Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-09
.MORGAN'S GREAT CHANGE.
Was Once Eloquent in Denouncing
the Robber Tariff.
But Now He wants Alabama's Coal Protected
IA the Limit.

uldttcIo LII NOnSICSS a. S,OCA JOhC On AfNAts
tor Morgan of Alabama is being much en-
ioyed at both ends of the capitol. A few
years ago, while the Mills tariff bill was
under discussion, Mr.. Morgan made one OF
his greatest speeches Mr.. Morgan is al
ways at his best in matters of principle
where facts and figures do not bother OF
make afraid. In this case he was in clover
for his topic was the tariff for protection az
an ethical question. Few who heard that
speech will ever forget the dramatic effect
with which Mr.. Morgan turned to the sena
tors from Pennsylvania, from West Fir
cinia and other states which are usually
foremost in the advocacy of protection and
Kissed out at them:
What right have you. sirs, to make laws
that take money out Of the pockets OF my
constituents and put it into the pockets oil
your constituents? Where in the constitu
ton of the United States do you find the
warrant for such proceedings as enable
you to carry on your high handed Business
and escape arrest for grand larceny"
Senator Morgan's Change of Heart.
In this strain Mr.. Morgan went Oh as
only Mr.. Morgan can go on. There is nc
other man in the United States senate who
uses the English language with such deadly
effect as he when he is reused. The most
bitter phrases, the most eloquent, roll from
his lips like ripe apples from tree when
the autumn winds blow. 1t was one of the
greatest speeches Mr.. Morgan ever deliv
cred Thousands upon thousands of copies
of it were distributed throughout the south
and it was everywhere read with great i'll
terest. Mr.. Morgan received hundreds OF
letters of praise from his constituents fol
the scoring which he had given the ''robbel
tariff.
That was before Alabama's coal and iroI
interests had been developed into an i'm
rortant industry That was before the hills
of that state had been openedIup by the
hand of man and made to yield their riches
That was before thriving cities had beef
built up at the mouths of coal and iron
mines. Now Mr.. Morgan is i'll different
position. Now he is among those Demo
Gratis who wall because the new tariff bill
puts coal on the free list and affects the
iron schedule in Il way which the producers
Of ore do not like. Now Mr. Morgan is
among the Democrats who talk of boltine
their party bill and raising no end of trou
lie unless the schedules are fixed to suit
them and the people of their states. Nc
longer does he ask men from protection
states if they have any right to immunity
from arrest for grand larceny because they
50 legislate as to take money from the peck
cts of consumers and put it into those OF
producers.
A few days ago, while Senator Morgan
was airing his views on this subject in the
cloakroom and showing up in his lurid
way the evils of q too rapid striking down OF
the protective duties, some one pulled out
OF his pocket Il copy of the Alabama sena-
tors famous speech and passed it over tc
Nh Morgan to read. The senator glanced
at it and was about to run away when his
tormentor stood in the doorway, laughing
~ barring. the exit, and proceeded to read
the most significant passages of that great
address. In few minutes the joke was
all over the senate chamber, and number
of senators looked up the old speech OF
the Alabama statesman and read it, with
smiles and winks.
"a Local Question.
This incident serves to show the changes
that are taking place in congress on the
tariff question. Sections of the country
that were for protection years ago are now
for low tariffs, while states that denounced
protection as robbery are now preaching
protection ard plenty of it. AS the fields
of commerce and production shift about,
so does public opinion, and it is noticeable
that with every change of public opinion
the opinions of senators and representatives
in congress change also. A great deal OF
the trouble which the Democrats are now
in over their new tariff measure comes from
men representing such states as Alabama,
which, until recently, were never known to
object to any reduction of the tariff rates.
a dozen times day one may hear Demo
Gratis, members of one or the other legislative
branch, declare that the Wilson bill shall
never pass unless it is radically amended.
In every such case some special interest of
their constituents is threatened with loss.
A dozen times day one may hear the ey-
preston about the corridors of the capitol:
We'll, General Hancock was right, after
all, when he said the tariff was local
question. This session of congress is prov
ing that he was right, notwithstanding the
ridicule that was heaped upon him.
Readers of these dispatches will remem-
Der that in this column most people in the
country saw the first statement to the eff
feet that the Democrats of the ways and
means committee were about to report an
income feature to their new tariff bill. This
prediction was made in these dispatches
several months ago and has been fulfilled
to the letter. Whether or not the income
feature will remain in the bill no one can
say. 1t has met with such fierce opposi-
ton that it is feared by those friendly to it
Iiat it will have To 30 by the board or stif-
fer SO much amendment as to defeat the
object in view. Where the committee made
its mistake, in the opinion of most people.
was in applying the income tax to such
small incomes as $1,000. This cuts too low
te.s,it most men, who think that if their
income does not exceed 500 n week it
should go untouched of the taXgatherer.
The Income Tax.
1t is a bit of inside gossip that the COM
mttee was induced to apply thetax Mt such
low limits because of the fear that if it were
placed higher people would say: We'll,
congress is willing enough to tax the other
fellows income, but we notice it was care
ful not to apply the : per cent to its own
salaries" by putting the minimum tax
able income down to - 600 con gress escapes
this criticism, but ineurs the eninty of
host of men who are able to make $500 or
5000 q year, and who live in dread of hev
in., to pay over small sum in the way OF
a direct tax or escaping it by indulgence in
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