Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-07-13
TIE TARIFF Bill.


ments to the tariff bill, and it was referred
to q conference cammittee. In support of
the motion for the reference, Mr.. Wilson
stated very clearly and ably the points Of
difference between the Houses. We give
below extracts from his speech, which sup.
port and fortlfy the position the SENTINEL
has taken in regard 10 the compromise
amendments, and re-aff1rm the Democratic
theory Of tariff legislation:
After Ave months tendency in the Sen.
ate the bill has been returned 10 us with 634
amendments.
II has been said that the bill which passed
the House on the LIST day Of February last
was hastily gotten up, was not we'll Icon
sidered bill, and that, therefore, 1t was in
cumbent upon the Senate to take the crude
bill offered by the House and TO perfect IL
by such amendments as the Senate deemed
proper TO add or propose to it. So far from
that being true, speak within the bounds
of correct custom when l say that no tariff
bill ever went from the House of Represen-
tatives in all Of its history to the other cham
Der, on which longer and more careful, and
more detailed and more conscientious work
was bestowed than upon the bill which
passed this House on the LIST of February. /
say this without saying anything, Of course,
as 10 the character of the bill itself. But
simply want TO say for the House Of Rep.
resentatives that In the discharge OF the con.
stltutional duty as the immediate representa-.
lives of the tax payers Of this country, and
In the discharge OF the mandate of the PEG.
pie Of the country when they sent the mem.
bers with their commissions 10 this House,
they performed their work honestly, care.
fully, deliberately, and TO the best Of their
capability. (Appla1se on the Democratic
side)
/ perfectly agree, Mr.. Speaker, with some
OF the recommendations Of the gentleman
from Maine (Mr. Reed) in the first part Of
his speech this morning. / perfectly agree
with him that the duty of framing q reve.
nue. bill, a bill to impose taxes upon the PEG.
Pile, is both by the express letter Of the Con-
stitution and by the very theory of free gov
ment, q duty peculiarly and In the first
place exclusively resting upon those whe are
chosen by the people themselves. II is the
very definition Of free government that all
taxes shall be levied by the vote of these who
Immediately represent the payers Of those
taxes And while under our constitutional
system the Senate may propose amendments,
II is none the less duty OF this House TO
endeavor 10 frame and 10 secure the passage
of tariff bill as satisfactory to it and as just
10 the people OF the country as If it was the
sole Trainer of such bill, and as II the sole
responsibility rested upon it, Applause on
the Democratic side
Now, Mr.. Speaker, the bill that went from
this House, whatever may have been the i'm
PROJECTIONS Of It's details, was based upon
two clear and intelligent principles. 1t was
based first upon the principle that In gather
ing revenue taxes under tariff, those taxes
should be levied and gathered upon finished
products, and not upon what was called raw
materials. Taxes upon raw materials are
taxes upon the occupation of the working
people Of country; and no country which
does not allow its working people free, I'M
taxed access TO the materials OF industry,
can fully supply its own market or hope to
contend for the markets of other countries
in the world. loud applause on Demo
cratic side.)
And SO, sir the bill that passed through
the House was based upon that great fun
damental idea that we could gather what
ever revenue we need under tariff system
from q revenue tax upon the finished pro-
duct and not upon successive taxes, rolled
up and repeated at every stage in the pro
cess oil manufacture, upon the material that
workingmen have to use in the employment
oil their labor. The bill that came back to
US IRON the Senate does not recognize that
principle. II has transferred 10 the tax list
qute numuef VI maeeriais VI inuusuy
wilch TINS house oesiIeu ana oesires 70 give
iiee anu untaAeu W .ne woIkIns peop,e VI
TINS country. vi all the cniei materials pro
vided in the House bill only wool and lum-
YER came back TO us undisturbed by the Sen
sle bill.
4 There was another important and equally
Democratic principle In the House bill, and
nat was tnat there can De no just OF equai
ystem oil taxation except system paseu
pom the value OF the tning taxeu. mere ID no
pen, public system oil taxation except tnat
Fhich IS levied upon unit OF value, not
qat which is levied npoL unit OF weight,
leasure, OF time. therefore, the mouse
al, In the main, sought through all OF ls
lheduies 10 Introduce and TO extend as iar
II could the ad vaiorum system oil TAXA
on, Instead oil speclnc or compound sys-
m.
Now, sir, we md that the Senate bill has
aurned very largely 10 specific taxes, and
many cases, In q considerable number oil
lses, 10 that worst and most insidious and
rima facie fraudulent form OF specific taxes,
compound duty made up OF specific tax
I'd an ad valorem tax. Thus the bill comes
sck 10 the House with these two funda-
entail principles OF Democratic policy In
rye measure overridden and neglected;
I'D IL Is Tor this House, SO far as II can in
Q performance OF this duty TO the people,
insist upon tneir continuance IN any taIln
ni that Is passed oy TINS HOUSE Oh Con
ess. tApplause'l
NOW, SIT, u mere were any lee,ng In .nis
ouse when we came 10 oeai WIN the Arlh
" IL was that we were dealing 700 con
hvauseiy. mere was scarcely any senu-
ent IN this House except mere ana there
pom some particular item that we did not
rei that u we were Tree 70 carry out the iull
Andate oil the people who sent us here, we
Ouid nave sent 70 the senate Dill win
~er range OF duties than we Ventured TO
ggest or paas 10 this House. Ii these
nendments were In the direction OF re
1ction OF the peoples taxes am sure that
Us House would agree very quickly TO
roe numhaF of them hnt while a al