Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-06-05

Now, Mr.. President, We ace that
the platform declares for reducing
taxation in the DIRECTION of free raw
/ materials, and the letter OF accept
ance only for freer raw materials,
but neither unqualiGedIy for free
raw materials and right here comes
the chief difference in adjusting the
schedules as between the House bill
and the Senate bill now before us.
The House bill provided almost
wholly for free raw materials, while
the Senate Finance Committee be-
lieved that it was wiser, in the pres
ent depressed aud stagnant condi-
ton of business, to avoid too violent
changes, and TO approach free raw
materials by more gradual steps,
which in the Judgment of many fol-
lowed more nearly the intentions and
purposes of the Chicago platform
and tile letter of acceptance of the
President. which led the Senate TO
notifications of the House bill in
some instances sin the direction of
freer raw materials"
Wool is made free, lumber is made
free, the duty on coal is reduced
about one-half, on iron ore about one
half, and the duty on sugar (Which
has been prom inent source of rev.
enue from the beginning of the Gov
eminent TO the present time, with the
single exception of the Mckinley bill,
by which the Republican party, de-
string to get rid of surplus revenue
in order to lay higher protective du-
ties on other favored articles, placed
it upon the free list. but at the same
time engrafted the more objectiona-
feature of making the people pay a
bounty of 2 cents per pound on all
the sugar produced in this country.
including maple sugar and all purely
domestic products) is again placed
at 40 per cent ad valorem, or about
an average of cent per pound, as
against very much larger duties in
the bill preceding the Mckinley law.
The duty under the law of 1888, pre-
ceding the Mckinley bill, was on raw
sugars GO to 20 per cent adj vaIorem
equivalent, and on refined to 40 per
cent, and as proposed in the Mills
bill 90 to 90 per cent on raw, and
about 40 10 so on refined, while I'M
der the present Senate amendment it
is 40 per cent on raw, and about Al
to 40 per cent on refined.
Now, Mr.. President, where is the
Democratic party at fault in its efforts
to carry out the pledges made to the
country by its platform of principles
At the last election, either by the
Ionse bill or by the changes and
notifications in the Senate bill?
Both bills are aiming at the same re-
suits.
The House bill gets at free raw
materials by one stroke of the pen;
the Senate bill by very radical re-
ductions, but by a more conserva-
tive and gradual process. Which of
the two will be the better and wiser
for the country under the present
conditions may justly be the subject
of honest and positive difference of
opinion amongst Democrats; but as
both are aiming at the best and
wisest results for the country and
both are consistent, there can be no
doubt that the House and Senate will
speedily harmonic and agree. as
there are no grounds for serious diff
ferences in the underlying principles
actuating both bodies.
The House bill came 10 the Senate
with n general average of tariff du-
ties of 36.42 per cent. The Finance
Committee of the Senate spent weeks
Of valuable study and patient care in
going over the schedules. making
some rates higher and some rates
lower, according to its best judg-
ment having the advantage of all the
valuable information obtained by
the patient labor of the Ways and
Means Committee Of the House for
instruction and comparison, together
with carefully prepared statistics and
tables prepared by experts in the
Treasury Department comparing the
Wilson bill with the results under
the Mckinley bill, and also the sta
tistics and computations of the
Treasury Department of the results
which would have been obtained by
the bill prepared under the supervf-
sion of the able and distinguished
Senator from Texas (NIr. MilIsl,
which passed the House of Repre-
sentatives, but did not become
law, the Senate bein Republican,
and which was distinctly iadorsed by
the Democratic platform of 1888.
The result of the first labors of
the Finance Committee was to make |
still further reductions below the
Wilson bill, and it prepared and re-
ported amendments to the bill in
which the average duties, under COM
putation made by the Treasury De-
partment, was about 81 per cent. in
stead of 50 and fraction per cent.
in the House bill. This was thought
by some of the Senators on this side |
of the Chamber to he too radical a
reduction and might endanger the
business prosperity of the country
under existing conditions. Most of
the reductions below the Wilson bill
have since been restored by amend
ments, which constitute a large pro-
portion of the amendments reported
in the last Senate bill. and some in
crcases made in other directions,
WHICH now leaves tue hill as amend.
ed by the Senate at an average of
1910 per cent. as against 1892 per
cent. in the Wilson bill, as shown by
Al