The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-22
THE SENATE AND THE TARIFF.

Doubtless, it was the conviction that
the honesty of purpose Of the house was
no match for the profound duplicity Of
the senatorial tricksters and hucksters,
who seemed to control the action Of the
Sen9 tOrlal cOnferees, as they had pre-
vfousiy done that of the senate finance
committee and the senate itself, that led
TO what the public generally will be apt
TO regard as a surrender on the part of
the house democrats. 1t viii be so re-
gaTded in this state, where, however,
some consolation for the persistent
treachery of our senators will be found
in the gallant protest Of our representa-
tiVeS, who voted in caucus against &C
cepting the senate bill. Meanwhile, it
is well to remember that the fight is not
over, that the cause OF tariff reform, al
though betrayed, is not lOst-that the
American people have yet the final and
decisive word 10 speak in the matter
Baltimore Sun (dem).
The tariff, as finally passed, while in
many respects it falls short Of the ex-
pectationS of the country, is an enOr-
nous step forward in the direction Of
reduced taxation, step that will never
be retraced. From this time the fixed
policy Of the country will be toward the
gradual reduction of import duties, and
our manufacturers, who will prosper un-
der this new tariff as they have never
prospered before, will not again seek the
restoration Of the eXorbitant taxes which
have demOralzed so many of our indus
tries. The new bill gives ample protec-
ton to all our manufacturers, and TO
some of them, as notably the wooden
manufacturers of Philadelphia, it will
open up the markets of the world for the
free purchase of the materials they need
and for the sale Of their surplus pro-
ducts. In five years time they ought,
under this tariff, to manufacture all the
WOOenS used in this country or in this
hemisphere. And what is true of WOOL
ems is true of almost every branch Of
American manufactures.-Philad phia
Times (dem).
Although the sugar trust has carried
its point this time, it has made reve-
lation of its power and its methods
which will not be forgotten. The fight
which has been on will go on till the
last scrap and iota Of protection is taken
from it. How the fall elections may turn
out nobody can safely predict, but it is
not likely that many people will vote
expressly in favor Of the Mckinley tariff
or of another general tariff revision. In
deed, il is most probable that the pass
age of this bill viii make end of Nc
Kinley as a presidential candidate, so
few people will desire another general
tariff disturbance. But the fight against
the sugar trust and the sugar senators
ought not TO be relaxed for one mo-
ment Meanwhile the friends Of tariff
reform may congra tulate themselves on
y
duties on wool. We shall now have the
opportunity TO see whether any harm
comes to nybody-wooi-grOwe woAl-
len manufacturers, or consumers of
woollen goods in consequence Of this
change.-N. Y. Post Gnd)
Should President Cleveland veto this
bill every importer and every manufact-
urer in any degree affected by foreign
competition would throw up mis- hands
in despair. 1t would be impossible to
make trustworthy calculations for the
fall and spring trade, owing to the GER
Tainty that a new and radical tariff bill
would be brought forward when con-
greSs IeaSSembles in December, and that
the whole deadly subject would be gone
over again. But let the president make
the bill law and all these obstacles to
returning prosperity vanish at once.
There need be no fear of the bills dealing
wien separate items. Separate bills do
not disturb trade. 1t is only general
tariff bills. tariff tinkering all along the
line. that confuse the merchant and
manufacturer and clog the channels of
commerce When the senate bill be-
comes a law tariff uncertainty will no
longer furnish a valid excuse for over
caution in trade. Besides, the bill is bet
ter than the Mckinley act, and ii is
a STEP a considerable step. in the direc-
ton of tariff reform-N- Y. Times
(dem).
In passing the senate tariff the house
of representatives has only yielded TO the
sternest necessity, the alternative of
which was the continuance of the in
famous and far more oppressive and far
more ruinous Mckinley law ] L this
alternative was forced upon the house
by the Gormon-Smith- Brice- Murphy
ring backed by all the power of the
protected" trusts and combines which
the people have been pampeFing and
nursing in their BOSOM as vipers to sting
them for the last thirty years. Still,
this ring might have been broken had
any leading democrats of the senate eX-
posed and attacked its members as pub
lie enemies instead of apOlgiZing for
them. Neither the leaders of the senate
finance committee nor the treasury Of
ficials have sounded out to the people
the iniouities and enormities Of the Cor
man bill On the contrary, the have
quietly countenanced or cOndoned them.
Whatever good feature remains in the
bill It is in no sense or degree due TO
German or TO the senate, but it only sur
wives as "A relic of some good things in
Mr. Wilson's bill which escaped the ruin
Gus touch of the ring and its apologists
in the finance committee.-N. Y. Herald
(dem)