Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-09-05
THE GREATEST CURIOSITY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY,

more than 10000 persons were present.
Among the many good things Mr.. Reed
said are the following:
The reason why the Democratic party
has been 4 failure is a reason so simple
that it is a wonder that we did not un-
derstand more fully and completely that
this result must take place. 1t was in
evitable.
1.-The Democratic party has had in the
last thirty years no underlying principle
on which it was united from one end
of the country to the other. This is not
said as a %reproach; it is said simply rs an
historical fact. That such should be the
fact. also, is entirely natural. A party
which has been in the minority for 4 long
period of time gathers together all the
people who are opposed to the party actu-
ally in power, and opposed for different
reasons. 1t is only when they endeavor
to combine and to take positive and af-
irmatiye action themselves that we began
to realize the tremendous diversity of
opinion which vas masked under the
seeming unanimity of opposition.
The lesson of the past year. while it
has been disastrous to the material inter
ests of the country, if it should result in
Il more thorough appreciation of the ac-
tiOnS and deeds of the party which was in
control of this country from 1860 onward,
the country will wrest out of the mis-
fortune I blessing.
Whatever may have been done by the
people at present in possession of the
government, everyone will admit that it
has been done slowly, out of place and in
such away as to be OF the least possible
service to the country.
The Republican party in the bill of
1890 had given this country free sugar
If there is Il necessity III life that is one.
and we had freed it entirely from the
tax-gatherer. As there existed certain
industries in the Democratic state of
Louisiana. and as we hoped that in the
great states Of California, Nebraska and
Kansas the great industry of sugar pro-
ducing might be carried on to such an
extent as to furnish the entire country
with all the sugar it needed for its con-
sumption, we determined, not only on the
instincts of justice OWard Louisiana. but
feeling that it would be Il paying invest
ment to this country to secure, as France
lac done. the production of beet sugar,
we determined to bestow 4 bounty upon
the production of sugar upon all four of
those states, and such other states as It
might prove to be profitable in.
The result in Louisiana has been q
tremendous increase of sugar production.
and there was every prospect that IN
other states the beet sugar industry
would take wide proportions and furnish
not only sugar for the country, but also
occupation and profit for farmers who
would produce the raw material. The
House of Representatives saw fit not
only to abolish this bounty, but also took
off every duty connected with sugar.
when the bill arrived in the Senate it
was discovered that this country was en-
gagged in the task of passing a bill which
would diminish the revenues S70,OOO,O0
II then became necessary, IN the opinion
of all intelligent people, to put a tax upon
sugar if this bill was to be persisted in.
Thereupon a tax was proposed upon sugar
of 40 per cent, with Il differential of one
eighth for the sugar r~efiners, and still
another differential to protect them
against the export sugar of countries
which paid an export premium.
This was the bill which passed the
House. Anticipating, IL fact, knowing,
that such action would be unpopular in
every possible way, they endeavored to
relieve themselves from the burden Of the
vote which they had just given. and
therefore awaited themselves of the ex-
~traordinary powers which resided in the
House, and by a course of action entirely
unprecedented, they provided that a bill
might be introduced into the House Civ
ing free sugar, which bill could not be
amended, should not be debated over half
an hour and might then be passed, and
accordingly this was done. OF course this
was a pure farce. Everybody knew it,
no matter how they voted upon the sub
Ject. Everybody understood that it was
simply a campaign document that was
going through the House.
And why was it so? Why, they intend
ed to say, If your Republican senators
choose to vote for that it will become a
law Now, while the Republican senators
were opposed to the tax upon sugar. Just
as they were opposed to all the rest of
the bill, and while they had no interest
in the differential for the benefit of the
sugar %rehners, nevertheless they were not
for free sugar without a bounty. When
the bill got to the Senate it met with the
fate that might ave been expected. The
Senate voted TO put on to it an amend
ment authorizing the continuance of the
bounty which had already been granted
under the Mckinley act and which was
promised to the people of the country for
Gratis refused to adopt. so their 'popgun'
bill and all the rest of the 'popgun' bills