Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-08
WILL GRANT NO HEARINGS
Decision of the Senate FL
nance Committee.
THE REASONS FOR THIS ACTION
official Statement by Chair
man, Voorhees,.
The Question Has Already Been Thor
oughiy Considered and Every Interest
Carefully Heard Democrats Intend that
There shall be M Unnecessary Delay In
acting OH the Wilson Bill.

WAsnIsGroN, Feb. 6.--The Demo.
cratic members of the Senate committee
on finance were In executive session
over an hour to-day after the Republi-
can members Withdrew. They decided
10 grant no hearings at oil on the Will
son Tariff bill and authorized Senator
VOORHEES, 10 prepare a statement Of their
reasons. ....
Following is tho full text of Senator
VOORHEES, statement;
Prompt and speedy action on pending
tariff legislation Is required at this time
by every patriotic and business considera-
ton. The majority OF the finance com.
mittee charged with the responsibility of
the pending measure intend that no delay
shall occur which 1t is possible to avoid.
We arc determined that the business men
Of the country OF all classes shall III u
very carly day have u full and clear in
sight into the laws of taIifl taxation which
shall hereafter prevail,
A claim however, Is now made that
whoever may wish To do so must be
allowed to come before the finance COM
mittee and make speeches TO us in regard
to each and every particular interest
affected by the tariff. The claim is with
out limit as to numbers, and it granted to
n
Senator alone asks five hundred to be
heard from his State. 1t is also unlimited
as TO time, and becomes, therefore. i'll the
hands OF the opponents of tariff reform,
All instrument of delay, indefinite i'll dura-
ton and lar more formidable and efficient
than the worst form of tilibustering on
the floor Of the Senate. But II these hear
ings as they are called, are a matter Of
right and cannot be denied by the commit
-, ali, kn pTn
in their character? II we are 10 listen for
the next four or five months, rs it is
boosted in certain quarters we will be
compelled to do, why should the manu-
faCturcrs, those who plead for protection
for gains and profits BY legislation, alone
be heard2 1t seems to us that the con-
sumers OF tariif.taxed goods, the farmer
tue telling millions throughout the whole
land have the highest right OF all to be
heard III their necessary sclf-defence-self-
defence against injustice and oppression.
II the cause of privilege. protection and
iinancialgreed are to invade our committee
room to be heard during the coming spring
and summer, then by every principle of
justice and right the cause OF the victim,
the toiling consumer, must also be amply
and fully heard. The truth is that legisa-
ton was never accomplished by such
methods and never will be under our form
Of government. The people are heard
through the Representatives in Congress,
and moments reflection will show how
| ample and sufficient such hearings always
have been and always will continue to be.
| For instance, why should the business of
the country be LETT in doubt for weeks and
months while the manufacturers Of a GER
tain State are talking to the committee,
| when in point of fact Senator from the
same State, manufacturer himself, could
be discussing the same questions far more
intelligently and ably on the floor OF the
Senate? II is all idle pretense that any
| right is denied to anybody by the course
the committee has determined to take
| We will report our bill to the Senate with
| out delay, and the full hearings will take
| place. Already more than million cirru
lars, embracing heterogeneous touching
| every branch of business known to the
| census of 1880. have been addressed to oil
| our industries and abundant streams ol
information are pouring in to use in dis
cussion in the Senate. In addition TO this
nearly all the protected manufacturer
were heard before the committee on way.
and means OF the House, and the testi
mony taken is IN print and in the posses
| sion of the Senate. The whole subject il
very familiar to the American mind anC
needs no further eluc;dation than will b.
incident TO full. free debate. The country
needs active action.
Senator Mcpherson was present q
the meeting, and Senator Mills, who wa
substituted during Mr.. McPherson's III
ness, was also present. 1t is understood
that the bill which has been prepared
by Senators Vest, Mills and Jones, wa
luid before the Democratic members o
the committee in rough draft.
THE REPUBLICANS SURPRISED.
The Republican members of the com
mittcc, through Senator Aldrich, CAV,
out The following statement In reply t,
that of the Democratic members: "Thl
minority of the finance committee ar
greatly surprised at the character Of ID,
statement which had been handed then
and which is said to have been fur
nishcd to the press by the majority o
the committee, in regard to their refus
Ing TO give hearings on tho Tariff bill
The Republican members of the com
mittee, relying on the assurances giyel
them by tho chairman during the SEES
sion of the committee, had suppose,
that hearings would be given as a mat
ter Of course, and had 50 informed al
parties DESTROYS of being heard. Tn
matter came up in committee this morn
ing upon the request for hearing mad
by one member DIR. Shermunl in behal
Of the farmers aud wool-growers of th
United States, who are now present Il
Washington in largo numbers for tn
purpose, and upon the request of othc
members in behalf Of certain cotto
operatives of Fall River and othe
parties. There was no request on III
part of the Republican members for OK
party hearings, nor for hearings for an
special class, nor any disposition NO
desire 10 secure SUCH results.
The minority believe that all partie
farmers, workingmen, merchant,
manufacturers, importers and ali other
whether for or against the bill, in
terested in the rates liked by the Hous
bill, rates of which they could have ha
no knowledge before the final vote i
the House, should be heard upon maj
tiers so vitality affecting their Interest!
The right to be heard has never before
so far as we arc aware, been denied /
the American people by the finance con
mittee of the United States Senate, an
the minority OF tho committee beliey
that this extraordinary action on III
pant Of the majority, III refusing to Civ
hearings, is bothpnwise and unjust atl
should be resisted by all parliamentar
methods.
DEMOCRATS AT WORK ON THE BILL.
The Democratic members of tho con
mittee lost no time in proceeding
work upon the Tariff bill after they d
eided not to grant hearings to intereste
parties. Senators Jones OF Arkansa
Mills and Vest, comprising all the men
bers Of the subcommittee on tariff, G!
, cept Senator Voorhees,, met during Il
| afternoon in Senator Vests committe
! room and took up the bill with vie