Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-16
STILL IN THE WOODS.
Wilson Bill Supporters Do Not Yet
SEQ tho Light.
The Senate nay kssp Them in The Dark fsr
Alsng Iins.

w ASHINGTON. u. e.. req. l5.-lSptciai.J>
The confident assertions Of Chairman Noor
hees and Others of the senate finance com
mittee that the tariff bill would be pushed
right along with a speed to surprise the
people and relieve all anxiety have grad
ually changed to a mild protest against de
lay. The general tone is something like
that of half hearted boss. as Really, now,
boys, there must not be any delay with this
thing.n But, just the same, the chances OF
delay increase, and. what is more surprising,
the pressure over the country for speedy &C
ton certainly decreases. From all parts OF
the country congressman receive letters the
general purport of which is: 'We are re-
Stunning or we have resumed business on
the basis on the Wilson bill. Wehave made
all our calculations just as if that bill were
now the law" OF course farmers and
MANY other classes of laborers have to re-
sumo business at the appointed season, just
the same, regardless of the tariff.
The Tariff and silver.
The moderate Democrats are loud in their
assertions that it was a mistake to force
the Bland silver bill into issue SO soon
that is, before the tariff bill was fairly start
ed in the senate--and if, as is likely, the bow
of the one craft runs into the stern OF the
other in the senate their gloomy forecasts
will certainly be justified. We were. they
say, almost united on the tariff after so
long time, but we are hopelessly divided
on silver, and the more we debate it the more
divided we shall be. Now we are just play
ing into the hands Of Senator Quay, whose
scheme is to put in his silver amendment
and divide us, and there are the Populists,
too, who are with us on the tariff and will
not be on silver"
When Senators Jones, Vest and Mills,
subcommittee of the senate finance COM
mittee. took the Wilson bill in charge, we
were confidently told that 4:ey would
change it in a very few particulars, such rs
putting cent or so per pound on sugar and
a moderate duty on coal and iron ore. Three
DAYS later we were told that they would re-
wise several of the schedules on the basis OF
the Walker tariff of 1916, and next that
they would make an entirely new tariff
which would hurt nobody, help everybody,
satisfy the protectionists if they were rea,
sonable and yet conform to the Chicago
platform.
The net result has been that the matter
comes before the senate open for tolerably
free fight, and although the representatives
of various interests were denied II hearing
before the committee they are here just the
same, crowdng the Hobbies and insisting
upon private hearings with their senators.
Many radical changes are urged, and some
very curious suggestions are made even by
Democrats and friends Of the bill.
A Rather Startling Rumor.
Among other things of Il somewhat star.
Ting nature, it is limited that at the proper
time leading Democrat will introduce the
Mills bill almost word for word as a sub
sttute, and that it will be adopted.l Par
liamentary obstruction aside, the Mills bill
would really stand q first class show, for,
much as it was denounced when it was be-
fore congress, it is now looked on as a very
moderate measure indeed compared with
the Wilson bill 1t is even suggested that
the old Morrison plan of the uniform hori.
zontal reduction be applied.
Still another suggestion is that, after
amending the Wilson bill as to coal, sugar,
iron ore and Il few other items, u sweeping
clause be added imposing q uniform duty
of 10 per cent ad valorem on the whole free
list, this ad valorem duty to continue I'M
til the deficit in the treasury is replaced by
d certain surplus, then proclamations to
be made and ut the end of three months
the tariff reduced to z per cent, and so on by
successive degrees of reduction to entire
abolition. or course this is to be with the
proviso that it is done as necessity and for
revenue only.
Representative Harter's general plan is
gradually increasing in favor. He would
have IL uniform tax of a cent per pound on
sugar, an increase of the whisky tax by 30
cents per gallon, an equal increase of the
beer tax, {; small ad valorem tax on tea and
coffee. Il general reduction of the salaries of
government officials by % per cent and
rigid economy all around. To supply the
temporary deficiency he favors treasury
notes at IL low rate of interest and redeem
able at the option of the government. On
the whole, it is very decidedly evident that
the supporters of the Wilson bill are far
from being out of the woods. As yet they
do not even see the light on the other side.
An Eleven Year Discussion.
The condition of the public mind-the
Washington public anyhow-ou the tariff
discussion may be summed up in one word
-weariness. Since 1882 there has been an
almost continuous discussion on the sub
iect, and since 1889 there have been, omit
ting minor amendments. treasury rulings
and supreme court decisions which amount
ed to change, at least 40 different tariffs.
Since 1860 the tariff has been changed 2G
times. 1t is still doubtful if there has been
in 40 years Il single new argument intro
duced on general principles or even an ar
gument that was not used in the parliament
tary and pamphlet war over the corn laws
of England. Laying delicacy aside, the as
sertion may be fatty made that ninety-niue
hundredths of all the speeches Oh the tariff
Since 1880 have simply repeated old argu-
ments and thrashed over old straw, and
that most of the alleged new arguments
have been more original than true.