Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-08-21
Mr. wilson on The FarIH Sill.

~. -
had accepted the S6hate tariff
bill Hon. VIM. L. Wilson made an elo-
auent and patriotic speecIit
.'Mr. Speaker" Chairman Wilson said ST
have made the motion which I have sent to
the clerks desk, not IN my own TesponsibiIi-
~ or from my own %yoIition, but as theO official
organ OF the caucus of my associates on this
side of the House and by their direction. I
shall say very little myself on this occasion in
advocacy Of the motion and T shall be sincere
and frank in what I shall submit to this
House.. I do not pretend that 1 am gratiHed
ct the outcome Of this prolonged controversy.
] dc not pretend that up to the very last mo-
ment 1 had not cherished the hope and faith
that We should reach another and q better and
a more satisfactory conclusion of this conflict
between the two houses oft he American Com
gress. I had hoped and believed, until there
seemed no ground scarcely for hope or belief,
that in such q contest this House, backed by
the American people and enthusiastically sus-
tanned by the Democratic party, would be
able to achieve some honorable compromise
between the two houses which we could have
accepted, not from q sense Of duty. but with a
sense of satisfaction and q feeling that we had
responded to the mandates OF the American
people.
"But, Mr.. Speaker, We have simply realized
in this great fight the fact so we'll stated by the
great leader Of the tariff reform fight in Great
Britain-that when the people have gained a
victory at the polls they must have a further
stand-up and knock-down fight with their own
representatives. And we have realized, If
nothing else, the salutary lesson Of intrench-
ment of the p~otective system in this country
under thirty years of class legislation, until the
mere matter of tariff schedules is q matter Of
insigniicance. and the great question presents
itself, is this to be a government by a selftax-
ing people or a government of taxation by
trusts and ~monopolists? CApplRuse OF the
Democratic side.l If we had taken out of this
fight no other lesson than that, It has been to
us a great, an inspiring and valuable lesson
II we have not been able to get all that the
mandates of the people told US to get, all that
the high enthusiasm of the people expected us
to get, We have brought this dangerous fact
face to face with American freemen, and
we have made some breach in the protective
system, through which the hosts of American
heemen will continue to march," democrat
ic applause.1
"I shall not say to the people of this coun-
try. 1 shall not say to my colleagues here
from whom even at the expense of what may
| d6GIl ~ ldSLG Ol bnAS OSChS4On 4 CanllOk WIFI
hold the expression Of my unspeakable graft
tude for their personal friendship and their
loyal and enthusiastic suPportl shall not say
TO them that white is block or that false is true,
or that protection is a just and none t system
oftaxation. democratic aPplause.l Nothing
which is not done right ever lasts. No work
hat is not thorough ever remains undisturbed.
You can settle no question like the great ques-
ton of taxation permanently and safely ex-
cept upon the eternal basis of right and of lib
erty." [Applause.l
al shall not attempt. as 1 said in the outset
to expluin the merits or to dwell upon the de-
merits of the 900 amendments to this bill
which this House is about, of necessity, to
concur in. Perhaps, 1 could not do justice as
yet to the merits of the amendments. My at
%tention has necessarily been so constantly and
so steadily directed to their dement's that it
would require some experience to learn what
the merits are. daughter and applause.l J.
But whatever the measure of shortening OF
this bill in its its present form whatever be
its dement's in mere schedules-this 1 ] know,
that it is better than the Mckinley BILL
loud Democratic applause This 1 do know
that in q part of it it does afford some relief to
the taxpayers OF this country aud does clip the
wings of the gigantic monopolies that are now
1 OPglC1o4u6 SACAA aAlA bAOIAAAl6 AC6lolAtlONs
llAppluse on the Democratic side and derisIve
cries on the Republican side.l
Take even those portions Of the bill over
which this contest between the two houses
has been waged, take iron ore and coal, upon
which we have confronted, and to q certain
extent unsuccesslully confronted, the great
railroad syndicates of the country, yet we have
reduced them both nearly so per cent. below
the Mckinley bill. Applause Take the
sugar schedule, over which the greatest of all
contests between the two houses have been
wsged. Vicious as it may be, burdensome to
the people as it may be, favorable to the trusts
as it may be, it is less vicious, less favorable to
the trust and less burdensome to the people
than is the Mckinley law IHder which this
trust has grown SO great rs to overshadow with
its power the American people. Applause ]
If for no other reason, then, those who believe
that when they cannot take the full step which
they desire, when they cannot do that which
the people commissioned them to do, they
must take the best they can and step as far as
they can, may find some justification for an
unhesitating choice between the two bills"
Mr.. Wilson was interrupted by marty in
terrOgatOries aud net them with his accus.
Toned straiGhtforwsrdness and ability and
concluded:
NJ Speaker, in answer to all of these ques-
tions / have simply to say that under the rule
just adopted by the House Immediately follow.
ing the passage of this bill we propose to pre-
sent and pass u bill putting sugar on the free
list. democratic applause.l The question is
now made us to whether this is a government
by the American people for the American peo-
pie, or a government of the Sugar Trust for the
benefit of tile Sugar Trust. And this House
will show the people. 1 doubt not, what its po-
sitioni is on that question. and the Senate will
show tho people its position. will reserve
the residue Of my time
Mr.. wil,"n spike but ten minute ut the
opening of the debate. He reserved the
balance of his time. and Mr. Reed, the cad
er of the opposition, took the floor.
In concluding Mr.. Wilson said this was
mt n Afnnn L.