The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-08-25
Our Washington Letter.
WAsHlNaToN. D. 6. August u.

President Cleveland does not like the
Senate tariff bill any better than he did
when he wrote that letter to Chairman
Wilson few good Democrats debut,
like the sensible man that he is, he pre-
fers it to the Mckinley law, and has, ac-
cor1ing TO the best obtainabie informa-
ton, made up his mind that it shall be-
come law. but has not yet fully decided
whether he will sign it or allow it to be-
come q law without his signature; nor
whether he viii send another special mes
sage to Congress on the subject, urging
the passage at this session OF the separate
House bills providing for free coal, iron
ore and barbed wire. So far ae the action
of tie Senate is concerned, it makes little
difference what the President may do, as
enough Republican Senators have gone
away from Washington to break quorum
and they left for that very purpose, 80 as
to make sure that the Senate could not
pass any other tariff bills.
Secretary Carlisle has written letter
to Senator Harris, showing that the rev.
enue to be derived from the tariff on sug-
ar is absolutely necessary to avoid de-
ficlt in the Treasury for this fiscal year,
and stating that if the DILL for free sugar,
which passed the House with only IL OPP
posing votes, is passed by the Senate,
some other bill to raise the S43,OO0,0O0
which it is estimated will be collected on
foreign sugar must also be passed. That
letter has made the passing of the free
sugar bill cut OF question, even IL the
Senate we're in q position to do it not
withstanding the fact that majority of
the Senate fayors free sugar Carlisle's let
ter contained the latest revised estimates
of the revenues of the government under
the Senate tariff bill. The total estimat-
ed receipts are S378, 100000, and the ex-
penditures, S363,O00,o00. An estimated
surplus OF Sl5,000,000 is entirely too
small to stand any further reduction.
The wisdom of the House in accepting
the Senate amendments to the tariff DILL
although 1t involved seeming surrender
on the part of the House, is becoming
more apparent every day. 1t is now
clear as tay that there was q plot to pre-
vent any tariff legislation at all and that
only the prompt action OF the House
Democratic caucus prevented its being
carried out. Had senator Hills resolution
directing the Senate confereeS to report a
disagreement to the Senate been adopted
before the House acted, it would have
whole matter until next December, and
Senator Vest, in speech defending the
Senate from the numerous charges made
against it in connection with tariff legis-
lation, said: "Men said the question was
between the Wilson bill and the Senate
bill. That statement was as false as the
assertion that this was Democratic Sen
- nv.2 I. - ,-.f 4
never was and never can be Democratic
Senate The questian was between the
Senate bill and the Mckinley law. There
conveTsant with the situation knew it."
That is as plain as it could be made.
Senator Walsh is good Democrat and
good editor. Hence his advice Is good.
He says: 1.-THE Democratic press should
opinion as to the real merits of the Sen
ate bill. When properly presented as the
best measure of tariff reform attainable,
the conservative sentiment of the coun-
try viii settle down to the conviction
made in the direction OF real tariff re-
form and freer trade among nations"
That is the proper way to look at it. The
.oenmeo Dih 10 e.0"e AnPio'ouiohe ou rii0
Mckinley law.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, was not
speaking at random when he said: at
is absurd to talk about the sugar trust
owning the Senate. / believe that the
trust would willingly give a million dol
lars to be assured that there would be no
tariff legislation, as under the existing
Mckinley law its profits would be vastly
greater than under any Democratic tariff
law"