Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-07-26
WILSON Isl FoR wAR.
The Author of tEs Tarin Reform III
Scor>s EteruhIteanS

III tuG muse On thursday, ",
Chairman W. L. Wilson, of the ways
the conferrees on the tariff bill setting
forth the points of disagreement be-
tween the house and senate conferrees
In presenting the report Mr.. Wilson
spoke with enthusiasm and marked eff
feet, urging the passage of the bill.
He said:
IT move that the house further insist upon
its disagreement to the senate amendments
and ask for further conference from them.
and upon that motion shall submit a few ex-
planatory remarks to the house
1t Is true, as the gentleman from Maine
CAE Reed has Just said. that there have been
but two meetings OF the full conference the
part Of the senate and house A tarin bill. of
recent years at least ana perhaps almost al
ways in the history OF this country, has been q
political measure. measure proposed by one
party ana resisted by the other. The present
tarin legislation does not differ from that his
torfc character 1t was fully recognized and
cordially expressed by the republican con-
ferrees OF the senate that it was the duty Of the
dominant party in the two houses. through
their own special conferrees, first to try II they
could reconcile thei- own differences before
they brought to the attention OF the full con-
ference committee their proposed action
While. therefore there have been but these
two meetings Of the full conference committee.
there have been daily, protracted. earnest and
laborious consultations on the part OF the
house conferrees representing the majority
party In this house, and the senate confcrreeS
representing the majority party IN that house,
as to the 6S4 amendments in the hope that We
might reach some agreement that could be re-
ported to the full conference committee when
1t should be called together It Is because no
such agreement has been attained; 1t IS be-
cause no such agreement seems at present in
sight, that we have felt it was duty to
bring the whole matter back to the house and
receive its instruction
Senate Conferrees Fettered by Trusts.
81 desire to be perfectly frank and as COM
plete as possible in any statement may make
to the house to-day, and yet recognize that
there some limitations to completeness of
statement which probably it would be best for
me to observe at this stage in the controversy
between the two houses But L think / may
say with truth and frankness and courtesy that
II the cOnferreeS of the senate the part of
the majority party had been as free and as IN
trammeled as we ourselves we're, with nothing
to control our action but our sense of duty to
the people and to our party and to the house a
tariff bill would nave been agreed upon in one
days session that would have been satisfactory
to the democratic party and that would have
given hope and courage and enthusiasm to the
American people Applause on the democratic
side.l
But, sir, we were not long in finding out,
greatly to our disappointment, that whatever
might be the personal opinions, the personal
judgment, the strong personal wishes OF the
democratic conferrees of the senate. they came
to US somewhat fettered and somewhat limited
to any action that they might agree to upon
this bill, either by the supposed moral obiiga-
tionS of party caucus or the apprehension that
there were forces in the senate however small
yet powerful enough to resist successfully the
passage OF any bill which did not make conceS-
sions to great corporations and trust interests
that we, representing the house, did not feel
free on our part to agree to. Applause on the
democratic side
Il do not believe, Mr.. Speaker that there
would be any great difficulty in coming to a
n m lTOT a or n mt ne 81
majority of the 634 amendments proposed to
this bill by the senate, but there are impoT-
tant amendments proposed by the senate
which give to this bill in the main different
character from what it had when it went from
the house, on which amendments we seem. up
to this time we seem to be irrecoucilably d.
vided, and it is because of these amendments
and because OF the statements made to US in
all kindness and courtesy, and might also say
in sadness, that such was the condition OF af-
fairs at the other end of this capital that, uH-
less this house was willing to accept the SEN
ate bill practically and substantially as 1t
passed the senate, there was to be no tariff
legislation at this session OF congress We did
not feel, representing the house of representa-
tiveS, that we could, without sacrifice OF its
dignity and its equality legislative cham
Der. respond to any such proposition that.
Applause on the democratic Side.l Least Of
all did We feel that in the great question Of
taxation, resting by the very theory of free in
situations and by the language of the constitu-
ton as peculiar and original trust on the part
OF the representatives of the people, that we
could for one moment entertain and agree to
such proposition Applause on the demo-
cratic side.l
House Bill Redeems Democratic Pledges.
Aside from that question, the differences
between the bill as it passed the house and the
bill as 1t comes back to US from the senate are
SO marked, are in the main SO Questionable to
tariff reformers in the country generally, that
could not without the guidance and the in
struction OF this house. agree to accept those
differences and thus adopt O different and mod
fled scheme OF tarif reform
Whatever imperfectness may have attached
to the house bill it did seem to be accepted by
the people OF this country fair and substan-
tial performance OF the pledges by which the
democratic party came into power at the begin
ming of this administration It was framed
upon democratic lines in the main It sought
in levying taxes to consider chiefly and pri-
rlarily the wants OF the public treasury and not
the profits and schemes of great private inter
ests. Applause on the democratic side.l
THE bill which comes back to US from the
senate has not met the approval of the great
tariff reform sentiment OF this country It has
not been accepted by those who, through de-
feat and victory. have followed this standard
with much enthusiasm for ten years past
the fruition Of their efforts, as the per-
Torrance Of their pledge and the full and
substantial realization of their great victory.
1T remains for me simply to add that the
chief points in controversy between the repre-
sentatives OF the dominant party in the two
houses, and thus between the conference COM
mitteeS of the two houses were: First, the
sugar schedule; next. the duty upon iron
and upon coal and the duty upon silver, lead
ores and some OF the duties in the wooden
schedule. and especially to some OF the duties
OF the iron and steel schedule, prominently
these upon pig iron steel rails and cutlery and
structural iron But the great dihiculty In the
pathway OF agreement has been proper ad-
justment OF the sugar schedule
This house voted for free sugar, and
fined. Loud applause the democratic side.l
It voted down the proposal Of the committee
ways and means for gradual repeal of the
bounty and reduction by one-hah on refined
sugar. The senaue has reintroduced into the
proposed tariff bill sugar schedule which,
VIII Their truly or not. has been accepted by the
country, by the press. by the people as unduly
favorable TO the great sugar trust It proposes
duty OF 20 per cent. ad yalorem on all grades
of sugar, a diferentia1 OF one-eighth Of one
cent upon refined sugar. IN addition to = differ
entail of one-tenth OF cent sugar in
ported from countries that pay export
bounty upon their sugar
Democratic Policy on Sugar.
There Is reasonable ground for difference of
opinion among democrats as to whether any
duty upon sugar should be placed in our tariff
bill not. It has always been cc;1tended by
those who have been leaders In the great tariff
reform movements in this country that, OF all
the articles yielding large revenue sugar was
x,l<. IL.