The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-03-06
TARIFF TALK IN CAUCUS.

A Lively Discussion Among Demo-
cratic Senators as to the Proper
Policy in Rcconstructingt the Will
son Bill.
The Democratic Senatorial caucus
last week revealed u variety of views
upon the Wilson tariff bill. On the
9th ult., the discussion was plain and
emphatic, and several Senators were on
their mettle concerning the interests
they represent.
1t is understood that q scene some
what sensational in its features took
place during the morning session.
Senator White, ofLouisiana, had made
very vigorous speech while on the
subject of sugar. in which he bitterly
denounced the attitude OF some Sena-
tors. No reply was made until this
morning, when it is said, that two or
three Senators replied in language
that was decidedly personal and un-
pleasant. 1t is also said that White
has declared that he would not send
his resignation as Senator to the Coz
ernor of Louisiana until he knew what
was to be done with sugar. Mr..
Whites attitude was described by one
Senator as that of man who stood
with his commission as Supreme
Court Justice in one pocket and his
resignation as a Senator in the other,
waiting to see when he could serve
his constituents and the people best.
Senator Bricc, of Ohio, who was the
prime mover in calling the caucus,
made forcible and vigorous speech
to-day. He is said to have criticized
the wisdom that placed the construc-
tlon OF the tariff bill in the hands Of
three Senators, whose status rs II sub
committee had been attacked on the
floor Of the Senate and gone unchal-
lengcd, and who were not apparently
in sympathy with any of the manu-
featuring centres of the country which
were most affected by the bill. 1t was
evident, he said. that the party was
rent by disscnsionS, and the question
for the conference to decide in cOnnec-
tion with the tariff bill was waat
should be done to save the Democratic
party. If, said Brice. you are going
to frame this bill in accordance with
the platform of the Democratic party
as adopted at Chicago, that is ono
thing lf on the other hand. you
intend to frame it on the lines Of the
platform that was not adopted. an en-
tirely different view of the case is
given u.s. but if you intend to frame
1t so that you protect the sugar in
tercsts alone. at the expense of the
great industries OF the North and you
intend to ignore them entirely. then
propose, for ono, to have something to
say.
Mr.. Brice, it is understood, called
attention to the fact that there must
be more done than merely conciliatc
the sugar Senators, whose constituents
would be injured by prospective lcgis-
lation that II very important ques-
ton FOR Democrats to consider was
what they should do to keep in the
party the great States of New York,
New Jersey and Maryland, which
were full Of industries that, he assert
ed, the proposed bill sought to cripple.
The great States of Ohio, New York
and New Jersey, with their representa-
tiOn in Congress aggregating many
times more than any Southern dele
cation, should not be ignored. The
Democrats, Mr.. Bricc believed, should
frame Il bill that would yield sufficient
revenue to run tho government, but
they had failed to. do it. If the bill
was not carefully considered. Mr..
Bricc warned the caucus that the
States to which he had referred would
become, so far as Democracy was con
ccrncd, as barren as Il desert. If con-
cessiOns were to be made. he said,
they must be made on general lines
and toward those Industries that pro-
duce the greatness of the States which
| the Democratic party were now
threatened with losing.
Bricc wanted the party removed
| from the place where it laid itself liable
to the suspicion Of engaging in a sec
tiOnal consideration Of the measure.
| For that reason, he believed it better
| that the bill should be referred to Il
committee to be suggested by the eau
Gus to be made up of representative
men, representing States where the Sc
aggricvcd Industries were known and
| understood and that such Il committee
should make up the bill. Even if they
reported the same bill, still it would
be free from objections that are now
lcvclcd at the bill before the caucus.
Bricc spoke freely arG his remarks
had much weight wit. the Senator's
He is counted as one of the six con
scrvativcs " in whose hands the fate OF
the bill appears to rest. These men
are Bricc, Hill, Smith, Murphy, White
Of Louisiana, and Gallery.
Senator Hill made his first speech
in the caucus today. His chief assault
was on the income tax, which he de-
nounccd rs inquisitorial and niQuitOus
He believed the party that passed it
would pay the penalty for the commits
sion oil such crime. 1T was argued
that it was against the principles Of
the Democratic party and contrary to
its platform, which declared that all
taxes should be raised from Imports
Democracy did not look with favor
upon the building Lp of system OF
international taxation, such as was
contemplated by the income tax. 1t
was only put in the bill. he said, to
help make good the deficit caused by
the great reduction in the duty and
the placing on the free list of such
articles rs should contribute towards
the customs revenues. There were u
hundred items in the bill, Hill said
that affected his State, that could
properly be Incorporated in a bill
framed for revenue only" but which
seemed to have beon ignored by the
committee.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. 2S. After spend
ing the better part of three days in ii
caucus on the tariff bill the Democratic
Senators this afternoon sent the bill
back to tho finance committee without
expressed, but strongly implied in
structions to amend it according to the
~ ,1in Inn