New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-10
further changes In tariff schedule. or r.nswsd ag.
tatioa OF the subject? 10
AN INSTRUCTIVE HISTORY.

tue power 10 originate revenue bills passed what Is
known as the Wilson BILL" measure which has
the unenviable distinction OF being the only
IN 9esdan ~ h na n
to, to GGGn n before it had been reported 70
e by 6s Ways sad and even COM
miitee 1t was ostensiby Tariff bill for revenue
revenue to conduct the Government. If that bill
h ,a,o become law. every estimate have seen
touching Its revenue raising power created an an
nual deficiency of from siOCO.co to 100000.
Of TO- the the on
which is charged with the revenue legislation OF the
he Meo0 5 w San ~ 'ne
ments reported to the Senate. But. after much
that hether the Wilson BIZ nor the wilson bill
with the Finance Committees amendments could
And So taking the matter out Of the hands Of the
mttee Of FIT the e" senate sefconsttuted adjusting
commttee-a committee unknown to the Consttu-
Senate, by party caucus. tradition or cus,om-an
adjusting committee consisting Of Messrs. Jones: OF
nessee. undertook to make make Bill which would
ceive the votes of forty-three Senator'S pr bare
The manner of its making should condemn IT. It
puSlc posy pnSt interest or pubic morals
The Senator from Arkansas himself best tells
Finance Committee. in open Senate few days
ago; Mr.. Jones related: ,r J.. .,,. ,or,, .,
,ha W m knew was that to 9s PIN That hs
us in the face, and appreciang the necessity OF
Power7-that is significant. They must make bay
nessee. the Senator from Missouri myself and
other members Of the committee ana ssma,Trs
freely. I began the conversation with individual
Senators one after another | carefully motel ed
to each particular paragraph throughout the OH,
and the objection made TO IT. went ron the nr
after this side of the chamber, spending
with each man who opposing the BIN, and
had noted on the margin OF me Dll wn s, "as s
them. and after had gone over the marginal i
notes and made up my mind about eXacty Wha at
all meet the difficulties which were In the way,
consulted the Secretary of the Treaspry ana the
is to say he said TO the sSyfr,
for netn a? for TT this b? We must pass Bill while
We have the power. What Is the least considera-
ton that will get your vote?'
TRADING THE BILL THROUGH.
Not what was for the best interests of the peo-
pie: not what would carry out the pledges OF
their platform upon which they gained power: not
what was best for the whole country and its vast
interests not what the masses OF the people want
ed not what would give employment TO our thou
sands of idle and promote the general pros
perity; but what do you want. what do you in
sst upon. and what is the least you VIII take?
Let us have your answer frankly, 80 that we can
arrange things and may count upon your vote Tor
the passage of some sort Of a tarin bill 40.
And the Senator from Arkansas cheeriuily putt
the bill and added vote after another to his
The adjusting Commttee went through Nth, the
whole LIST very patiently They gave Senator M th
Senator'S from Tennessee. Alabama, Virginia and
Virginia the duty they asked from on coal on nsa
and elsewhere and the great sugar drns. o,
on sugar. They gave the Populists the income
tax They did not give Senator Bricc pr9tec'.SSe
senator on did woI not demand it. lie says he did
He does not tell US what concessions were mane 10
Of Ohio looking upon their distressed industries
ceived any consideration at his hands
And thus the great Tariff reform eii was mi maze
recent speech In the Senate does not receive the
approval Of 1000 men in the whole tnte1 states
teced by duty Of over so per cent, ana ana sugar sugar
rot wholly ss, b has mos% here cree in h
North There is tariff on peanuts out inee bt
free in eG1 trade IN wool There n on MICA but
free trade In lumber. In every scheduIe there Is
II is no wonder that the President in his letter
in the line .e Of honest tariY REFORM and it con
talns Inconsistencies and crudities which ought not
to appear in tariff laws o, laws OF any sina
and interfered with its final construction , which
ought not TO be recognized or tolerated IN Demo-
'' And the President might well have added nor
anywhere else.
RESULT OF a PRIVATE CONTRACT.
This isn't all the history Of this remarkable bill
1t seems that 1t was the result. in part. OF an
express and deliberate contract made after the
nomination OF Mr.. Cleveland in 1892. and before
the opening of the Democratic campaign.
Senator German. in his speech OF July p. lss
disclosed facts before given To the public
Louisiana. through its two Senators then hen, the
this body. Randall Lee Gibson. and Edward D.
White wanted to know before we emteT bc n uPgn
o be under the apparently free-Uadc rcSolu-
lions adopted at Chicago. After a great deal OF
candidate OF our party told them that the
Democratic party was not to destroy nh.r aT
tcles. revenue duty; that The bill wh ,ba ha nd
OF the Mills bill the Democratic party would act
This bill gave full protection to fnga[1 M
smith The Junior Senator from ONO (Mr. Brice)
and myself were then giving our time and our our
success Of the party. We conferred with all those
distinguished gentlemen ,ou..oo ,,.,,A ,,.o oo,.,,-
date but had from both sides what had occurred
They Ta WITCH to s" we're I part pu the
struction upon it. and would be in favor of that
i's The b said 70 MS frankly We want to tell
people the truth We do not want San to pGes yGu
bu, We only want to know the truth
AT that solemn concaye we .h all sac hir. YES
NO man no living being. has ever charged me
made mad promise about public or private matters
that dd carry out If had TIE power to o 40
Ii. These two Senators anu ~
nnr niedge have stood here and been gibbeted as
three men who were in the Sugar Trust
There Is the pain story told In simple terms. In
omen Senate in public debate by Senator Cor
man What a commentary upon Democratic po-
litical methods r.,,
An agreement as 10 the action OF political
PARTY upon a. great public question made In pr
vete. made with two Senators and the candidate
for President himself: made TO secure the Electoral
vote Of the State of Louisiana; made In absolute
secret: that sugar should be taken from the free
list where the Republican party had put II. ana
he taxed for the benefit OF the producers ana The
Sugar Trust, which tax should be Dorne by the
American consumer. oa.o 70.
man and Brce had issued an address to the coun,
try announcing that they had so iar monliiedi
The Democratic platform as to proVl1c tor taAeu
sugar what do you think would have been the
mont had been thoroughly understood that MI
Cleveland would have carried the country 10