The herald., 1894-01-09
TUESDAY MoRNING, JANUARY 9, 1854


timeliness and benefit strike some fet-
ters from production and trade than
when production is suppressed by bur-
dens and trade hsmpered by restric-
tions?i
EMPTINESS OF THE TREASURY.
A third difficulty was the emptiness
of the treasury. "We are called upon
to reduce taxes at time when the gov
eminent funds are running so low that
the revenues have ceased to meet the
expenditures. He believed he could
not better consume the time of the house
than by giving the story of the depleted
treasury, and by placing the RESPONSE
bility for the present straits where the
responbility justly belonged.
"During the four years of the laet
administration we plunged headlong
from an overfowing treasury to bank
rupt treasury, and that, too, without
any lessening of the burdens of taxation
upon the people, but rather by most
substantial and oppressive increase in
taxes"
THE SURPLUS DIsSIPATED.
Wilson then gave figures showing how
the surplus revenue had been dissipated
Cleveland's first administration turned
over balance OF Sl85, 100000. The Nc
Kinley bill reduced the internal revenue
taxes on manufactured tobacco, abolish
ing special taxes on dealers and manu-
facturers of tobacco, and wiped out the
duties on raw sugar which for years past
had been one of the chief revenue pro-
ducing articles on the customs list.
" - s,,rk
in the sense OF revenue taxes, and neither
should have been touched, 30 long as
the rates OF duty upon clothing and
other necessary articles OF consump-
ton were 30 enormously oppressive.
Tobacco taxes were reduced under the
theory that tobacco had become me-
ceseity for the poor as well aB the rich,
but new aud heavier taxes were laid on
the woollen clothing of the poor man.
Sugar was untaxed to give the Amerl-
can workingman free breakfast table,
but new taxes we're placed on his cups
and eaueers, plates and dishee, cotfae
pots, knives and forks, food and table
cover--in word, he was relieved from
taxes paid the government, IN order
that he might be made TO pay much
greater taxes to the beneficiaries OF that
bill. These released taxes would have
Welded us an internal revenue, Since
their omission, of more than $l50,0OO.-
600, and would have saved US from
HOW 1T WAS BLOWN IN.
The magnificent surplus turned over
by the Cleveland administration was
thus scattered. A large portion wsf
used to purchase at high premiums,
bonds not yet due, but even this did not
dissipate the surplus, and the fifty y-firsi
congress was obliged to try a hand upon
it. 1t refunded the direct tax to the
states. This was pure grstuity, but it
has taken out of the treasury over $14,-
600, 1000. Next came the sugar bounty
act under which sums amounting to
$17 100000 have been paid to sugar
growers. Last of all as the chief means
of distributing the surplus, WAS the de-
pendent pension bill, under which the
annual pension expenditure has risen
more than $60,000,000.
If then to more than 5000. 900, 900
thus made away with by the last sd'
ministration we should add $l50,000 ,00C
loss OF revenue by the omission Of the
taxes ON tobacco and sugar alone, we
should have clear idea of the rapid
and hesdlong steps by which we had
been brought to the present empty
treasury.
TIE TARIFF TO BE REDUCED.
He did not believe those who voted tc
put the last administration in power
expected any revision from it in the
direction OF increasing rates. The cam
paign OF 1888 WAS fought on the ques.
&c Al
existing tariff, and not on the question
of revising and raising the tariff of 1889.
No single interest in the country, either
in congress or elsew here, had the hardi.
hood to assert that it meant to demand
any increase of the protection accorded
by the bill OF 1888, and it was only
wantonness, seli-greed. rapacity and
selfishness and the knowledge that
their demands, no matter how exorbi-
tant, would be graciously accorded, that
brought them to Washington in 1890 to
write in their own interests the success
sive schedules OF the Mckinley bill.
Under the operation that bill takes in
every one of the important schedules
has been mercilessly and needessy in
creased. In manufactures, wool. has
been raised from the average OF 70 to the
AVoIhko VI 1UO pol Ccut Luhu uidCbuF65 Vi
glass have been raised from an average
of 81 to 81 per cent; manufactures OF
iron and steel, although the year 1887
had been year of immense production
and prosperity to those interests, the
tariff was raised from an average OF 36 to
63 per cent; on cotton goods, although
the tariff of 1883 had been made by the
manufacturers themselves, the duties
had been increased from an average OF
40 to 81 per cent.
"Such is the bill we have been called
on to revise in the interest OF the people
who consume, the people who labor
and OF the people comprising the coun-
try in general, and of the prosperity OF
the country ITSELF"
The sergeant-at-arms' report was then
read, showing the arrest of 40 members.
Catchings said the object for which the
warrants were issued had been accom-
pliehed, and moved TO discharge all
those in custody. The nation was car
ried without objection.
At o'clock the house took recess
till night. The night session was de.
voted to set speeches. at the con-
clusion of q speech by Bowers of Cali
fornia the house, at 10 :25, adjourned.
Thurston's Millinery and California
Straw Works, 264 5. Main street, oppo-
site Third.