The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-04

WASHINGTON. April 2.-The prin-
cipal interest in the senate today
centered in the speech of Senator Voor-
hees. the chairman of the committee on
! finance, who thus launched the tariff
question upon the sea of senatorial de-
bate. While his speech was read from
manuscript it was delivered with all
the fiery energy which characterized his
usual eNtempore efforts.
There was an unusually full attend
ance both on the floor and in the CALLER
les. and the conclusion of his speech
was greeted with a hearty burst of ap
plause. He lauded the Walker tariff bill
OF 1S4S as blessed and glorious mem
Ory," and regretted exceedingly that
this bill did not more closely resemble
it. He vigorously defended the income
tax feature and the free wool clause,
and as vigorously condemned the sugar
! bounty and reciprocity features of the
Mckinley bill, the former being charac-
terized as a tumble and fraud and
the latter as an unconstitutional
freak" He called attention to the fact
that today was the 15Oth anniversary
of Thomas jefferson. that great
emancipator Of mankind" and quoted
| extensively from Mr.. Blaine's Thirty
Years In Congress"
The Senator's Speech.
Senator VOORHEES,. as is his usual Gus
tom, read his speech from a convenient
desk made of large books piled upon his
| desk. He said
| Mr. President-Great abuses in govern
| ment, strong by the sanction and growth of
4 frn1, III dpd I'm rfn in ~
/ privileged classes. created fostered, en-
| couraged and protected by the laws them
! selves have rarely, if ever, in any age,
| been promptly and totally eradicated, eX-
| cept by foreible- revolution and blOOdshed.
| timony of history. The spirit of peaceful
and practical reform, on the other hand,
| is a reasoning and progressive spirit NOV
RG adds and fhoPo9h M % ts end enc and as
! may be, and overcoming the most gigantic
| evils with patient wisdom and courage,
| rather than by violent and wholesale
! sault.
| The protective system of tariff taxation,
| as developed and fastened upon the bust
! ness and labor Of the American people,
| especially during the third Of century
! past growing worse at every stage, is
| system of indescrbable injustice and Op
preston, and yet who will contend that
/ all its vicious principles and workings,
4 ramified as they are, through every branch
of trade and commerce, can be annihilated
/ by single blow or totally wiped out by
| single legislative enactment? For the bill
| now under consideration no such claim is
made, but in its behalf can be truthfully
asserted, and will be successfully main
| in the field of tariff reform, embodies a
great relief to the people from iniquitous
stride, though not a final one toward the
| approaching day of full and perfect de-
! lverance.
| Sir. challenge the attention of the sen
ate and country to the great and command
ing fact, that by the provision of this bill,
| the seeming paradox OF a reduction Of taxes
| at he a h.
lie revenues will be reconciled when il be-
| comes "a law / will not stop to con slider an
this point the vast individual robberies
committed in protected markets, the un-
told and incalculable millions OF blackmafl
own pockets on their enforced customers
when cut off from all outside competition
It is enough for my present purpose to say
| kets, made them more accessible to the
| traffic of the world and, while not estab-
| freer and more even r-handed between the
manufacturer and the consumer.
But over and above and beyond this wide
| and well-known field of extortion and in
| justice, it will be found from the schedules
| Of this BILL that the tariff taxes now Of
| ficially aScertained and paid under existing
laws. on the wants. necessities and daily
consumption of the laboring men, women
and children of the United States, have
been reduced more than seventy-six mil
lions per annum. These reductions are as
follows:
The Tax on Necessities.
On chemicals, S1.OOOOOO; on pottery, $780,
ooO on glass. 81, ,5OO.OO0 metals, $12, 500 OO0
on wood, 100000; on tobacco, $33OO,OOO; on
agricultural products, $780, 600; on spirits
wines, etc, S1,5OO.OOO; on cotton manufact-
ufactures, $1,000. coo; on woolen manufact-
lires $23 600; on silk manufactures,
Sc. 10000; on paper and pulp $3OoOO0 on
sundries, S2, $4,000; transferred TO the free
list $l2,17OO0O. Total, S6,67OOO0 To this
must be added the further imposing fact
revenue, largely in excess OF present sup
plies with which to meet all the require
ments of the public credit. Such a con-
summation as this full of relief to the
people, and of strength safety and honor
to the government, may well atone for the
AGAINST the pending measure. and will con-
stitute the rock upon which the temple Of
tariff reform will be built and against
which, in the ameiorated future, the gates
Of averice fraud and oppression shall not
prevail With such a beneficient and stu
reach of the American people, almost
ready for their eager enjoyment, I envy
not the party, nor the .I1. man. nor the set of
hindrance and an obstruction TO its speedy
fulhllment.
Faults and imperfections can. of course,
be alleged and pointed out; concessions are
apparent which have been unwIlllngly made
I'M order to secure its passage; articles on
the free list as they came from the house
have been made dutiable under the duress
of a small majority here, but deeply /
regret the necessity for these changes i
do not hesitate that the bill. taken as a
whole as 1t now stands, with its combina-
ton of lower taxes on the necessities of
life, and at the same time increased reve-
nues for the government, will be hailed
as a substantial measure of reform and
relief by the great producing masses OF
the American people. Manufacturing in
terests which, hundred years ago. were.
indeed and in fact. In their infancy ard
were nursed and fostered while yet in the
cradle of their birth, are now the colossal
task-masters OF the whole people, COM
manding tribute from every days labor
beneath the sun. haughtily striding from
the corridors of this capitol and Issuing
their edicts, In TIE tones of dictators, for
or against the enactment Of pending meas
ures I'm the halls of congress. Those who
own and represent these swollen and ar
rogant interests do not hesitate to declare
on what terms bill vitality affecting sew
enty millions OF people will be permitted