The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-20

II
one pSriy and resisted ~ the other.
Inc present tariff legislation does
not ollfer from thai In character.
4 Vas faiiy recoEniEed and cordially ex-
pressed 0hy tie Republican eonferees OF
the senate that Twas the futv OF the
uointnant paFiy IN the two hoHses, through
taeir Own special eonfereeS frst 10 try II
tAey So3id CONSIDER their own differences
/ ceIere tasy braegtSs9to The attention OF thu
I sui e'snlets6aee coGnmittee their proposed
/ acGon> ~ hile there have teen but these
! I've rseeSaligsoof Che iu2i conference COM
mittee, da.iys cprotraefed, earnest
| aud lae3Flpyls consultations were
held on the part OF the c.ST-
| ieTees eepresenting the matority marcy
I IN this hoase, apalthe0coafeFees Represents
ing The nslorify party in the senate. IN
the Hope thaiewe might reach some agree
ment ~ - the tsEz amend men r. EISal teor4d
/ peTeportedN 10 1he full conference ccua-
mites when itshouid be called together.
IL is because no such agreement has been
attained. because no such agreement r at
present IN sight. that we have 7ielt il our
/ duty 10 eriSg the whole matter hack 70
the house 4na receive its instruction.
II desire 10 be perfectly frank, and as
coTnpleie as possible ia any statement
may II axe 10 the house today. and yetgI
+ recognize that there are some restrictions
10 completeness of statement which prob
assy it would he best for me 10 observe st
AsAtS NNs4~S III &ifE controversy between tH0
TWO houses. But | think | may sav with
truth and frankness and courtesy. that if
the conferees of ~the senate on the, part of
the maaorlty party had been as free and
as nntrammeied as we ourselves were
with n9hing 10 control our action but
Gar sense Of duty 10 the peorle.
E To our party and TO the house 4 tariff bal
would have been agreed upon IN one days
session that would have been satisfactory
10 tue Democratic party. and that would
fstye given hone and courage and enthusi-
asm 20 the American people. Applause
on the llefnoerNSaoa sides PcaBut, 0siE,o We
were not lsng in finding out, greatlyoto
ourSdtsafppintments that whatever might
| he THE personal a0pnions. Cthe personal
judgment, the strong personal wishes
OF the Democratic conferees of the
senate, they came To us somewhat
| tettercd and som8Shat limited as TO any
action they might agree upon on this bill,
either By the Supposed moral obligations
/ OF the party caucus or by the anpFehen-
sion that there were forces in the senate
however small, yet powerful enough 70 re-
sist successfully tho passage of any bill
which did not make concessions TO great
corporations and trust interests that we,
as representing the hsuse, do not feel tree
on our part 10 agree TO. Applause.
Il do not believe, Mr.. Speaker. that
there would be any difficulty in co4ning to
a compromise or an agreement upon the
vast majority of the 63t amendments pro-
posed 10 this bill by the senate but there
are important amendments proposed by
the senate which give to this hill, in tho
main, different character from what it
had when il went TO 1he senate. IL is be-
cause of these amendments, aud because
of the statement made 10 US in Kindness
and courtesy, and / might almost say
in sadness, that such was the con-
dition of affairs at the other
end of this capital that unless this house
was willing TO accept the senate bill, prae-
tically and substantially as il passed the
senate, there was TO be no tariff legislation
at this session of congress. We did not
feel. whilerepresenting the house of rep
rssentatives. that we gould without sac
ribceof its dignity and of its equality as
legislative chamber. respond 20 any such
proposition ase4hat. Applause on the
Democratic side.l
''The differences between the bill as il
passed the house and the bill as IL comes
back 10 as from the senate are so marked
and objectionable TO tariff Teformers in the
! country generally that We could not
Cwithcut the guidance and instruction of
the house, agree to accept those differences
and thus adopt different and modified
scheme G of tariff reform. Whatever
iFnperfections may have attached 20
the house bill, itdid seem 10 be accepted
Gby the people OF this country as a
fair 6and substantial performance OF the
pledgesob bw3 which the Democratic party
cauleinto power AZ the beginning OF this
administrator. IL was framed upon
Democratic lines, In the main. Ii sought,
In levying taxes, 10 consider chiefly and
primarily the5wants of the public treasury
and not the profits and schemes OF great
private interests. Applause onothe DEM
ocratic SIDE. The pili which cofhes back
TO us from the senate has not met tho
approval Of the great reform sentiment OF
Ia W country
Tho senate voted down the proposals. OF
the committee on ways and means for IA
gradual repeal of the sugar bounty and
reduction by sne-half of the duty on re-
fined sugar. The senate has reintroduced
into the proposed tariff bill sugar sched-
uie which, whether true or not has been
accepted by the country, By the press by
tie people as unduty favorable 10 the
great sugar trust. It proposes a duty OF
50 per cent ad valOrem on all grades OF
sugar. difierentiai of r cent on refined
sugar, in addition 10 dIflerential
of Ito cents on sugar imported
from countries that pay an export
bounty upon their sugar. There il
reasonable ground for difference OF opin-
ION among Democrats as TO whether any
duty upon sugar should be placed in our
tariff bill or not. Ii has always been con-
tended, By those who have been leaders
in the great tariff reform movements IN
this country, that of ali articles yielding
large revenues. sugar was the one article
upon which an ideal Democratic revenus
tar could be placed. There would be sub
stantiAl agreement. / think, with that
position today in the Democratic party.
except for the fact that the trainers
Of the Mckinley bill, in their
zeal. cut of taxation. the larger part Of
WHICH vent into the public treasury, ia
order that they might increase taxes, the
larger part of which went into the pockets
of their beneficiaries. III the house con-
fsrets we're prepared 10 reeedo from the
house position tor free sugar settlement,
and TO agree upon some revenue taxation
for sugar, they could not, without the
mandate Of this house, accept such a pro-
vision as that which is offered In the sem
ate bill. IL II be true. as stated by the
gentleman from Ohio lJohns0nl, aud
I have myself seen some confirmations
in the press: II IL be true that
the sugar trust has grown 50 strong and
powerful that II says no tariff ball can be
passed IN an American congress Ia which
itsinterests are not adequately guarded,
il. | say, that be true. hope this house
will never consent to nj jOurnment
hope. whatever ths fate of the general bill
is. that this house will not consent 90 any
adjournment until it has passed a single
bill putting refined sugar on the free list
ssNr. Speaker, | shall not detain this
house with an argument on the other
points Of dispute between the two houses
/ have. perhaps, almost gone beyond tn.
argaFneat in favor Of release Of the erest
marts OF Industry from taxation under
any bill that may be passed by congress.
I will. therefore. in closing simply call
attention 10 the position IN shich We Ind
ourselves today with rtference 10 tariff