The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15
CHAIRMAN WILSON SPEAKS.
Time for the People TO Call Halt
ON the Trusts.

forth.
II have made the motion which l have
sent TO the clerks desk, not on my own
responsibility or from my own yolltion. but
as the official organ Of the caucus Of my
associates on this side OF the house and
by their direction. ! shall say very little
myself on this occasion I'm advocacy OF
tho motion. and I shall be sincere and
frank I'm what shall submit to the house.
/ don't pretend that l am gratided at the
outcome OF this prolonged controversy.
] don't pretend that up 10 the very last
moment / had not cherished the hope and
the faith that we should reach another
and better and a more satisfactory con-
clusion Of this conflict between the two
houses Of the American congress. / had
hoped and believed until there seemed no
ground scarcely for hope or belief. that in
such a contest this house. backed by the
American people and enthusiastically sus-
tanned 10y the democratic party. would be
able 10 achieve some honorable compro-
mise between the two houses which We
could have accepted. not from sense Of
duty, but with a sense Of satisfaction and
a feeling that we had responded 10 the
mandates of the American people.
But Mr.. Speaker we have simply
realized IN this great fight the fact so well
stated by the great leader of the tariff re-
form hight in Great Britain-that when
the people have gained a victory at the
polls, they must have a further stand-up
and lSnOck-down fight with their own rep
rcsentatlves. And we have realized, If
nothing else, the salutary lesson Of the en-
trenchment of tna protective system in
this country under thirty years of class
legislation, until the mere matter of tariff
schedules Is a matter of insigniticance.
The greater question presents Itself: Is
this 10 be a government by self-taNing
people or a government OF taxation by
trusts and monOpOlists? applause on
the democratic side). II we have taken
out of this fight no other lesson than that,
it has been 10 us great, an inspiring and
valuable lesson. If We have not been
able TO get all that the mandates Of the
people told Us 10 get, all that the high
enthusiasm of the people expected us to
get we have brought this dangerous fact
face to face with American freemen and
we have made some breach I'm the pro-
tectiVe system through which the hosts
Of American freemen VIII continue TO
march (Applause on the democratic slde)
II shall not attempt as / said I'm the
outset, to explain the merits or TO dwell
upon the demerlts Of the six hundred
odd amendments TO this bill which this
house is about, OF necessity, to concur in.
Whatever the measure Of shOrtcoming
Of this bill In its present fOrm-whatever
be Its demerits in mere schedules-this
] do know. that it IS better than the
Mckinley Oil. loud applause on demo-
era tic side. This / do know, that in a
part of it il does afford some relief to the
taxpayers Of this country and does clip
the wings Of the gigantic monopolies that
are now depressing them and blocking
legislation. applause on the democratic
side and derisive cries on the republican
side).
Take even those portions of the bill
over which this contest between the two
houses has been waged; take iron ore
and to a certain extent unsuccessfully
cinfrOnted, the great railroad syndicates
OF the country: Yet we have reduced
them both nearly 90 per cent. below the
Mckinley bill (Applause). Take the
sugar schedule. over which the greatest
Of all the contests between the two
houses has been waged. Vicious as It
may be, burdensome to the people as il
may be. favorable TO the trust as il may
be. it is less vicious. less favorable to
the trust. less burdensome 10 the people,
than is the Mckinley law, under which
this trust has grown so great as TO over
shadow with it's power the American
people. (Applause).
IF for no other reason. then, those
who believe that when they cannot take
the full step which they desire, when
they cannot do that which the people
commissioned them TO do, they must take
the best they can and step as far as
they can"
some IntcrrogatoricS.
"I should like to ask the gentleman 3"
interrupted Mr Hudson. populist of
Kansas, whether he has Investigated
fully SO as to be able to state definitely
viii furnish sufficient revenue 10 meet
the entire expenses Of the government"
THAT is a question" replied Mr.. VIII
son, which no man, perhaps, certainly
not ]. can answer in definite language
But I have no difficulty whatever in
saying that when the schedules of the
bill with the senate amendments get into
normal operation it Will produce Sufii-
cient and more than sufficient revenue
for the support of the government.
II should add TO the answer that per
haps IN the beginning the bill Will not
produce as much revenue as viii result
from it later on under its ordinary work.
ing, because L am informed, whether it
be true or not I don't know, that the su-
gar trust in anticipation of the passage
of the bill, has imported sugar worth
500. 600 600, or, il has been said, even in
excess Of that quantity Of raw sugar"
''Will the passage Of this bill, in your
judgment, save the country from the fur
ther issue of bOnds?" continued Mr..
Hudson
Il think / have already covered that
question in my previous answer. 1t may
be in the first few months operation of
the bill. because Of this great accumula-
tiOn of raw sugar to which 1 have just
referred. that the revenues of the gov
ernment will not be sufficient TO meet
the expenditures Of the government. But.
it is my belief, in view OF the large
amount Of imported goods in bond, and
also In view of the fact that there viii be
larger importations when the tariff rates
are definitely known and fixed. that II the
necessity does not exist today 1t will not
exist after the passage of this bill"
''Will the gentleman pardon me just
on that point?" asked Mr.. Dingley of
Maine
sugar trust had already imported $780,
00e, 900 worth Of sugar. If so, in
asmuch as only $109. 900, 900 worth of SUI
gar was imported last year, will not all
the revenue thar we get from sugar un-
der the operation of this bill for the first
year be missing?"
II did not intend to give the figures that
800, 600 900 of raw sugar had been i'm
ported" replied Mr. Wilson. II stated
that l had been informed that the sugar
trust had imported about that amount.
and l have even heard it stated that it
was in excess Of that amount. It has
been put at 44S.0O0 tons by gentlemen who
pretend to know"
''Is it not true" asked Mr.. Heard, that
whatever NAV be this bonus TO the sugar
trust in view Of the passage of this law.