New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-05
TIE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DELAY

Senator Harris begins a new week, aS usual,
with = threat If the Senate does not get on
moro r3pi,llv with the infamous Bill Of Sale, he
will demand night sessions. ProfcSSedly he is
anxious to terminate the uncertainty which III
lures business. But he can do 1t any day by
abandoning the indecent measure for which he
Is fighting. which no considerable proportion Vf
Senators on either side wish TO have passed,
and which damages industries and depresseS
wages and denies employment 10 labor every
hour that il hangs over the country "a men
ace. But If the bill must be passed at all. 1t
IS nj least possible that the income tax. which
is offensive TO men of all parties. be stricken
ont rs The New-Yorll Herald Insists. 1t IS
n least possible that the scandaouS barter with
the SUGAR Trust. which has brought disgrace
upon the Administration and the majority In
Congress, as The Ncw-fork Times insisis'
should be- expunced. These and other changes,
which dcccncy or a regard for the public wei
fare demand. could be made in'n single day II
the Senator from Tennessee and those he repre-
SCENTS would consent.
Tho delay is caused absolutely and only by
mulish pcrsistcncy In demanding The passage
of the Bill of Sale in a form which Is not APP
proved by any decent Senator Of either party
Nnt one atom OF the responsibility for delay
can rest upon those who oppose the offensive
and iunropor features of the measure. Their
right 10 resist these features. and 10 debate
them at length. and thus TO stir up public opin-
ion against them as far AZ they can in the hope
of saving the country from injustice and dis
honor IS beyond possible dispute. II Senator
Harris tries to DENY the exercise OF this right
he ought 70 be met by such resistance as de-
tcrmincd minority always has at It's command
under the rules OF the Senate.
The President himself could put an end 70 the
pcrncious delay within forty-cight hours. He
is therefore, directly responsible for all the con
scouenccs Of that delay If he fails 10 terminate
If. But as matters stand, he IS also more di-
rcctlv responsible for the most dangerous ana
odious features OF the bill than anybody else,
however Internationally. He personally sug-
gcstcd in his message of last December tax
on incomes Of corporations and thus gave en-
couragcment to the fanatical property -hatcrs in
Congress 10 fasten upon the Tariff bill form
of income tax which. in justice 10 him, II must
be assumed ne cannot possibly approve. But
the shameless bargain with the Sugar Trust,
though not publicly proposed by him, appears
10 have been in measure insigalcd by ia"
suggestions Of Il member Of his official family.
II cannot be said That Secretary Carlisle acts
in such matters on his own responsibility. nor
can the fact be overlooked that when the VII
son bill went from the House 10 the Senate, II
was freely stated In Democratic organs that
the President objected 10 the form Of the bill
as il stood. because II would not raise IN adc-
ouate revenue and desired 10 gee tax on
sugar Mr. Carlsles suggestion that strong
men interested in the Sugar Trust had con
tributcd heavily 10 the Democratic campaign
fund was also quoted about that time by Demo
cratic organs. If injustice is done either 90 the
President or 10 the Secretary by the prevalent
belief that the duty now proposed was insti-
gated by them. then II Is the fact. as "The New
York Times urges, that the dScrdit can be-
removed in one way only. by the substitution
OF a plain revenue duty on every form OF sugar
alike