Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-06-13
SENATOR CAMDENs SPEECH.

Mr.. Camden. NIr. President, l
have not before occupied the time of
the Senate upon the pending bill,
and will not do so to any extent at
this late day by entering into details.
l have recognized from the very
beginning that the imperiled business
interests of the country demanded
the earliest possible passage of tar
iff bill, to which the Democratic party
stands pledged by its political plat
form, indorscd by the people at the
polls by an overwhelming vote, plac-
ing the Democrats in power in all
branches Of the Government.
Approaching the necessities and
obligations of the party, | have stood
ready at all times to vote for the Will
son bill as it came from the House,
or for any bill approved and united
upon by the Democratic majority In
the Senate, it being evident from the
very small majority in the Senate that
no bill could pass without a united
vote of the Democrats in this body.
have been willing to subordinate
my own especial views in order to
unite with the solid vote of the Dem
ocrats in this body in the prompt
passage of bill.
Mr.. Pre- sident, two things must be
recognized throughout the country as
the result of Democratic successes in
the late Presidential election: one is
the imperative fact that the Demo
cratic party must pass tariff bill at
this session reducing the burden of
taxation from the duties imposed by
the Mckinley bill, or fail to meet the
expectations of the country; the 9TH
er is the pressing necessity existing
for prompt action, to enable the
country to recover from the PROSTATE
condition of its financial and business
interests. for which the Democratic
party was not responsible, but which
can not revive until tariff bill has
been passed, so that the industrial
interests of the country can know up
on what basis to adjust itself in pro-
viding for new and increased activity.
Under these pressing necessities, time
was even more essential than the
" splitting of hairs" in shading un.
important items in reducing the tariff
to a revenue basis, provided the bill
was based upon the broad principles
enunciated in the Democratic plat
form and the letter of acceptance
upon which President Cleveland was
Overwhelmingly elected.
1 have sympathized with the people
in the restless impatience with which
they have demanded speedy action
upon this bill. A greau financial de-
preston had paralyzed the business
interests of the country for nearly
wear. Factories were idle, furnaces
out of blast, mines and industrial in
terests had 70 demand for their pro-
ducts, hundreds of thousands of
working people were without employ
ment, and necessity and want, and
even suffering in some instances ov-
ershadowed the land, resulting in
disquiet and anxiety, labor stikes,
and industrial armies, organized it is
true by foolish leaders with the inten-
tion of marching upon the Capitol to
demand something of Congress, OF
which neither the leaders nor the men
had any definite conception. But all
these things tended to contribute both
to impatience and intolerance in any
seeming delay in pushing through q
tariff bill that would give confidence
and relief to the disquieted conditions
existing.
Irepeat, Mr.. President, that have
sympathizsd in the very strong desire
for the most speedy action possible,
for no section of the country has suf-
fered more from the depression in its
industrial interests than the people of
my State, and ] have been ready to
yield much of my own convictions in
order to accomplish speedy result.
Mr.. President, being thoroughly i'm
pressed with these convictions, when
the tariff bill came from the HOuseto
the Senate and was referred to the
Finance Committee of this body, and
when / was courteously asked by
members of that committee what
changes, if any, we're necessary to
make the bill satisfactory to myself
and the constituency which / in part
represent, my reply was that l had
no cha nges to insist upon as condi-
tions for the support of any bill that
would be satisfactory TO the Finance
Committee that what | most desired
was the quick passage of Demo
cratic tariff measure upon which the
entire Democratic majority in the
Senate could unite, and to that end /
would unselfshlv contribute what |
could towards reconciling conflicting
views and differences of opinion.
And now, Mr.. President, believing
that the end is near at hand, aud that
a satisfactory Democratic bill will
soon pass this body and become a
law. by conference with and concur
renee of the House, [ congratulate
the country that the result will have
been attained in less time than has
been required to pass any other tariff
bill since the close of the war, and in
my judgement will result in a good
Democratic measure, acceptable to
the country, and under which new