Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-13
The House Still Talking on the
Wilson Bill.
Reed Will Close for Republicans Jan.
28--Wilson for Democrats
On 29th-FinaI Vote on the Bill will be
Taken Ian 80.

bill. Brosius finished the speech he begsn
yesterday and Payne (Rep.) of New York,
spoke agains: the bill, calling it sectional
measurer. Black Dem. of Georgia, was
the ne xt speaker. He devoted large part
of his remarks to discussion of the income
tax feature, which he understood was TO go
hand in hand with the Wilson revenue bill.
Pendleton (Dem. of West Virginia. ad-
dressed the committee. He said that now
there was Democratic House, Democratic
Senate, Democratic President in the
White House. it is time that the
comm people were taken care of
under the auspices of the Democratic party,
IL was unfortunately tue that one Of the
reasons for reduction of the tariff no
longer existed. The surplus in the treasury
had disappeared in four years of Harrison
administration. His idea of the formation
of tariff bill was that it should raise
enough revenue for the use of the govern
! ment, AMI that we should do son ething to
take the burden from tn: backs of the CON-
mon people. As t. wool, he said, in spite
of the duty, 800 ,00O,0 900 pounds had to be
imported for the use of American wooden
manufacturers, and they are thus obliged
to pay S33, 900 600 every year, before they
can compete with the wOolen manufact-
urers of France.
Simpson (Pop.) of Kansas was given the
floor and started out by saying that he
would have to condense q three hours
speech into an hour. Wilson (Dem.) of
West Virginia, manager of the bill, said he
understood Mr., Simpson was the only men,
Der of bis party to speak, and asked that his
time be extended half an hour, but objec-
ton was made.
Simpson said that while he intended to
vote for this BILL there were many provi-
sions in it that he did not approve; but as
it was at least 20 per cent. lower than the
Mckinley bill, he should have to support it.
81 am rot one of those" he said, "thst
ever hoped or believed the Democratic party
would be able when the final test came to
carry out their pledges to the people to rid
the country of the robber tariff. That
party, like the Republican,, is under the
control of the money power and the Peoples
party stands pledged to the principles of
free trade
Simpson stated that he should speak from
standpoint of free trader. The press a
few moAths ago said the distress of the
country was due to the Sherman law; repeal
that and prosperity would return. But
who, he asked, are now the calamity howl
ere? Why, gentlemen, he said, you are
6iscounting us hundred fold. On the
sc,ion of the sd Congre ss depends the safety
and perpe tuity of our institutions and well
fare The cause of the existing trouble,
Simpson said, he found in the intolerable
burden put on the agricultural classes by
the system of indirect taxation. To admit
that labor needs protection is to acknow-
ledge its inferiority. He declared the effect
of the Mckinley tariff upon the farmers
was to increase the price of things they
bought and reduce the price of things hey
sold. The result of this system has been
to concentrate in the hands of nine per
cent of the population Of the United States
Il per cent. of its wealth. He said:
"The IA 500 employers of 905 900 pau
pers in our pauper houses, called protected
industries, collected in 1880 over $500, ,000,-
600 under the pretense that it was to pay
the difference in wages the total amount
rece ived by their workers was under $780,.
900. The employers had absolute pauper
labor, and robbed the paupers of over half
the public money contributed to their sup
port"
Specific instances in proof were given, in
cluding the sugar trust, which, between
1880 and 1891. got in profits the enormous
sum of S546, ,93l ,358. The carpet trust, he
said, in 1880, pocketed Sl,SS9 1876 on ac-
count of the difference il wages" and
Sc ,G67 ,904 from the tax on shoddy. The
window glass trust was another example,
the duty levied on the months product Of
Belgian l0-pot furnace. being, according to
Simpsons figures, S2937, or S796 more
than the wages paid in this country.
Simpson gave an object lesson Of what
he called the result of the protection of the
wooden industry which Burrows asserted
kept out European .hoddy. In the market
place of Washington where the farmers
took their products to sell, he selected an
average overcost (Which he showed in the
H,use) which was bought year ago for
$40 so, and had become 80 rotten that it
felt to pieces in his hands as he became
wrought up in bis indignation. Loud ap-
plause greeted is object lessen.
Simpson had brought the happy farmer
rev overcost at the same price as the old
one, and this, said Simpson, would last just
about as long. Labor he said, after Great
ing tie immense fortunes of trusts, was
now starving. A New York paper today
stated that 10, 900 loaves Of bread were dis
,ributed, when ach loaf meant a meal fer
whole fsni y, and probably saved human
life. He did not entirely blame the trusts
corpoWiions for this result. but blamed the
~orkiogmen themselves for putting in
power, and keeping in power men who made