Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-08
PLATT'S MOURNING MIND,
ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF AN IN
oUISITlVE DISCOURSE.

A BIN for Oklahoma BOomers-Rellef for
laTly-work In Congress-The Commit
tee which VIII Look Into tho Reading
TroubIs-Customs Economy.
WASHINGTON CRY, Feb S-Platt con-
tinued and concluded his speech on the presi-
dents message in the senate Tuesday. Sum.
ming up the substance OF Mondays INSTALL
ment he said he had shown that the message
meant absolute free trade, and could result
in nothing but the entire adjustment Of the
protective system Of the country. lie could
not but assume that the Democratic party
intended to follow the recommendations OF
its commander-in chief. There had been, in-
deed some straws that looked as II there
might be some question about that-as II
there would be an attempt at some compro-
mise-as il there would be studied effort
on the part OF the Democratic party to do
nothing at this session in tho line Of the pres
idents recommendations and then to go
once more to the country on the PRESIDENT
free trade message as its platform. But lie
could not assume that tho Democratic party
aud the Democratic leaders in congress really
intended that course OF action. He admitted
the necessity of some reduction of income,
donment of the protective 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 an Nccumu-
lation. The question of a reduction of taxa
ton had very little to do with relieving the
treasury of what the president called its
"congested condition" The great talk about
the surplus could be for no other purpose
than to hold out an inducement TO break
down the protective system. The senate had
waited now nearly three years for some bill
for reduction of the taxation to come from
the house, and had wondered why its coming
was so long delayed Eight long weeks had
passed since congress had been told OF tho
dangerous condition of the treasury, and no
bill had yet been reported in the house look
ing ton reduction Of the surplus This was
not a Republican administration. 1t was
Democratic administration; and If money
had been allowed to accumulate IN the treas
ury 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 the
paste What reason could be given for that
delay to-dayl if il were not that the accumu-
lation in the treasury was being used, and
deliberately used, to force congress into a
destruction of the protective system Of the
country.
Plat went on TO argue that there was no
need of 500, 900, 900 reduction of revenue,
and that such reduction could not be made
with any wise regard to the condition of
national finances. He asked why the reduc-
ton should not be made by the abolition or
reduction of internal revenue. 1t was be-
cause the protective system would then be
left in force. Internal revenue taxation was
taxation on American products--tobacco
and corn. 1t was tax that operated I'M
equally. And yet the president said that no.
body oh iected to it. 1t more reduction were
needed, why not abolish the duty on sugar,
or reduce it by % per cent; or why not take
half the tax off tobacco and whisky. There
was but answer II there really existed any
fear of the consequences of an accumulated
surplus; if there was no coming presidential
campaign, and if a reduction of revenue was
the only thing aimed at it could be easily ac-
complsheI by dealing with internal revenue
taxation.
He wanted the Democratic party to follow
its leader, to obey its commando +, to take off
the mask, and have square fight on the
issue presented hy the president; and he
quoted from the speech of Kenna where he
declared that "both the internal and external
tax systems will be treated as whole"