The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-24
Mr.. Teller Moves to Lay 1t on the Table
and All the Dems. and Pops. Vote
Against His Motion.
GORMAN MAKES A SPEECH
And Says the Bill Is i'm Line with
Mr.. Cleveland's Views.
He Also Announces that Neither the
Wilson Bill Nor the First Senate
Measure Could Be Passed.

WASdlNGION, May Ex-senator Oor
mans speech was the feature of the days
session of the Senate. Mr.. German and Mr..
Brice have been credited by the opposition
with the joint authorship Of the compro-
mise amendments which consolidated the
Democratic side. and Mr.. German especial
ly has been subjected to much criticism
both in and out Of the Senate. His speech
to-day, replying in a measure to the at
tacks that had been made upon him. ex-
planning the necessity of compromise and
defining the theory upon which the mod
ified bill now before the Senate was con-
structed, attracted intense interest II was
regarded as an exceedingly able exposition
of the position of the conservatives Mr..
Germans speech furnished texts for the
Republicans for the remainder of the day.
His statement that a majority OF the Sem
ate would support the bill was put TO the
test by Senator Teller, whose purpose was
to smoke OUT any latent opposition
the Democratic side. Mr. Gorman's state
ment was justified by the vote. however,
as the Colorado Senator's motion to lay the
tariff bill the table was met by an un-
broken Democratic front Both Senator
Hill of New York. and Senator Irby. Of
South Carolina. whose positions have been
the subject of gossip from time 10 time.
did the three Populists, including Mr.. PEI
fer
The rates fixed to-day were as follows:
Railway bars, rails, seven-twentieths OF
l cent per pound; black taggers. between
ten and twenty-wire guage, seven-tenths OF
1 cent; between twenty and twenty-five
wire guage. eight-tenths of / cent: thinner
than twenty-five. one-tenth of 1 cent iron
and steel plates coated with zinc or other
metals, except tin or terne plates, u cent
more than rates in preceding paragraph;
sheet iron or steel, polished, Ia cent per
pound.
When Senator German arose to speak he
appeared pale from his recent illness. He
spoke slowly and in a low tone OF voice.
Mr.. German rehearsed the difficulties that
had confronted the Democratic party in
dealing with the question Of tariff reform
The difficulty was net all in opposition, but
in internal dissension as to how the fruits
of victory should be secured. Withal. he
claims that action by the present Congress
had not been unusually delayed. 1t was
the last Of September before the President
signed the Mckinley bill, and this is only
May. The Wilson bill had been reported
to the House before its effect upon exist
ing industries could be properly studied
1t was an imperfect measure, that not only
failed TO meet the treasury demands, but
actually increased the deficit created by
the Republican prohibtive duties. There
was no expectation that it would become
law unchanged. The Senate had always
perfected such bills. Yet no sooner did
the finance committee begin its work than
the cry for action was renewed with
extraordinary vigor, and the Democratic
Wond be se down as ang grange of ig
party's promises and that every Senator
| who showed the least concern for the In
| terests of his own State was traitor to
| the Union and his party; that the Senate
| was no longer coordinate body, but that
its sole duty was to ratify blindly the ac-
WILSON BILL COULD NOT PASS
1T would be idle Mr. President" said
| Mr.. German. Ito dwell upon the manifest
| absurdlties of this outgrowth Of petulance.
| But it cannot be denied that the demand
| for prompt action seriously impaired the
| efficiency of the finance committees work
| and ultimately became so strong that re-
| vision was hastily completed and the bill
| was reported TO the Senate. l ventured the
assertion, in the course of the silver de-
| bate. that nowhere was the truth of the
| old adage, The greater haste the less
| speed better exemplified than in that leg
islation. So II proved then, and so it was
now. do not propose TO discuss the merits
or demerits of either the original Wilson
bill or the measure first reported by the
finance committee. 1t is sufficient to saw
| that there has never been q moment when
| either could command a majority of IN.
votes in this chamber. We might deplore
| such condition, and others might and did
rail against those in measure RESPONSE
| bic for IL. But the fact remained that We
could not pass the bill Such was the situ-
| alton the Democratic Senators had TO meet
| and they met IL by lhe Introduction OF a
| Democratic measure of tariff reform which
| merits and, / believe will receive every
4 Dpr0Ocra fC he ind
| ment of the Democratic House, the sig
| nature of the Democratic President and the
| approval of the Democratic party
| In answer TO the charges by the Repub-
| licsns Mr.. German asserted that the bill
| had been constructed on the Democratic
/ theory of tariff for revenue with such In
| cidental protection could be given con-
| sistertly TO the Industries OF the country.
| 1t followed strictly the course marked OUT
| by President Cleveland i'm his letter of ac-
| ceptance. upon which he was reelected and
| the Democratic party intrusted with full
| power. IL there had been the slightest ap-
| prehensoin in the public mind OF a radical
| overturning OF our industrial affairs Mr..
Cleveland would not have been reelected.
This was not free-trade measure, but
| ii was a long step for freer trade than
either the Mills bill or the tariff act OF
sake, but it did discriminate between raw
materials and manufactured articles to the
| full extent of the difference between the
! dehcit-creating bill, such the present
| law or the House bill would have been.
| 1t was DernOcraUc. because II reduced the
| taxation 10 the requirements OF the gov
| ernment. IL was just; IL was wise; IL was
| business-like: IL patriotic, and il was
| prudent because IL did not attempt to ig-
| more facts in carrying out a theory. II was
| not perfect. but IL was the most logical,
| most fair, most broad most timely and
| would prove TO be the most advantageous
tariff legislation enacted since the Repub-
| lican party sprang into existence.
| Senator German denied that any trust
had dictated any part OF any schedule Of
| this bill. Justice TO Louisiana had re-
| quired the retention OF the sugar bounty.
| That the Sugar Trust had thrived under
| the Republican tariff there could be m
| question: whether il will prosper under the
bill remains to be seen.
THE INCOME TAX.
Upon the subject OF income tax Senator
German said; '1n the matter of internal
! revenue j may say that. personally. / am
in full accord with the sentiments so ably
and eloquently expressed by the Senators
from New York and New Jersey regarding
the income tax. Like them. 1 consider that
IL served its purpose war tax and has
no fitting place in our fiscal system IN a
time OF. peace. i could not, / say frankly.
vote conscientiously consistently with
my judgment and corvictions TO make this
method or taxation part or our settled