Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-21
SENATOR ALDRICK
On the Tariff Measure - Prospects OF Ad.
ditions and Substracti0ns.

WAsHIsGros, Dee. lS Senator Nelson
W AIdrich vas NOR. d. ply interested in
| tue framing OF = hat 10 ksown as the Nc
kinley isv Ehsn any ether member Of the
Seos;e Ths iovesig st,on shich is row
being conductsd BY tie Ssuste Committee
o. finance. 10 being csrris d eus or plan
oatl,ned by him. The "fssher of the Sen
sic" S.nalor morrill, of Vrrmoat, is the
chairman ~ ths committee on finance
Ssust5. Aidrich is now he recognized
authority in the Senate on tariff matters.
Senator Aldreh. being ASKED IL be
thought there would be suy tariff legisla-
ton IS result Of the investigsti1n which
sas begun lss, Summer under the suspices
Of The foance committee said IL is q mis-
take TO assume that we are engaged solely
ia invastlga All q the operation OF ME re cent
tariff law. The Ii qeiry which We are con
iuctlng 10 chisflg into the course Of prices
aud wages for The past fifty years. The
nearest approach we viii make 10 consider
ing he fleets Of the recently enacted law
will be IN the inquiry into the course Of
retail prices of he articles Of general con-
SUMPTION 70, the period from June 1859,
to September, 1891.
We sre engaged in . purely statistical
quiry. When this is fully completed, tie
committee will, of course. take into con-
siderstion the causes which have Influenced
changes in prices and wages. The in
quiry, however, will not be completed,
probably. before May or June mex; vi
answer TO e QUESTION 10 regard 70 the nature
Of the data already received the senator
said "The committee have decided, IS
think very properly, not 70 make any state
mens or partial report Of the progress Of
their work, or TO give out, for publication
any infsrences Of their own in regard 20 8
significance .
10 r, gard to the nature Of the report
likely to be made the seDatsr said "I
oelieve th,s the committee will be able to
sgres unanimously in their statement Of
sscertsined tscgs aud In regard to many Of
the csuse. that have been from time TO
time effective in producing economic
Changes. In regard, however, TO the sin
gle question as Co the effect which tariff
changes hsvs had upon the peoples welfare
si,hia .he period named, 1t is 70 much to
exp C. ,hst an agreement will be resched
between the msj 1rity and minority OF the
committee" When asked if the Repub i
cans would propose sny amer dmen's to
the law st she present session, the sensior
replied:
The friends Of the measure would ma.
turslly prefer that all of its provisions
should be fairly tested before any amend
ulsnts are adopted This Senate has no
power to initiate changes, and with the
pfesert organization # the House 1t 10 safe
20 assume that sli attempts at med hcation
will be in their nature unfrieDdiy to the
general purposes Of the act. I take it for
granted thar DO plan Of attack has yet been
agreed upon in the House. and that rome
will be until il is kno~n who il to lead the
assault" What importsut qnes ion will
De taken up in CO.. gtess. actively, IN the
immediate fu ure?' Il presume that Mt.
Stewards :ree coinsge bill will be consider
ed BY the Senate s3on after the holiday
recess
The senator from Nevada has given
notice Of his intention to dsmsnd es,iy
action on biz bill and there viii be, feel
-ura, DO disposition on the par: OF the ma
iority Of the Gnauee committee TO eecnre
delay. There will undoubtedly be an op-
portunity for full discussion, but no sits mpt
to po.tpo e, undu y, fnsl action "l' n,
Of course, impossible TO cay wnat course
Democratic ssnsi"-s may take. hut 1 et-
lave that = lsfga msjos,iy Of them will I'D
here TO the POSITION taken Al the last session
10 favor OF free silver" "Wlii the tariff
and the silver question be the chief issues
10 the coming cempsigI?'
'Undp dpuotedly. There Will be an unsuc
cessiul attempt made to raise other issGes,
The Democrats will. for instance, try 10
m .ke record for economy by reducing
appropriations l believe, however. that
they will not succeed in Awakening pubic
interest or in winning popular favor fo- this
plan. II the p.opfi.sions for toe regular
expenses Of the government are largely re-
oucad. the efficiency Of the public service
viii be crippled or psTslyzed. A device,
merely to postpone the necessary sppro-
triatiops for . session, with the csriaiht'
Of crr aung enormous de6cief cies, will rot
dc i've the people. Tn House, 1t is true,
msy refuse TO make appropriations for the
ue~ navy, to erect pubic buiidirgs, or to
pay Ien,ions, but it is not p'oosole that
tneir notions will be carried to shis extent. "