The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-26
THE TARIFF BILL.
IL Creates a Lengthy and spirited Ds-

O1y tue N1chtuley taftM Dtu was ekeu UP
and long discussion resulted. Vance
showed that the result OF the bill might be
10 reduce the revenue to a certain extent,
but not 10 reduce the taxes. What the
people desired was q common sense re-
duction of the revenue and correspond
ing relief from the payment OF taxes. The
Mckinley bill was an outrage on human
patience and an insult TO the intelligence
OF mankind. II neither reduced the rev.
enue, In the sense OF reducing taxation
nor equalixed the duties ON imports. On
the contrary, it increased taxation and
made the duties more unequal by impos-
ing heavier burdens on the poor than ON
the rich and by SO settling the tax on the
necessaries of life as TO shock the moral
sense of every just man.
Vance went onto arraign the republi-
can party for the evils which protection
had brought upon the country. He quoted
from Blaine's letter to Frye and said the
unmistakable wisdom Of what that dis
tinguished man had said illustrated the
wisdom of what he had left unsaid. II il
were important To extend American trade
to Central and South America, il could
not be unimporta mt to extend IL to the
European continent which in wealth and
population was ten times greater III free
trade with the people of the Latin races
was desirable and profitable, no reasoning
could show that little free trade with
people OF Teutonic blood was not de-
sirable, and profitable.
Plumb said: "Before proceeding To the
consideration of the bill by paragraphs
would like to know what the finance COM
mittee believe would he the effect of the
bill ON the revenue?
Mcpherson said the almost unanswcr-
able speeches of the senators from Indiana
and North Carolina lvoorhees and vance,
seemed To preclude the necessity of any
further defense Of the democratic posi-
ton and the new senator from Kansas
lPlumbl IN the simplicity of his nature
inquired from his own committee for
some information on the bill. Did not
the honorable senator know that for the
past three or four days the newspapers
had been full of reports that il had been
resolved not only by the finance commit
tee but by the republican caucus also not
| to attempt any defense of the pending
| bill? IL the bill could not be defended il
could not be passed. He therefore, in
order to expedite business, would move
that the pending bill he recommitted TO
| the committee ON finance, with iDstruc-
| tions to report at the earliest practicable
moment, bill To reduce the revenue and
| equalize the duties on Imports on the
basis that the average rate OF duty should
not exceed the average ad valorem tariff
rate of 1854.
Mcpherson then launched out in review
OF the tariff question in general and
| the pending bill in particular. He under
took tn show that neither farmer nor con-
stlmer would be benefited by il. He re-
ferred TO the campaign of 1883 as one in
which immense sums Of money had been
corruptly raised and corruptly used in be-
| half of the republican ticket. That
money had been raised. he said, among
the beneficiaries of the pending bill.
Chief among them was pious citizen OF
Pennsylvania, who since has been re-
| warded with seat in the cabinet as the
| price of his villainy.
sherman criticised McPherson's re-
| marks as TO reducing the average rate
under the pending bill to the average rate
average of 1868 per cent. was
made upon all goods then dutia-
BILE and undutiable, but that at
that time not more than ten or fifteen per
cent. of the imported goods would be on
the free list, and if the average rate of
duty was ascertained on goods dutiable
| and un,lutable IL would not be 80 per
cent. or Is per cent, but only IL or TX per
cent.
pPlumb complained that no detailed
statement had been made as To the effect
that would follow the passage OF the bill.
II there should be n deficit within the next
Is months IL woulC be a pretty serious
matter. He thought the senate ought not
to err on the side of a deficit. Going on
TO enumerate the expenditures for the
| utAt Ht EoNt u oliiiou
that the dependent pension bill, within
the next two years, would he costing the
people S50,0O0,000 a year.
Plumb went ON tn speak of the neccs-
sary expenditure of the government aud
referred to the possibility of there being,
next year, a deficit of nearly fifty millions.
That would have To he made up by new
taxes and he would ask who was inter-
ested in producing that state OF things ?
He thought in reporting the bill the mat
ter had been overlooked and q seemed TO
him as IL omebody interested in the rate
of duties had said: I'VE do not
care what the effect on the revenue may
be. That Is not oar concern; congress
has got 10 mind that. We want our pound
of flesh" He gave notice that be would
offer amendments To the bill 10 increase
the revenue from other sources. He would
never vote for bill that he thought would
be cowardly evasion of the duty imposed
upon the senate TO provide adequate
means TO meet the expenses to the gov
ernment. He would propose a duty on
incomes; he would propose an increased
tax on alcoholic liquors. and he would
propose amendments that would prevent
the formation OF trusts.
Allison defended the senate from the
charges Of extravaganza in the matter OF
appropriation bills.
Aldrich expressed the opinion that Me.
Pherson was not serious in lis motion
and remarked that il il were carried into
law the effect would he To Increase the
revenue by Sll000O.0O over the amount
that would be produced by the pending
bill.
German asked Aldrich TO give the sen.
ate frank and fair statement as to the
probable results of the bill If enacted into
| law.
Aldrich said IL the importations for the
next fiscal year were the same as the last
the revenue would be reduced about
twenty millions. He could not give fig
ures as To expenditures. They did not IN.
tend 90 create "a deficit knowingly and
purposely. and did not believe that thai
would be the result.