The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-11
TWELVE PAGES.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL II. 1894.
MEND 1T OR END 1T.

We have now reached that stage of
the proceedings on the tariff bill In the
senate when the republican members
begin to show their disregard and con-
tempt for the known sentiment of the
ipeople. Mr.. Allison has been heard
from for two hours He has made the
beginning Of his first speech on the
question of tariff reform. and will prob
ably make others, as he announced in
an interview a few days since that he
sfelt it his duty TO obstruct the passage
of any kind of tariff law. He says
he feels that there has been a great
change of sentiment in the country since
1892 and that it is now the desire of the
people to keep the Mckinley law in
force at all hazards. And yet there Is
not a person of ordinary intelligence in
abe country who does not know that
this is absolutely false. There is an al
lmost unanimous demand from bust
ness men. republicans as we'll as demo-
Gratis. to pass the tariff bill as speedily
as possible. all Of them realizing that
some sort of tariff bill will certainly
be passed.
1t is evident on the face of the pro-
, ceeding that the whole effort of the re-
publican senator's is for delay. We are
Informed by the press dispatches that
every senator will make a speech. and
that the flow of wind will last into
July. Senator Lodge of Massachusetts
has given notice that he will begin next
Tuesday. and we presume that Allison
will occupy most of the time until then.
Mr.. Allisons speech is. like his excuse
for making it, tissue of false pretense
He expressed his honest views on the
tariff twenty odd years ago when he
earnestly advocated a reduction of the
then existing tariff, together with free
wool and free coal. When this fact has
been called to his attention in later
years. he has pleaded that conditions
had changed and that we needed more
protection than we did at that time
That was his excuse in 1S9O-after TWEEN
ty years of high protection we were
more in need Of protection than we were
at first. Mr.. Allison is making false
plea. which he knows to be false. for
system in which he does not believe,
and is making it under the false pre-
tense that the country wants obstruc
ton and delay which every one knows 10
be false. And senatorial courtesy"
permits this trifling with the business
interests Of the country. We fear that
the democratic senators permit it for
further reason. They want to- force the
action of the conference committee into
the very closing days of the session.
and thereby bulldoze the house into
compliance with their mercenary de-
mands
What are the people Of the United
States going to do while this scanda-
ious proceeding goes on? These people.
who are supposed to be elected and
paid to transact the business of the
country. deliberately propose to consume
more than three months in making
speeches which no one desires to hear
or to read-speeches that are absolutely
without value from any point of view
The people can protest but protest APP
pears 20 have very little effect on this
dignified body VIII the people put
their protests In effective shape? No
man who is i'm any way responsible for
this delay. either republican or demo-
crat. ought ever be elected TO another
Office. The people can make their pro-
test heard If they will work systemati-
cally TO that end. No man ought to
be elected TO a state legislature who
will not bind himself in the most sol
emn manner not to vote for any man
Tor senator who is in any way respon-
sible for this delay, or who will not
pledge himself openly to support i'm
every way an amendment TO the con-
stitution for the election OF senators by
popular vote. That is the way to reach
the evil. The senate must be put on
another basis or il must be abolished.
il Is a standing menace to American
liberty. an all-powerful preventive Of
popular government. a refuge for every
lawless combination TO plumber the peo-
pie
THE DARK AGES.