Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-07-20
BACK TO THE SENATE NOW
THE TARIFF BILL AND FREE
RAW MATERIAL.
Hill epeks For Free Coal and
Iron to an Inilne nselCrOwd-Thc
the Income Tax.

! WASHINGTON, July 20.-As part Of his
remarks in the House Yesterday Mr..
| Wilson had read at the clerks desk a
long letter written to him by the Prcsi-
dent wherein the latter defines his posi-
ton on the pending bill. The salient
points of this documcr which were
received by frequent outbursts of ap-
plause by Democrats and occasioncd
peals Of laughter by the Republicans,
are these:
He admonishes the House conferces to
stand firm for free coal and iron ore as
they were promised the people when
the party pledged Itself to free raw ma
terials. He declares that to accede to
Republican protection in the bill now
in conference on these terms would be
party dshonor and party outrage.
The Senate bill, he says, fell far short of
being what the rank and file of the Dem
ocratic party demanded. On sugar the
President said the party could place
tax without being subjected to the
charge of abandoning Democratic prin-
ciplcs, even though the charge might be
made, although it would beexaggerated,
that the party was encouraging the
refineres of the country. There would
be no obj ction to tax on sugar if that
were necessary to secure the passage of
the bill, but in respect to coal and iron
ore the President said there must be no
rcccding from the House bill. The Pres
ident's reference to sugar as delicate
subject" caused much laughter on the
Republican side of the chamber.
One OF the concluding paragraphs of
the tier is: "You know how much
deprecated the Incorporation into the
bill OF the income tax feature. In a mat
ter "t this kind, which does not violate
a fixed and +. .copnized ID mocratic prin-
ciplc, we arc willing to d. fer to the judg
mcnt of our Democratic brethren"
Crowds such as had not throngcd the
Senate in months packed it t. dav
The House and President had Yesterday
thrown down the gauntlet to the Sen
ate on the tariff question and a pitched
battle was expected.
AT l2l7 Senator Voorhees,, chairman
OF the finance committee. called up he
conference report on the tariff bill
Without word of explanation he gave
the floor to Smith of New Jersey who
read a carefully prepared speech He
had hoped. he said, that when the bill
passed the Senate two weeks ago, it had
been perfected, but the events of the last
"a hours had confronted the Democratic
party with the possibility of the failure
OF all tariff legislation this session; if so
the rcspon ibility must be placed where
it bel pngcd.>
Mr.. Viii followed with motion that
the Senate rcccdc from its amendments
to the House bill imposing duty on
bituminous coal and iron ore. Then hrlbc-
gan his speech in these words, delivered
with dramatic effect: MIR. President, Il
theory as well as condition ronfronts
us"
Immediately a burst of laughter
started in the reporters gallery and was
caught up and repeated in all the other
galleries.
lie then went on with his speech. 1t
was read from manuscript. but WAS de
livcrcd with great force and was listened
to with the closest attention by Repub-
lican and Democratic Senators alike, by
many Representatives of the House
standing in rows back OF the seats and
by very large crowds III the galleries.