The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1892-02-26
SENATOR HIl.L OPENING MS EYES.

II will be remembered that when con-
grtss convened last December there we're
two views among democrats as TO the best
policy to be pursued in reference to tariff
legislation. Ore line Of policy proposed
was 10 formulate an entirely original tariff
bill covering all the ground of tariff legis-
lation, while another line was proposed
which consisted In attacking the Mckinley
law in detail, In its weakest points. On
the Sth Of December Senator BilI made a
speech at Elmira, New York. which he
said he had prepared after much thought
and delibvration. In speaking of the two
policies of tariff Legislation as outlined
above, he took strong grounds against that
Of attacking the Mckinley law In detail,
and declared In favor OF an entire repeal Of
the Mckinley bill, and a return TO the
tariff law Of 1888 For this he was severe
Iy criticiz-d by nearly every democratic
paper in the country. Here Is what he
said:
Shall we break our party formation and
60 to pieces 10 debating some small amend.
inents tow ards taxation for revenue only,
or some confusing details of scandalous
tariff schedules; or shall we rather voice
a great peoples rebuke of the two Me-
Kinley acts and demand their repealS
Shall wc nibble at rates ard percentages
as II that were the size Of our quarrel with
republican revoluuonists, or shall we sim
ply vote 10 repeal the two Mckinley acts
AMI TO testroy the bounty and subsidy
hystem root and branch?
Then he ~ as much opposed TO Offering
@sinaIl amendments" such as one to put
wool on the free list and reducing the.
duties on voolens 10 a mere nominal rate,
another 10 pa, binding twIne on the free
list, another 10 put cotton ties on The free
list as I. now being dcne BY Springer and
the ways and means committee.
The speech created general surprise at
the time and among other things the DEM
ocEAr In the issue OF January 1, ISo7 said
II Is a matter of great surprise TO not
only those who support the governor
for the democi attic nomination, but TO
those who would have Ex president
Cleveland or some other man, that he
should take position so negative, 50 do
nothing, 50 patiently nnienable on the
very face Of It
8Ths senator has evidently been devot-
Ing sDne attention TO the subject, and has
given It that searching investigation that
theirnportance Of the subject demands, and
the DeMocaAT Is much pleased to be able
to chronicle radical change Of opinion
on the part Of The senator A, the recent
New Yo'k state convention he was called
upon TO mike speech. and IL the midst
Of bis triumph he said;
4'rhe cause Of tadh reform has lately
made great practical advance Secretary
Manning, in his report Of 1886, advised
congress 10 begin practical tariff reform
by a single act-an act for free wool.
One year later The secretary's report was
"writ large" IL the message of the presI-
dent. Now. Eve years later, one Of the
mcst enlightened economists, David A
Wells, writes the chairman of the ways
and means commitiee that the path OF pro-
gress which Secretary Manning bIsz~d first
and alone Is the true path. II Is maxim
of sound policy, better fitted 10 win
eieesions than lose them, better dividing
into ehaD'ers the lessons Of long campaign
OF education. Abolish whenever soa can
one indctensiblc tax at tiaic. This y
true progress.
Now, the senator Is no longer afraid Of
'sli1tle amendments and IN the hrlliancy OF
the light that has come 10 him by research
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