Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-07-21
DIGS AT GROVER.
His Letter Disturbed the Seren-
ity of the Senate,
And That Body Does Not Hesitate to
Criticize That Gentleman.
Smith and Mil Let Themselves Loose on
the Subject.

WASHINGTON, July 20.-In the Senate,
today, at II 20, q message from the House
asking a further conference on the tariff
bill was laid before the Senate on motion of
Voorhees,. He contented himself with
| these few words: "Mr. President, the con-
ferees on the part of the Senate now await
further action on this BILL
Then Smith Dem of New Jersey, rose
and said that he would vote for further
conference. He expressed the hope that a
tariff bill might yet be evolved which would
be enacted into law by Democratic votes.
1t was folly to deny, he said, that the coun-
try was now confronted by the danger of no
tariff legislation at this session. If that
should be The result the responsibility could
be fixed only by the people.
Whether it should rest on the House of
Representatives, which had repudiated in
an Unprecedented manner the deliberations
of the Senate, or upon the President, whose
fears of departure from Democratic prin-
ciples had induced him to offer suggestions
before the bill came technically before him,
or in the Senate, which had chosen to har-
monize wide differences of opinion by
| mutual concessions, was question which
could only be determined by the great mass
of voters whose interests were at stake.
Whatever might be the attitude of his col
leagues he would accept the verdict of that
tribunal as just and correct.
Referring to the Presidents letter to Mr..
Wilson, Mr.. Smith said that the Democratic
senators had been accused of violating
Democratic principles because they had not
placed raw materials on the free list. The
ward perfidy, he said. had been used in that
connection. Personally he believed in the
principle of free raw materials. But he
could not believe that now, when it was
hardly possible for miners to obtain living
wages, the present was the time for taking
the risk of striking that great industry and
robbing thousands of miners of their means
of livelihood.
As to the income tax, he said that was a
proposition taken from Populistic platforms
and incorporated into Democratic reve-
nue. bill.
On the question of sugar, Mr.. Smith said
that sugar refining was one of the greatest
industries of New Jersey and that the re-
duction of duty proposed in the Senate bill
on sugar was as large a reduction as that
industry should be called on to bear under
present conditions. He declared for him
| self, and he thought for his colleagues, that
there would not be the slightest change in
his position on the bill. He had supported
the income tax in modified form from a
sense Of duty to his party, but he had done
so with the greatest reluctance. If he
were a member of the conference COM
mittee he would say to the House con-
ferees "Gentlemen, this is our bill, it is
the result of great labor and indefinite
pains. 1t has met the approval of this body,
the free trade and the protection elements
of our party. 1t is adapted to conditions,
not theories. 1t is not perfect, but it is as
nearly so as we can hope to make it in this
session. III any event, such as it is, there
it lies. You are at liberty to take it or
leave it,
Mr.. Hill of New York followed with a
motion that the Senate recede from its
amendments to the House bill imposing a
duty on bituminous coal and iron ore. Then
he began his speech in these words:
"a theory as well as a condition now
confronts us. The theory of the Demo
cratic party is that in the enactment of
tariff legislation, free raw materials should
always be an essential and a conspicuous
element. 1t is our creed that those things
on which the industrial prosperity and
progress of our country so much depend,
the materials which enter into our manu-
factures, should be freed from the burden
of tariff taxation. The best interests of the
manufacturers as well as the consumers of
the land demand the recognition of this
wise determination. We are committed to
this side of the question and we cannot re-
treat We are honorably bound to redeem
our professions and our promises.
Justice good faith, and a decent re-
gard for public sentiment all require this
course.
Until recently had supposed that there
was no dispute upon this question of princi-
pie, but that every Democrat worthy of the
name was willing to concede that, if there
was one thing more than another to which
the Democratic party was committed.it was
in favor of the doctrine of free raw mater
ials, not simply free raw materials as some
now ingeniously contend, but absolutely
free raw materials.
81 repeat that we cannot escape our
record upon this subject even if we are dis
posed to do so. True and honest construc
ton of every Democratic national platform
for l2 years past irrevocably commits us to
this Just and reasonable principle. In any
Democratic orator in any part of the coun-
try forgetting the interests of the whole
land and subscribing the supposed interests
of locality, promised the people of any
state or section that there would be an ex
ception made to the enforcement of the
general principle of free raw materials
when the Democrats should obtain power,
he exceeded his authority and misinterpreted
our position.
After quoting from the letter of the
President to Mr.. Wilson, which was read in
the House, Yesterday, Hill said it was an
honest and manly statement of the true at
titude which the party should assume in
this crisis.
II am not required. said he ''to defend
the propriety or wisdom of the promulga-
ton of this letter at this peculiar time. 1t
may have been indiscreet, it may operate as
a frebrand to spread the flames of
discord already kind!ed among party
friends honestly differing, as | am disposed
to concede, upon questions of public and
party policy. 1t may widen the breach
already existing in this Senate. and in that
view it may be regarded as unfortunate and
1t was a time for diplomacy,