Evening star., 1894-04-02
Senator Voorhees, Elaborate Speech
on the Tariff Bill.
PREDICTS A SURPLUS In THE REVENUE
His Araignment of Protected In
terests and Favored Classes.
L Il Z 1 n c o Me AK


chairman Of the committee that has had
the bill under consideration was listened
To with attention. At the outset he said:
MI PRESIDENT, great abuses In govern
ment' strong by the sanction and growth
OF years. embedded in the powerful inter-
ests OF privileged classes created, fostered.
encouraged and protected by the laws
themselves, have rarely, If ever in any axe.
peen promptly and totally eradicaIed ex-
cept by forcible revolution and ploodshed-
such is the concurrent and unbroken testi-
mony OF history.
The protective system of tariff taxation as
deFeioped anu IasIeised upon The business
ana Iaoor OF Jne American people, especially
curing the thlrd OF century past, growing
worse AT every stage, as a system VI inos-
scrDable lnJusuce and oppression; ana Yet
who VIII cOnIend tnaI an its vicious prIn-
clples ana WORKINGS, ramIned they are
through every branch OF trade and COM
Inerce' can De annlnIIAted by single blow,
or totally wiped Out by a single legIslauge
enactmentg tor the Dill now unuer con-
slderalUn no such claim is made, but in ils
behalf can be truthIuIly asserted, ana wln
be successfully maintained, that it accom-
pilsnes a vast work in the held Of tarin re-
form, embodies great RELIEF 10 The people
from iniquitous existing buroens, ana con-
stitutes a long stride, though not fnal
one, toward the approaching day OF a full
and perfect deiverdnce.
Reduction of Taxes.
Il challenge the attention OF the Senate
and the country to the great and COM
manding fact that by the provisions of this
bill the seeming paradox of a reduction
of taxes and at the same time an increase
of public revenues Will be reconciled when
II becomes a law" He stated that the
tariff taxes on the wants. necessities and
daily consumptions of men, women and
children OF the United States have been
/ red hN he moi han x-cf.-
millions per annum.
These reductions are as follows: On chem
icals, sl,ooOVoO; on pottery, N.gOO.Ooo; on
glass, sl,JoO.VoO; on metals, 81. 100000; on
wood. S3o0.OOO; on tobacco, s.. 100000; on
agricultural products, S3.3OO,0OO; on spirits,
wines, etc, sl.JO0,UO0; On cotton manufac-
lures, S45oVo0; on fax, hemp and juts
manufactures, $6,UUU,OoO; on wooden manu-
factures, SSS,JoO.Oo0; on silk manufactures,
S,JpO,OoO; on paper and pulp, S3oO,VOU; on
sundries. s.. $4,000: transferred to the free
list sl2,11OVOO Total, s76,67O,UVO.
Continuing, ne said: Faults and imper-
fecuons can, Of course be alleged and
pointed out; concessions are apparent which
have been unwillingly made in order TO Sc
cure its passage; articles on the free list as
they came from the House have been made
dutiable under the duress of a small ma
Jority here, yet, deeply as i regret the ne
cessity Tor these changes. do not hesitate
to say that the bill. taken a whole as IL
now stands, with It's combination Of lower
taxes on the necessaries of life, and at the
same time increased revenues for the gov
ernment, will be hailed as a substantial
measure Of reform and relief by the great
producing masses Of the American people.
Estimated Expenses.
AT this point / submit an estimate OF
the expenses OF the government for the
fiscal year 1895. made in official quarters
from the best data obtainable up to date
1t may be stated as follows: Civil aud
miscellaneous, s9o.ooa.oO0; war. s55ocoooO:
navy, $4,000 Ooo: Indians. 100000; pen-
sions. sl45.Vo,ooo; interest, S29000O0O:
postal service including s5971, 80 de-
fciency in postal revenues. $50 399 ass 80,
making total OF s45l. .Ss9, 1888.
TO meet the appropriations made neces-
sary by the foregoing estimates j here
place before the Senate the estimated reve-
nues which are expected to accrue under
the provisions Of the bill now before us:
Internal revenue under present law, $780,
0cooo0; additions made 10 the pending bill
income tax. S300o0oo0: spirits so 0000c0;
cards, 100000; customs. sl63361O 600; mis-
cellaneous, s2O.oo0.O00: postal service ss4,-
421,T6s Total sis0. KS. 166.
1t Win here be seen that the COMMITTEES
on finance of this body has taken a bond Of
fate. as il were. that no harm shall come
to the credit and financial honor Of the gov
eminent. The criticisms which assailed the
bill as il came from the House because IL
created deficiency In the treasury no
longer apply. We present a measure fun
freishted with revenue for every call that
can be made on the republic At home and
abroad, and with surplus besides Of s29.-
3Se,245. Sir. there is no terror to me in a
surplus like this. On the contrary. IL is a
source Cf safety and can at any time be
wisely and hoaOraby devoted to the best
purposes of good government. the payment
OF debts and the stCppage Of interest. u
can also DC reduced by a revision OF tariff
rates whenever found necessary"
The Opposing Interests.
He spoke OF the obstacles which the favor
ed classes had thrown in the way OF this
measure and described the naughty stride
OF the repres entatives OF the manufacturing
interests through the corridors OF the Cap
| itol. and issuing their edicts in the tones OF
dictators. He referred to their persistent
and imperious demand to be heard, and as
| serted that mot new word or thought on
| the subject from their standpoint is now
possible; time is precious and delay rulnous
on the subject OF tariff legislation TO the
business OF the whole country; yet in spite
| of all these things they assume an injured
| air, and raise a dismal clamor because they
have not been allowed TO occupy fro n jan
uary to November Of the present year In
! giving dictatorial instructions and edicts TO
! the Senate committee on finance in behalf
Of their own, unworthy, unmaRly. unchris-
! tian desires to commit eXtortion I'm markets
| protected from free and open competition.
They are also wholly and absolutely un-
mindful OF the fact that every laboring
man and woman in the United States num-
bering millions, while the protected few
number only by thousands. has vastly
higher right and interest TO be heard IN
his her self-defense against iniquitous
taxation than any manufacturer can pos
sibly have in favor Of the right TO plunder
/ by law"
Result Of the system.
He went into detail in describing the at
/ titude of those who would be affected by the
bill and said that the farmer, the mechanic.
! the wage-worker and the manifold produ-
| GERS Of every kind have not visited the
Hobbies Of Congress. The speaker went on
| to say that the protected manufacturer in
his obstructive avarice is partly the pro-
duct of Of the policy of the government
| He asserted that the enactment Of the Nc
| kinley bill in 1890 gigantic crime.
| Our purpose ls TO replace the law OF 1852
| with a measure OF reform, safe, cOnserva-
! tive. and harmonious in itself. and to which
all the wholesome and legitimate industries
Of the country will speedily adapt them
| selves, and tenaciously cling for secure de-
Velopmeat and undisturbe1 growth IN the
future. If this can be done without need
| less delay, an OF prosperity will dawn
upon all the diversified interests OF the
/ country such has never been surpassed
/ in our history.
| He discussed at length what he called
the specioUs plea made by the manufac-
| turer for the alleged protection Of his en-
| ployed labor. Il stand here to deny that
| it can be shown anywhere since the re-
| publican party came into power thirty