The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-05-14
Mills Explains His Position.

The taunt had an immediate effect upon
Mr.. Mills, who took the floor as soon as
Mr. Aldrich had finished his remarks, ana
in a. passionate and excited manner referred
to his speech several weeks ago, in Whict-
he declared himself to be Gas between the
Mckinley act and the Wilson bid between
the devil and the deep sea" and said; a
change has come over the spirit OF the
situation, not over nay spirit. | have not
got as much sea room as on that occasion.
l find that the bill pending before us is
not the Wilson bill but bill which ought,
perhaps, to bear the honored name of the
senator from Maryland (Mr. Gorman, or
of the senator from ohio (Mr. Brice) NO
man can torture me into the admission
that the bill pending before this body is, III
any respect an answer to pledges made by
the democratic national convention to the
democratic people or the United states. 1
have said, and | expect to say as long as
/ keep my understanding, that taxation
levied on value is the only honest system
of taxation, and that the specIhc system OF
taxation is imposed for the purpose OF
concealing facts and deluding the govern
ment for the benefit of the favored classes.
| stand there today, and shall stand there
as long as l live. [ rise to say that | do
not intend to vote for d single one of these
amendments changing the duties from ad
+ yalorem to specific. | am Inundated enough
to have to be drawn nearer and nearer to
the Mckinley act in the rates of duty
and in the amount of robbery inflicted upon
the poor working people of the country,
who have been starved to death under
this system of taxation, without being COM
PEELED to bow down in humiliatior and to
take up even the badges of protection.
The very first change is made from an ad
valorem to a specific system; and that
runs along through the whole Dill we
have had to surrender at discretion at every
point, until it is now a question between
the Mckinley protection and the pend
ing bill, with a very little margin of differ
ence between the two. [ repeat what L
said before that | will vote against these
amendments; but that, when they are in
corporated in the bill, | will vote for the
bill if it has cents of reduction in it, as
a choice between the two. The democratic
party said to the people in 1892 that pro-
lection is a fraud, and that the party was
in favor of honest taxation for revenue
alone. And there is where | stand. l want
to make an honest effort to redeem that
pledge; and l do not intend to go back
ward. / would rather vote to reduce the
duties imposed by the Wilson bill. Every
one of them Is high enough. l would have
put more articles on the free list. / would
have reduced the cost of production on our
manufactures so that could take the
markets of the world and give employment
to the people III honest work, instead OF
having them walking the streets and
coming to Washington to tell the govern
ment of their distress. a distress which the
protective tariff has put upon them. You
may pile up duties in this bill to any eX-
tent you please, and, it it is any better
than the Mckinley act, l will vote for it,
But do not try to make it just bad as
it can be made before l vote for it. [ felt
it necessary to file this caveat and let
democrats who are making this bill under
stand that am not responsible for this
measure, and that 1 do not intend to as
sumo the responsibility. l want the gem
tlemen who have demanded this measure
to stand up in the open daylight and take
the responsibility for the amendments
which they have forced upon this bill"
There was some applause in the galleries
democratic senators specially singled out
by Mr. Mills, Mr.. German was the only
one in the senate chamber; but he simply
smiled and was not moved to make any
remark in reply.