Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-26
FlFTY-FlRST CONGRESS.
Proceedings of the Two Branches Yester-
daV.
rBy telegraph % tho plspatch.,

at III a. NJ. After prayer lue question: VI -
quorum was raised by Mr.. Morgan and a
call ordered which showed the presence
Of only thirty-eight senator's.
Mr. Hoar asked whether the Sergeant-at-
Arms had made any report of his proceed
ings on Wednesday evening under the order
of the Senate to compel the attendance OF
absent senators.
The Vice President replied that the
Chair had not received such report.
On motion of Mr.. ingalls, tho Sergeant
alarms was directed to request the at
tendance OF absent senators. In about
ten minutes the number of senator's IN at
tendance had reached the quorum point
forty-tLree-and the Secretary proceeding
read the journal of yesterday. all further
proceedings under the call being dispensed
with.
FEES or PENSION AGENTS.
Mr.. Blair presented memorial from the
Headquarters of the Grand Army Post eX
pressing adherence at the action of Con-
gress in allowing pension agents fee OF
$40 in each case under the recent depend
ent pension act, and enclosing a circular
of Washington clam-agent offering to
active men in localities one half the tee
in all cases sent to him. He said that he
concurred with the memorialists IN the
expression OF their adherence.
PROTESTS AGAINST JHE tObCE BILL
Mr.. Cockrell presented memorial
from st. Louis. Mo-, protesting against the
passage ythe Senate of the Federal elec-
tions bill. and stating that the masses of
people were so "daZed with the enOrmitv
of the proposed outrage on the sanctity OF
the ballot" they had not yet formulated
words in condemnation OF It.
Other memorials against the bill were
presented from Adrian. Mich.
The House bill on that subject was, on
motion Of Mr. Hoar, referred To the Com
mittee on Privileges aud Elections.
THE REVENUE MARINE BILL.
Mr.. Morrill, moved to proceed to conside-
ration of the tariff bill, and Mr.. Gray antago-
niZed that motion with one to resume con-
sideration Of the House bill 10 transfer the
revenue-marine service to the Navy De-
partment. The latter motion was agreed
to-yeas, -: nays. %. ana the reyenuc-ma-
rine bill was taken up. On motion of Mr..
FRYE. the amendments were adopted cx-
tending the application of the bill 10 the
life-saying service.
THE TARIFF BILL.
At / o'clock the tariff bill came up as un-
finished business.
Mr.. Aldrich asked unanimous consent
that the formal reading of the bill be dis
pensed with and that the bill be read by
paragraphs. the committee amendments
being first acted upon.
Mr.. Mcpherson inquired as to the mean
ing of the motion and Mr. Alqrlch under
took to snlighten him. All the para
graphs, he SAID, would be read seriatiD,
and when n committee amendment was
reached it should be acted upon first
the committee amendments were them
selves open TO amendments-and then all
Il. I,,r rr.t.1I 10. 70
ment without any limitation Whatever.
II was not the intention Of the committee
to limit the power Of Offering amend
ments.
Mr.. Plumb objected to that part of Mr.
Aldrich's request as to the committee
amendments. The less hIde-bound the
matter was the better it woul1 be.
Mr.. Aldrich modified his request and sim
plv asked that the formal reading of the
bill be dispensed with, and that the bill be
read bv paragraphs for consideration.
Mr.. Mcpherson: Does the Senator mean
by that that the bill will be open to amend
ment a. read:
Mr.. Aldrich: Certainly, under the rules
Of the Senate.
Unanimous consent was given, and Mr..
Vance proceeded 10 address the Senate.
VANCE on THE TARIFF QUESTION.
To the common-sense view. he said. it
would seem tlAt the removal Of unneces--
sary taxes wasa matter of wisdom, and
that to continue 70 collect them was not
to be thought of for u moment. But
those who think so would reckon with
out their host" That has been proved by
the history Of the tariff commission OF
1882. which had utterly ignored the wants
Of the people and of the Government. and
thought only of the wants and wishes
e - So - N
reduction Of - per cent IN Gus
toms duties had been promised in 1882,
but the tariff of 1888 had resulted in an IN
crease of 1915 per cent. That tariff com
mission had found an average tarih rate OF
y per cent. al rG'Orem and had lett an aver
age rate Of AZ per cent. which was now.
owing 10 the Constantiy-ln rates,
the result of specific duties, IN the close
neighborhood Of 81 per cent. lie asserted
that every bona tide effort TO reduce taxes
has been defeated. The result OF the
pending bill might be to, reduce the
revenue to "A certain extent. but not TO re-
duce taxes. A reduction of taxes was one
thing and the reduction of the revenue
another and quite different thing.
WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.
What the people desired was common
sense reduction of the revenue and cor
responding relief from the payment OF
taxes. But the taking of of two cents
pound on sugar with one hand. and the
paying of two cents a pound TO the sugar
producer on the other hand was indeed
reduction of revenue with both hands
but the taxes remained and the peoplepald
them all the same. Agriculture supplied
rs per cent. of the foreign exports or the
country: and that export might be doubled
and quadrupled If the tariff were only ar
hot OF hon natfnng c0llId send
their products TO pay for American pro-
ducts. But protection would not permit
that. Instead of reducing the wall that
shut out foreign products. II was raised
higher and higher, and was bristilng with
more and more penalties. The only possl-
ble effect of proposing bill like the Nc
kInley bill was TO aggravate the evil
AN OUTRAGE AND AN INSULT.
1t was an outrage on human patience and
an insult to the intelligence OF mankind.
Looking at the high-soundlng title OF the
bill. ITO reduce revenue and equailze the
duties on imports" and comparing IL Win
what IL would accomplish. the Dlll wouid
be pronounced the most stupendous fraud
which the ingenuity Of man mad yet perpe-
trated on a much-abused and long-suner-
ing people. Ii neither reduced the revenue
in the sense of reducing taxation nor
equalized the duties on imports. On the
contrary, it increased taxation and made
the duties more unequal by imposing
heavier burdens on the poor than on tne
rich, and by so swelling .he taxes on the
necessaries of life as to shock the moral
sense OF every Just man.
DEFICIT AT HAND.
Talking of the probable expenditures
and revenues for the current fiscal year.
Dir. Vance thought il safe to say that the
expenditures would be very close TO S52o,-
100000, of which at least 20 per cent.
would be in excess OF the revenues. Ihus
not only would the surplus disappear, but
the sinking fund would probably suffer
also, unless the river and harbor approoprl-
alton bill should be sacrificed, winch
seemed to him quite likely. lie declared
that the bill had been framed IN strict
compliance with the wishes. or tas the
phrase was) with the demand OF the
manufacturers. II was neither decent nor
honest. just nor humane. He, could con-
ceive of nothing more illegal. more un-
democratic more defiant OF principles OF
free government. more outrageous TO the
ordinary sense of Justice and humanity. or
more humiliating to the spirit OF honest
craftsmanship than the spectacle present
ed IN the room of the Committee on IL
nance filed with q clamorous crowd de-
manding higher tariffs, and telling their
stereotype tales about high wages which