The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-06
Senators Have Nearly All De-
fined Their Positions
With Reference to the Wilson
Tariff Bill.
CUTTING SARCASM.
The Law Will Be a Fairly
Protective Measure.


Little by little the senatorial situation is
clearing up. One by one the senators have
responded to the demands made upon them
and announced their position on the tariff
bill Forty two recorded certain to
vote for the bill. Mr.. Hill will certainly
vote against it, and Mr.. Irby of South
Carolina is still coquettish. AS 43 votes
are necessary in full senate to pass the
bill, it is obvious that Mr.. Irby holds
commanding position, and so there are
many earnest attempts to enlighten his
understanding. His most intimate friends,
however, laugh at the notion that his vote
is doubtful and assure US that he cannot
and will not reverse the record of his pol1t-
ical life by voting against it. 1t is further
announced as a settled fact that all the sill
yer Republican senators and possibly a few
others will favor early action on the bill
And finally some very OIninous statements
not to call them thrcats-have been made
by senators from the far west and Endorsed
by those in sympathy with them. AS to
the Populists, Mr.. Allen has given the first
definite intimation from them and evident
ly with their consent. With free lumber,
an income tax and a sugar tariff to suit
them, they will vote for the bill, but it
takes more evidence than we have yet re-
ceived to know just what shape the sugar
tariff must assume to suit them. At least
five high prOtectionist senators have given
it as their opinion that the bill will pass,
but not before July and not without so
many notifications as will make it toll
erably protective measure The first i'm
portant announcement of opinion and pol
cy from the far west came from Senator
Teller, the second from Senator Pettigrew
and the third from Senator Allen.
For Revenue Only.
The last summed up in these words:
Il do not believe there is a man on the
face of the earth who is honest with him
self who will for one moment contend that
tariff taxation in this country should eX-
tend beyond the revenue limit. That it
may be perfectly proper under some Cir
cumstances to SO levy your taxes within
the revenue limit to discriminate in IA
of certain industries do not now deny.
1 think that can be done, but protection
cannot be levied for projections sake. 1t
must be necessary incident of the rails
ing of revenue. This enlighten-
ed nation should refrain from taxing any
thing which is essential to the preserva-
ton of human life. All the clothing and
food necessary to protect and sustain our
people should be free from taxation, or at
least the lowest rates of taxes should be
levied upon them a
This is going further than the average
Democrat in the senate goes, but is taken
as the authorized announcement that the
Populists are for the bill. The speech of
Senator Teller was of such nature that
it has taken some two weeks for his col
leagues to digest it thoroughly and figure
out from it the future course of the silver
senators. Of course he blames the Demo-
Gratis and eastern Republicans alike for
their monetary policy, declares that the
affections of the country began long before
the last election and will continue, regard
less of what party is in power or whether
this or any other tariff bill is in force, if
the present financial system is maintained.
So far as he announced a definite policy,
the political experts say its meaning is
hat hea nd he Gil MT
the bill passed soon, SO that the people
will the sooner find out how futile it is,
said senators have doubt the people
will do. Senator PettigreW's speech was
equally significant and far more pointed
He first fell on the Democrats with phrases
that were the very refinement of vitupera-
tive elOQuence.
A Warning From the West.
Speaking of the ''tinware bugaboo'' of
1890, he said: < He was dreadful and awe
inspiring monster; he was a Gorgon, a
MOlOch, malevolent demon with hOofs,
horns and fOrked tail, eager to devour
the working people of America. The ma
irons of the dairy were never to be able to
buy any more tin milk pals or pans, and
one of the funniest Democratic cartoons
presented the agriculturist at bay hewing
milk pans out of a chestnut slab so that
the COWS need not be MIXED on the
ground Everybody who wanted any tin,
from tin flue to tin whistle, heard the
everlasting refrain, line gODllnS IL GU you
eff you don't watch out'''
After ridiculing Senator Voorhees, quite
sharply he gave this warning: 81 wish to
warn Democrats who are manufacturing
goods for the American market, for the
American farmers, that if this bill passes
the farmers of the west may join with the
south, enact free trade and collect the rev.
enue to run this government by tax on
luxurieS and an income tax. From now
on the west is going to have fair treatment,
and that is all we ask -
This was nominal1y addressed to the
Democrats, but he went on to apply it and
a great deal more, and more pointed, to
the entire east, winding up with this al
most venomous paragraph: Il have feel
representatives of New England and the
east in this body who in making tariff
speeches have shown a silver lining to the
dark cloud of their insincerity. For 20
years they have voted on every occasion to
destroy silver and put the country on a
gold basis, and having accomplished their
object and ruined the silver, cotton and
producers, they now turn to US and smile
and say, We are friends of silver want
to say to you gentlemen of the east we are
going to vote with you against this Wilson
fraud from principle because we believe in
protection to American 1aborers and Amer
lean industries Your smiles and your talk
about silver do not deceive US one particle
We despise your cunning and your duplic-
ity. You want tariff that the things
you manufacture shall not decline in price
from the appreciation of gold, and you
want gold standard SO that your credit
may command more of our food product
AID raw material. Your position is incon-
sistent and dishonest"
Some Weighty Questions.
Gold TYNE cannot convey the force of