Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-09-19

Il
ganlzation and most party questions but
on no occasion met with the Democrats in
caucus; and they announced the fact that
they would vote Independently upon all
questions relating to the tariff. OF the Al
Democrats, Senator Hill took the position
in the beginning that he would vote for no
tariff bill containing an income tax, so that
it required every Democratic vote, being 43
votes all told, to pass any tariff bill.
1.-THE finance committee of the Senate
was composed of six Democrats and i've
Republicans, the Democrats as follows -
Senator Voorhees,, chairman Senator Jones,
of Arkansas, chairman of the sub-commit-
tee and Senators Harris, of Tennessee;
Mcpherson, of New Jersey Vest, of Mis-
souri,, and Vance, of North Carolina, all
distinguished Democrats, with pronounced
views in favor Of tariff reform as outlined
by the Chicago platform, who commenced
their work in the committee with the view
ofreducing the general average duties below
the Wilson bill. Their first report showed
an average decrease below the Wilson bill
of about one per cent, the average OF the
Wilson bill being about IS per cent, and
the first report Of the Senate Finance
Committee being about "a per cent. 1t was
soon seen, however, that there was so much
conflict in the views of Democratic Sena-
tors that it became necessary TO call a eau
Gus. which, after three days discussion, de-
yeloped the fact that there was wide and
positive difference of opinion which mast
be reconciled by concessions and compro-
misses in order to receive the united sup
port of all the 43 Democrats and pass a bill
at all.
The whole matter was then referred backto
the Finance Committee with general instruc-
tons to use their best judgment in framing
such a tariff bill as could command the united
vote Of the forty-three Democratic Senators,
being all the straight Democrats in the Senate,
with the exception of Senator Hill. The eau
Gus, at the same time by an aye and no vote,
pledged it to stand by such report from the
Finance Committee and to vote for such bill
as would command the forty-three necessary
votes, and to vote in the Senate against all
amendments to tie bill which were not offered
or consented to by the Finance Committee.
The difficulties of the task imposed upon the
Finance Committee will at once be seen. In
the House the Democratic majority was very
large and the vote Of seventeen Democrats
against the Wilson bill attracted no attention,
but in the Senate the Democrats had not
single vote to spare. twas the simple ques-
ton Of the Democratic Senators agreeing
amongst themselves upon the best tariff bill
practicable under the circumstances, which
would command every vote, or passing no bill
at all. recognizing at the same time the fact
that failure to pass a tariff bill would have
been heralded to the country as an acknowl-
edgmeut Of the incompetency of the Demo
cratic party to legislate upon the question OF
tariff taxation. the great issue made before the
people in the election which placed the Demo
Gratis in power.
The Senate Finance Committee, after
great labor and delay. did finally agree upon
and report such a bill as forty-three Democrats
stood pledged to support. This is the simple
and concise explanation Of many votes given
by Senators which were either inconsistent or
not in accordance with their views, for if the
caucus agreement had been broken, or had
failed in any of its essential features, no bill
could have been passed. therefore, the only
thing left was the necessity to stand by the
committees bill.
There is nothing more true than that which
Senator Vest said in his speech, on the 18th of
August, when he stated that the question
never was between the Senate bill and the
Wilson bill, but it was always a question be-
tween the Senate bill and the Mckinley bill.
| give YOU quotation from Senator Vests
speech;
What has the Democratic party of the
country given TO the American people in the
shape Of tariff reform as compared with the
Mckinley acts \ false issue has been made
before the people and it has been made delib-
erately and Intentionally for sinister purposes.
II has been telegraphed. written and spoken
everywhere that the question was between the
Senate bin and the Wilson bill That never
was the question: The question all
the time has been between the Senate bill and
lNt AEhlulNN law. 1 MQL vas AAt Nuoltt 10 UG
made, and every man who understood the sit
uation knew il.
The real situation was as stated by Senator
Vest. It was never a choice as between the
Wilson bill and the Senate bill. bat as the re-
suit of necessity it was u choice between the
Senate bill aud no bill at all, which would
have left in force the Mckinley law, aud it
was therefore a choice between the Senate bill
and the Mckinley law, and not the Wilson
bill"
Senator. will You state briefly the chief
differences between the Senate and the Wilson
billy
Senator Camdcn-"The difference between
the bill as passed and the Wilson bill as it
came to the Senate are not so great as is sup
posed by the public generally, who have not
looked into the matter. In fact, the schedules
aud tabulated statements have only been re-
Gently published so that comparisons could be
easily made its reductions are largely greater
than those contained in the Mills bill. which
was Endorsed in the Democratic platform OF
ISIS ItplaccS wool, copper, tin, lumber salt,
binding twinc. bags and bagging all agricul-
tural implements and many other minor ar
ticles upon the free list as against the McKin-
ley law, and on coal aud iron ore the duty is
reduced from sevcnty-dve cents to forty cents
per ton; on lead ore the duty has been de-
creased onc-hali; on zinc sheets oue-half: on
wooden goods. the great citadel of protection,
as found in the Mckinley law the average
duties have been reduced fifty per cent,
whilst important articles Of general use in the
wooden schedule have greater reductions, such
as wooden yarns. which have reductions rang
iug from - .05 on the higher TO 74.75 on the
choon.r GRADES Knit f4hrics chear,ar GRADES