Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-08-23
THE END OF THE FIGHT.
HIr. Wilson's Closing words In the Gress
TRriR StruERla.

Upon the acceptance OF the senate
tariff bill by the house on Monday,
August ID. Mr. William L. Wilson,
chairman Of the ways and means com
mittee, spoke briefly upon the passage
of the bill as follows:
Mr.. Speaker have made the motion which
have sent to the clerks desk. not on my Own
responsibility or from my volition. but s.
the Official organ Of the caneus OF my asscaI-
stes this side OF the house and By their d.
rection- Ishan say very little myself on this.
occasion In advocacy of the motion. and shah
be sincere and frank In what shall submis 20
/ this house.
Il do not pretend that I am gratined at the
outcome of this prolonged controversy. I
| don't pretend that up to the very last moment
had not cherished the hope and the faith thas
we should reach another and better and 3
more satisfactory conclusion OF this conficB
| between the two houses Of the American
congress I had hoped and believed until
| there seemed to be no ground scarcely for
hope and belief that In such contest
this house. backed by the American peo-
pie and enthusiastically sustained by the
democratic party, would be able to achieve
some honorable compromise between the two
houses which We could have accepted not from
sense OF duty. but with sense OF satiSfac-
ton and feeling that we had responded to ths
mandates Of the American people
But, Mr.. Speaker. we have simply realized
in this great fight the fact so well stated by
the great leader OF the tariff reform fight in
Great BritAin-thst when the people have
.
further stand-up and knock-down fight with
their own representatives. And We have real
lied, II nothing else, the saIutsry lesson OF the
intrenchment Of the protective system in this
country under thirty years OF class legislation
until the mere matter OF tariff schedules is .
matter OF insignlncance, and the great Ques-
ton presents itself. is this to be governments
by self-taxing people or government by
trusts and monopOliesy Applause on the dem
ocratic side.l II We have taken out OF this
fight no other lesson than that It has been to
US q great, an inspiring and valuable lesson
II we have not been able to get al that the
mandates Of the people told US to get, all that
the high enthusiasm OF the people expected US
to get, we have brought this dangerous fact
face to face with American freemen, and We
have made some breach In the protective sys-
tenn through which the hosts OF American free
men will continue to march Applause the
democratic side
constantly and so steadily directed to their de-
merits that 1t would require some experience
to learn Whist the merits Laughter and
appiause.l But whatever the measure Of short
coming of this bill in its present for1n-what-
ever be its dement's in mere scheduleS-thiS
do know, that it is better than the Mckinley
bill loud applause on the democratic side-l
This do know, that in part of it it does az
ford some RELIEF to the taxpayers Of this coun-
| try and does clip the wings of the gigantic mo-
nopolies that are now depressing them and
blocking legislation
Take even those portions Of the bill over
which this contest between the two houses
has been waged; take iron ore and coal upon
which have confronted. and to a certain exS
tent unsuccessfully confronted. the great rail-
road syndicates of the country; yet we have re-
duced them both nearly so per cent. below tho
| Mckinley bill. tApplause.l Take the sugar
schedule, over which the greatest of all tho
contests between the two houses has been
waged- Vicious it may be, burdensorne
| to the people as IL may be, favorable to the
trust it may, II is less vicious, less favora-
| BILE to the trust less eurdenSome to the people
than under Ehi
trust has grown great to Overshadow with
| its power the American people. IApplause.l
II for no other reason. then, those who be-
HeVe that when they cannot take the full step
which they desire, when they cannot do that
which the people commissioned them TO do,
they must take the best they can and step as
far they can, may ind some justihcatioz
for an unhesitating choice between the two
bills
Mr.. Hudson Cpop) of Kansas should like
to ask the gentleman whether he has investi-
gated fully so as to be able to state definitely
that this bill amended by the senate Will
furnish sufficient revenue to meet the entire
expenses OF the government?
Mr.. Wilson-That Is o question, which no
man. perhaps certainly not 1, answer In
definite language But have dffaculty
whatever IN saying that when the schedules OF
the bill with the senate amendments get into
normal operation 1t will produce sufficient and
more than SUFFICIENT revenue for the support OF
the government
II should add to the answer that perhaps In
the beginning the bill will not produce as
much revenue as viii result from it later on
under its ordinary working, because, L am in
formed, whether It be true or not, done
know. that the sugar trust, in anticipation Of
the passage OF the bill, has imported about
300 900 900 worth, or, It has been said, even in
excess OF that quantity, OF raw sugar"
Mr.. Hudson-Wnl the passage of this bf1l
in your Judgment, save the country from tho
further issue of bondsY"
MIR. wilson, think have already covered
that question in my previous answer II may
be in the first few months OF the operation OF
the bill, because OF this great accumulation of
raw sugar to which have just referred, THAI
the revenue Of the government Will not be suf- .
fcient to meet the expenditures OF the govern
ment; hut it is my belief, in view OF the large
amount of imported goods in bond and also In
view of the fact that there Will be larger i'm
portations when the tarin rates definitely
known and fixed, that if the necessity does not
exist to-day it will not exist after the passage
OF this bill!
Mr. Dingley CNde) the gentleman par
don me just on that point? L understand him
to say that the sugar trust has already import
ed sdO0 OOO, 900 worth OF sugar. II so, ihasmuch
as only sIOi OOO, 900 worth of sugar was import
ed last year, viii not all the revenue that We
get from sugar under the operation of this bill
for the first year be missingg
Mir. wilson, did not intend to give the
figures that 500. OOo0 600 of raw sugar had been
imported. stated that had been informed
the sugar trust had imported that amount, and
l have even heard ii stated that il was in ex-
cess OF that amount 1t has been put 49,
GOO tons by gentlemen who pretend to know
Mr.. Heard tdem) of MisSouri-Is IL not true
that whatever may be this bonus to the sugar
trust in view Of the passage OF this law. would
not the trust reap still larger bonus nndek
the operation Of the Mckinley law If that Wera
| still lefk in FORGET
Mr.. Wilson-They would not do so immedf.
ately. but under the operation of that Lava
| from year to year they would certainly respa
larger sum
Mr.. Speaker, in answer to all OF these Ques-
/ lions have simply TO say that under the rula
| just adopted by the house immediately follow
\ ing the passage OF this bill we propose to pre-
sent and pass a bill putting sugar on the free
/ list The question is now raised as to whether
/ this Is a government Of the American people,
| for the American people or government O8
the sugar trust for the benefit of the sugar
| trust And this house Will show the people.
doubt not, what its position IS that Ques-
ton, and the senate will show the people it,
position 1 Will reserve the residue OF my
time"
OPINIONS OF SENATORS.