud. Referring to the inter-
nai-revenue system, he SAID: IL was deter
mined In response to what seemed to be the
sentiment Of large part Of the country, to
propose the repeal Of taxes on manufactured
tobacco, for practical statesmanShip il the
art Of wise compromise, and in 4 free cOun-
try the desire aud judgment Of a large por-
ton OF the people whom we represent must
be- accepted as a sufficient reason for legisla-
ton. our belief was that 10 exempt fruit
brandes and alcohol used IN arts was in
directly aud hypOcriticaIly but eiiectually
10 destroy the Internal revenue system. and
il this Is 10 be done we preferred TO
do il or have it done openly, and thus fix
The responsibility for it upon those VINO
accomplished il. Those who vote TO exempt
alcohol thus used will do so with tue know
ledge that il is a vote to destroy the tax on
distilled spirits. The OH l. before Congress;
the responsibility OF it, preparation is upon
us-the responsibility Of legislation is upon
Won. No sneeis as to It's authors; no charges,
however offensive or discOurteous, as to the
manner Of its preparation; no abuse OF those
WHO were concerned IN It's preparation, can
remove from YOU the responsibility OF acton
nor change the issue MADE 10y the bill itself.
The surplus continues to grow; the evil
effects of II are daily exhibited schemes
without number IN squander the public
money, 10 distribute 1t among the States,
10 cultivate the habit in American
people OF looking to Washington as
the great alms.eiyer can be defeated only
bv YOUR action as to this bill. And it is 10
answer to say that it was prepared Ia Sc
crecy: that its authors are incompetent;
that there was Improperly In the mode OF
MS consideration. Neither YOUR own con-
sciences nor the country will acquit you If
YOU eyade the issue under such excuse. Nor
Will il be accepted as any answer that there
was any provision OF any sort In the Con-
fcderate Constitution, or that the gentlemen
engaged in the preparation OF this bill were
on one side or the other side during that
great strife, or that certain States have
Jagged behind in the progress Of national
growth. it might as we'll be understood
tbot What we do and saw here IL done and