The Forrest City times., 1894-04-06
THE TARIFF BILL.
Opening of the Debate on the
 Measure in the Senate.
Senator Voorhees,, of Indiana, Begins the Speech'Making by Lengthy Re- view of the Biil-Synop-
 sis of His Speech.

WASHINGTON, April 2.-In reporting to the senate house resolution 4s64- "A bill to reduce taxation, to provide revenue for the government, and for other purposes" with senate amend ments thereto, MT. Voorhees, (dem., Ind.), chairman of the senate commit tee on finance, addressed the senate in a prepared speech of several hours du- ration of which the following is a synopsis:
 He challenged the attention Of the senate and the country to the fact that by the pro- visions of this bill the seeming paradox of reduction of taxes and at the same time an in- crease of public revenues will be reconciled when it becomes law The reductions. he claimed. were as follows:
 On chemicals, sl. .000.0o0: on pottery. sl .o00,- 900; glass, sl 50), ,000 on metals sl2, 800 000: on wood s300000: on tobacco. s3. 300.0)0; on az rfcultural products. s330O,0o0: on spirits, wines, etc, si,50ooO); on manufactures. ss.- f5o.O0J: on flax. hemp and jute manufactures, s6.0o0000 on woolen manufactures. ss5 50 i000 on silk manufactures. s3500,000: on paper and pulp s300 900; sundries, Sa450,0t0; trans ferred to the free list, sl2. .l70600: total, s76, 67OO0O.
 To these reductions must be added, he said, the imposing fact that the bill provides for
 
 present supplies, with which to meet all the requirements of the public credit
 Faults and imperfections can, of course. be alleged and pointed out; concessions are ap- parent which have been unwillingly made-and only when found absolutely necessary, in order to secure it's passage; articles on the free list as they came from the house have been made dutiable under the duress of small majority here, yet. deeply as I regret the necessity for these changes, and earnestly opposed them, do not hesitate to say that the bill, taken as whole. as 1t now stands, with it's combination of lower taxes on the necessaries of life, and at the same time in- creased revenues for the government. will be hailed as a substantial measure of reform and relief by the great producing masses of the American people"
 Taking the estimated expenditures of the fiscal year 1898 at S451 400 900, he placed against those estimates the estimated revenues ex- pected to accrue under the provisions of the bill as follows
 Internal revenue, under present law, S160,- 000.00l Additions made by the pending bill: Income tax, s30 100000; spirits, s20O00. 900; cards 8 100000: customs, sl63 36l 900; miscel- laneous. sao0o0.000; postal service. ss4, ,4e7 766 Total SiS0 78o. 7e6 Thus leaving surplus of over s2q 000,0)1
 There is no terror to me- he said. in surplus like this. On the contrary it IS a source of safety, and can at any time be wisely and honorably devoted to the best purposes of good government, the payments of debts and the stoppage Of interest. It also be reduced by revision of tariff rates whenever found necessary. My greatest apprehension in pub lie affairs is a deficiency in the finances, and consequently in the power of the government to maintain It's honor and to hold it's head above the nations Of the earth. On this point we feel that we have made the future secure, while at the same time have made lighter the burdens of the people"
 Passing to a general discussion of the tarin question Mir. Voorhees said:
 ''The most needed features of tariff taxation is permanency, at reasonable rates for reve- nue, and with due regard to the business and commerce of the country. The Mckinley law was necessarily an unstable, unsafe measure; it was reckless. foolhardy experiment on the forbearance of the American people. Our pur. pose is to replace the law of 1890 with a meas ure of reform. safe, conservative and harmoni- ous in itself. and to which all the wholesome and legitimate industries of the country will speedily adapt themselves, and tenaciously cling for secure development and undisturbed growth in the future. If this can be done with. out needless delay, an era of prosperity will dawn upon all the diversified interests of the country. such as has never been surpassed Tn our history
 He said he stood there to deny that it can be shown anywhere since the republican party came into power thirty-three years ago that :he wages Of a workingman or woman in fur mace, factory or delving mine. has ever kept pace with increased tariE rates. or, indeed, had any increase at all on account of high pro- tective-tarff legislation
 What the wage-worker wants and of right should have, is not the false promise and false pretense of manufacturers pleading fin his name for their own enrichment, but the solid protec- ton of law against the instability Of his con tracts. the uncertain duration of his employ msnt and the huctuatng rates of his wages
 MT. Voorhees, defended the ad valorem duties as agains. the specific tax. and he discussed at length the Walker tariff and it's effects, and then came down to a closer view of the details of the pending bill He declared that on the and fraud. and was intended as such. Absolute free trade in sugar is an at Tactiye theme, but no such thing has ever ex- fstcd for a single hour since the organization Of this government. moderate duty has al ways been imposed on sugar and 1t has always been a staunch revenue support to the govern ment. The fact that the duty tax on sugar has inured more to the benefit of the revenues of the government and less to the profits of pri- vate parties than any other tax known to tariff legislation, may be stated as the main reason why the democratic party has never made an issue against it. It is conceded by all parties that the duty paid on imported sugar goes more fairly and squarely into the treasury than any other duty provided by law, and it follows, as light follows darkness, that tariff taxation can therefore be reduced in proportion on other things which the people have to buy and use.
 During the present fiscal year there will be paid by the treasury SIP ,3000o0 as bounty to the producers of sugar and every dollar of this vast sum is first collected from those who plant corn. raise wheat and engage in III the various pursuits of labor If the law is to re- main unrepealed the time is near at hand when it will confer as a mere gratulty more than s20 900 090 per year on small fraction Of our population. engaged in no public service, but in their own private enterprises.
 d.,f..