The Van Buren press., 1894-09-08

cent; and which reduces the taxes on woolen
goods. hats, shawls. blankets clothing etc,
from 40 to 70 per cent which provides for an
income tax, and increases the taxes on diamonds
$50 per cent ia bill which democrats can afford
to accept and defend, although 1t may not
remove all of the evils of tariff taxation Of which
we Justly complain. Great reformations cannot
be accomplished at single blow. To begin the
work and make substantial progress Is great
gain.
1t Ii impossible to notice many Of the cha rges
made by the republicans against the Senate bill
for the purpose Of creating prejudice against
it. but 1t may not be amiss to mention one that
is the charge that the provision to put the sugar
schedule In force ON January l, 1895. instead Of
upon the passage Of the act was In the interest
of the Sugar Trust and was intended to enable
1t to buy up large quantities OF sugar during the
fall so as to get the advantage of the rise In
price likely to occur when the act went into
effect The truth is that 1t was to the interest of
tn. sugar planters to have the schedule take
effect on the first Of January for reasons which
are obvious and the Louisiana Senators
demanded as one Of the conditions Of their sup
port of the bill that this provision should be
inserted. and this was agreed to by the demo.
cratic caucus. every member voting aye except
Gov. Hill.
NOT IN THE INTEREsr OF THE TRUST.
This arrangement was not In the interest Of
the Sugar Trust but on the contrary. was
against their interest.
Advancing the tariff or putting tariff on an
article previously the free list 10 Of advantage
70 the holders Of the stock Of that article on the
day when the tax goes into effect. The greatest
advantage will be ON tho day on which the
greatest stock eau possibly be ON hand. As TO
whether the holders Of sugar, whether refners
or speculstors. will get greater or less profit
II 1t goes into effect on the lst day Of July this
year. or the LIST Of January next year. depends
upon when the greatest amount Of sugar can
possibly be held by these reaners
The time when the sugar crop natures. and
the time when the consumption Of sugar IL
greatest. determine the question. The great
sugar crop Of the world natures 20 that It 10
brought into this country in the spring precisely
1t the time when the greatest consumption com.
mences. the greatest consumption being In the
months Of July August and September. the
summer season, when It It Is used In fruits and
In beverages 1t Is not possible. commercially.
10 acquire and hold 1t without taking II entirely
out ofthe market and making q sugar famine
which Of itself would put up the price and
induce the holders to dispose Of 1t. 1t Is not
possible, in my judgment, to acquire . large
| stock and have 1t on hand the lst day ofJanuary
as on the LIST day Of July.
The republicans, by their legislation, have
built up the sugar trust The Mckinley bill
provided for the most fabulous profits for that
ants iAn auA HHxos, -,
| their power. every step towards the repeal OF
modification Of the advantages the trust has
under that law 1t is not surprising then to fnd
| them voting TO . man to make the sugar sched-
ule take effect Immediately upon the passage Of
the bill. rather than on January lst next, when
1t s clearly seen that It was to the interest of the
trust for them to do 80. Unfortunately three
democrats made the mistake of voting with
| them, and the committee was defeated on this
point the only one lost by the democrats In the
long contest and this failure to live up to our
caucus agreement in this one particular came
perilously to proving fatal to the bill on is
dnal passage.
the BILLIN CONFERENCE
When the bill went 10 conference II needed
and must have the support Of forty three demo.
Gratis as much as before. for any report from the
conference required just the same vote for its
adoption that was required to pass the bill.
Henco. 1t is clear that any material departure In
conference from our caucus agreement would
have resulted in defeat During all the long
sessions of the Conference Committee the con.
ferrces on the part of the Senate stood ready and
anxious at all times to make any concessions to
the House conferrces which could be made witt.
out defeating the bill. We constantly warned
them that there was great danger OF defeat in
the Senate II notifications were made incon.
sistent with our former caucus agreement. The
events which have occurred in the Senate since
hare demonstrated that we were exactly corree,
In our statements to the House conf errees We
were unwilling to hazard the loss Of the bill by
rash and inconsideratc action. but we stood
ready to do the utmost that could be done in the
direction Of the reduction Of duties without the
loss OF the bill. The actiou of the Senate and
House since the last meeting of the conference
has absolutely vindicated every position taken
by the Senate conferrces, If those positions
needed vindicatiOn.