The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-05-24
THE LINE DRAWN.
A Test Vote on the Tariff Shows Ev.
cry Democratic Senator
in Line.

! ONSl IHC ldNOIdDlc IulH III INC OCH
ate, for tariff reform.
Senator Germans speech was the
feature of the days session of the
Senate. Mr.. German and Mr., Brice
have been credited by the opposi
tion with the joint authorityship Of
the compromise amendments which
consolidated the Democratic side
He appeared pale from recent ILL.,
ness and spoke slowly, in a low tone
of voice. Rehearsed the difficulties
that had confronted the Democrat
ic party in dealing with the ques-
ton of tariff reform. The difficulty
was not all in the opposition but in
internal dissention as to how the
fruits of victory should be secured.
Withal, he claims that action by
the present Congress had not been
unusually delayed. 1t was the last
of September before the President
signed the Mckinley bill and this is
only May. The Wilson bill, he said
had been reported to the house be-
fore its effect on existing industries
could be properly studied; an imper-
feet measure that not only failed to
meet the treasury demands, but in
creased the deficit created by the
Republican prohibitive duties. Said:
II do not propose to discuss the
merits of either the original Wilson
bill or the measure first reported by
the finance committee. It is suffi-
cient to say that there has never
been moment when either could com
mand a majority of the votes in the
chamber. We might deplore such
a condition and others might and
did rail against those in a measure
responsible for it. But the fact re-
mained that we could not pass the
bill. Such was the situation the
Democratic Senators had to meet
and they had met it by the intro
duction of a Democratic measure of
tariff reform which merits and, |
believe, will receive every Demo-
cratic vote in this body, the en-
dorsement of a Democratic House,
the signature of a Democratic
President and the approval of the
Democratic party" In answer to
the charges of the Republicans, Mr..
German asserted that the bill had
been constructed on the Democrat
ic theory of a tariff for revenue
with such incidental protection as
could be given consistently to the
industries of the country. 1t fol-
lowed strictly the course marked
out by President Cleveland in his
letter of acceptance upon which he
was reelected and the Democratic
party entrusted with full power. If
there had been the slightest appre-
hension in the public mind of a rad
ical overturning of our industrial
affairs Mr.. Cleveland would not have
been reelected, This was not a
free trade measure, but it was
longer step for freer trade than
either the Mills bill or the tariff act
of 1888. 1t was Democratic be-
cause it reduced the taxation to
the requirements of the government.
1t was just; it was wise; it was bust
nesslike; it was patriotic and it was
prudent because it attempt not to
ignore facts in carrying out theo-
ry, 1t was not perfect but it was
the most logical, most fair, most
broad, most timely, and would prove
to be the most advantageous tariff
legislation enacted since the Re
publican party sprang into eXis-
tance. Senator German denied
that any trust had dictated any
part of any schedule of this bill At
the close Of hif speech the galleries
applauded and Senators congratu-
lated him on his great speech.
Immediately afterward Senator
Teller arose, and it at once became
apparent that something was going
to happen, as he stated he wished
to test the statement of Mr.. Cor
man that a majority of the Senate
would support the tariff measure
under consideration, He asked,
how many populists were counted
on by Mr.. German to make up a
majority Of the Senate2 Were
there any bacEsliders among the
Democrats? These were all inter
esting questions, and in order tc
make every Senator show his colors
he would move to lay the tariff bill
on the table. Mr.. Teller's motion
was like bombshell. 1t created
CONSERVATION on both sides. The
bells rang and pages were sent
scurrying through the corridors tc
drum up every available Senator in
order that the full strength might