New-York tribune., 1894-04-14
THE DILEMMA.

THE DILEMMA.
! Senator IInrs remarkable speech puts the
| Democrats at the parting Of the ways. Before
| them lie several roads which lead to very diner
cnt results If they cut out the income tax, the
/ Tariff bill may be defeated by PopuliSts ana
/ Democrats whose political lives depend upon
/ ponulist votes If they cut ont the sugar duties
/ the bill may be beaten 10y the monopolists II
they keep both the bill may be beaten by Sen
ator Hill and his associates. 1t Is undeniAblc
/ that the chance Of its defeat Is much Increased
by the position and argument Of the Ncw-ior
senator But looking behind immediate dan
GERS. each path leads 10 n different rcorganlza-
tion ~ parties 30 income tax would mean
STAMPEDE from the Democratic party m the
West and South, and the success OF The f"p-
/ usts i'm several States No tariff bill M All
would lead 20 IN" same end. The Democratic
remnant would then be- forced 10 depend Tor
success upon Eastern commercial and Indus
trial votes AMI its Frcc-Tradc fanatlcism would
have 10 be abandoned its Mugwump adherchts
who cannot tolerate Republican Protection nor
Popullst cheap money would become dospised
IIrlots In the Democratic camp. ana David Is.
IIll wouli be its master and natural candidate.
poss,cc Of the Tariff bill leads 10 extinction OF
the Democratic party as possible success III
Eastern States. and It's absorption OF the fop-
ulist spirit. purposes and votes. II th'h pe-
,,pcs a frco silver and cheap money party. and
the MuswumpS can nj their option fight 1t under
Kcnubliran direction. or become the bond slaves
OF the PopustS.
senator GIirs remarkable speech not as
clear in stating the financial results OF different
lines Of policy rs in other respects. Perhaps he
,ltt, \tifl
faction Of the Democrats cares at bottom
whether Government has too much revenue or
too little. If too little, free coinage and unlim-
tied paper find excuse II too much, appro-
priatlons can be found to use up all the money
I'm employing partisans. But Mr.. lilll choS" 10
represent that the income tax would be superii'l-
ous and 50 cut down pensions estimates To
sllo.0oo.Ooo. and total expenses to Si25.673,-
3I9 II is not reasonable to expect any such
reduction except under the stress OF threatened
bankrlptcy Before IN election comes Mr.. llill
will see pensions disbursements by the Admin
istraiion raised much above $li0,OO0,Wo year
". while river and harbor and other jobs will
add many millions more 10 help the party in
certain districts
ON Mr. Voorhees, estimate the Revenue blll
as IT stands would yield SiSO.7SS.766. Hut it is
bring In $50 900 600 the first year. II ever. II Is
non.cus. 10 suppose that the whole of 100000
600 additional tax on whiSkcy would 20 into
the Treasury and not to the trust 1t Is non
sensc to supposc that consumption OF sugar
and whlskcv will remain as large rs II was
I'm 1893 IL prices of those articles advance ana
industries continue Frustrated II is urged by
Mr. Hill that lower duties would invite larger
Imports Of manufactured goods. that the
tariff would return more than the estimated
revenue. This would be natural II prosperity
could be expected. and the revival Of consump-
tIon on the scale OF 1892. But reduction OF
wages to the European standard and the degra-
dation Of labor, which Mr.. Hill declares ncces-
sary consequences OF the pending bill, Will not
permit consumption ms large rs that OF lS''2.
Take off n quarter from the wages disburscd
and there must also be- Il decrease of about
quarter in purchases by the people This would
he n shrinkage of S2.500,00O,O00 or more yearly
in consumption. aud no Increase In the $685.
100000 OF imports could then be expected.
The truth Is that Mr.. Atkinson and others
who have spccuatcd about the future seem To
have entirely overlooked the obvious fact that
Americans cannot buy their woollens and silks
and fine cottons their gloves and laces, glass
and tlnplnte and other manufactured articles
from abroad and yet keep employed at good
wages the millions who have been supported by
the manufacture Of these articles here. The
degradation OF labor, which Mr. Hill foresees Is
only the inevitable result Of partial non-employ-
ment OF labor. Close thousands Of mills and
other mills will pay lower wages. The hands
unemployed and the hands getting lower wages
will be obliged to purchase less. The idle mills
will buy less materials from abroad. In eight
months ending with February imports Of crude
or partially manufactured material amounted TO
$50, 100000, against s6S,000,O0O worth Of manu-
facturcd products. Prostration OF industries
must lessen purchases Of materials, as rcduc-
ton Of wages must lessen purchases OF manu-
facturcd goods from abroad
The problem L.. the Senate Is 10 raise the
needed revenue by any bill which a majority
can be brought to sustain. At present II looks
If the sugar duty and the income tax also
would be necessary, II Ne revenue from i'm
ports Is to be cut down es much as II would be
by the bill now pending. This phase of the
difficulty 1t did not suit Senator Hills argument