The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-04-10
HILL ON CLEVELAND.
The New York Senator's Vigorous spe ech
on the Tariff Bill.

Washington, April 9.-In the Senate
today Senator Hill OF New York spoke
upon the tariff bill. His opening SEN
tences clearly indicated the aggressive
tone in regard to the administration
which prevailed the whole speech. He
said:
s'It is not denied that some mistakes
have occurred. Our foreign policy, es-
pecially that relating to Hawaii, it must
be admitted has not met the expecta-
tions of the people. This blunder, |
consider, is the natural consequence of
placing the Department of State in
charge of a Republican statesman"
He expressed regret that the Presi-
dent should not have been able to find
in his own party some safe and honored
statesman in whom he and his payty
could have placed confid idence.
Coming to the question of tariff re-
form, he drew contrast between 1887
and 1890, and said in the extreme reduc-
ton of tariff duties at a time when the
treasury was swollen with a surplus of
hundred million dollars, when all our
industries were in motion, assumed a diff
ferent aspect when proposed now with a
our industries paralyzed, our manufac-
tories closed. our workingmen idle and
following upon the heels of one of the
| most disastrous financial panics in our
history. What was safe and prudent and
wise then it would be criminal folly to
| attempt now. Then he proceeded to as
sail the Presidents dilatoriness of action
| in this matter. He said: ga month
prior to his Inauguration the President
| was forwarned of the approaching mon
etary panic. He convened Congress six
| months later, W hen the panic was sub
siding which should have been averted.
There is no time for partisan reproaches,
! however just. This Senate is nearly
equally politically divided, and it is APP
parent that if prompt remedial legisla-
| ton is expected. them sradicalism in any
direction must be discarded. The ex-
treme features of the Mckinley bill must
| be eradicated, but patriotism alike de-
mands that extremes in the opposite di-
| rection must also be avoided. On the
4th of March, 1898, the President be-
| came vested with exclusive pow
er to convene Congress for the purpose
reafirmed in his election. He decided
to prolong the operation of the Nc Kinley
tariff for at least another year. The de-
lay thus imposed upon the peoples re-
| forming zeal it is vain to regret In the
meantime, monetary panic, unfortunate
| ly precipitated upon us, has not only
made havoc of our private industries but
has dried up the public revenues. The
size of the treasury deficit at the close of
the current fiscal year has twice been es-
timated by the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry.
sIn the face of the protestation of pris
vate industries and the presence of such
a paralysis of all general business as the
treasury deficit attests and prolongs, this
bill was framed by its authors and, as
passed by the House, sought to double
| the deficit by discarding the customs
revenue and to fill the void with an in
! come tax"
Referring to that passage in the Pfesi-
dents annual message, in which he said
measure had been prepared by the ap-
propriations committee on the lines here
in suggested, including small tax from
| incomes derived from certain corporate
! investments, Mr.. Hill said:
sit will strike the thoughtful observer
familiar with the history of the govern
| ment, as strange and unusual proce-
dure that the President of the United
States should specially inform Congress
of what one of its own committees has
been doing in the preparation of bill.
"The BILL" he said, proposed a sui
cidal policy when it seeks by its extreme
| provisions to discard numerous reasona-
BILE duties and thereby imperil industries
and create deficiency in necessary reve-
nues simply for the purpose of affording
an opportunity or excuse for the substi-
| tuition of an income tax.
1.-THE substitution of internal or direct
taxes for custom house taxation means
the reduction of the wages Of American
workmen to the European standards. 1t
means the degradation of American
labor, it means the depreciation to our
workmen of the comforts and luxuries
of life to which we have been accus-
| toned.
Deny it or disguise it as we may, no
other result is possible under existing
/ E.,,a1,aara aanditio1aS ;,