The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-04-13
THE TARIFF BILL.
Opening OF the Debate on the
Measure in tho Senate.
Senator voorhees,. OF Indiana, Regime tho
speech Making by Lengthy Re-
view Of the Bili-Synop-
sts OF His speech.


ments thereto. MIR. Voorhees, dem,
Ind, chairman of the senate commit
tee on finance. addressed the senate IN
"A prepared speech Of several hours du-
ration Of which the following is 4
synopsis;
lie challenged tho attention Of the senate
and the country 10 the fact that hy the pro
visions 81 this hili the seeming paradox ~ a
reduction OF taxes ana a; the same time an IN
crease % public revenues viii he reconcile
when u becomes q law. The reductions. hs
claime... were IS follows.
on chemicals, ~ oo)0D. on pottery 81 200
o,Di on glass - 5oiuc0. on metals. sls 500 90.
on wood 500 OBJ on tobacco - 5000. on az
ricllturai produ - 50 5000. on spirits
wines etc. slsOtool. on manufactures S..
- go. "a TAX, hemp and Iute manufactures,
q on0n. on wooden manufactures. SO - 0ol:
on silk manufactures. S5,onsr: on paper and
pulp. sp)uO; On sunarirs = 5000, trans
ferred to the free list. sic,l7Oo)0 total, SO
67Do01
To these reductions must be added liz said
the imposing fact tnat the bill provides for a
full and ample rcvruge largely ia excess OF
present supplies. with which TO meet all tAe
requirements o. the public credit
Faults and imperiec;ions can. OF course. ~
alleged ana pointed ont. concessions are ap.
only when found absolutely necessary fl
order 10 secure lis passage: articles on the
free list as they came from the house have
been ma le dluahle under the dnrcss Of a
small majority here vet. deeply as regret the
necessity for these changes. and earnestly as
opposed them. 90 not hesitate 10 say that
the bill taken as i whole as il now stands
with it, combination 81 lower taxes on the
nceessarle~ OF life and al the same time in.
creased revenues for the government Will he
hailed as a substantial measure OF reform and
relief ry the great producing masses OF the
American people
Taxing the estimated expenditures OF the
fiscal year i-.s AZ s45i3Ol0n he placed against
those estimates the estimated revenues ex.
pectcd to accrue under the provisions OF the
bill as follows;
Internal revenue. under present law. $40.
oloDt Additions made by the pending bill.
Income Tux. $1,000 OOj. spirits s2IODO1
cards. sjrtu0o. customs si6}.aGi 90 mi-scl-
laneous So oOlo0. postal service ss4 ~ 5t6
Total Sis0 J7d5 Thus leaving a surplus OF
over ~ 0OJ on
There Is no terror TO me. he said, 'in a
surplus like this. On the contrary il Il a source
Of safety and can 4, any time be wisely ana
honoraoiy devoted 10 the best purposes Of good
government. the payments OF debts ana the
stopplge % interest II can also he reduced
~ 2 revision Of tariff rates whenever foun Z
necessary. My greatest apprehension In puu-
lie affairs j. q deficiency ia the finances AMI
consequently ia the power OF the government
70 maintain ~ honor and to iOll Is heat
above the nations OF the earth. on this point
We feel that we have made the future secure
while at tn same tim We have made lighter
the burdens .; the people
Passing 20 % general discussion OF the tariff
question. Mr.. Voorhees, sail
The most nesie 4 features OF tariff taxation
j. permanently. ~ reasonable rates for reve-
nue.. and with due regard TO the business ana
commerce ~ the country. The Mckinley law
was necessarily an unstable unsafe measure:
II was a reckless. foolhardy experiment, on the
forbearance OF the American people. Our pur-
pose - to replace the law OF $3.50 with a meas.
ure OF reform. safe. conservative and harmoni-
Gus In itself. aud 10 which all the wholesome
and legitimate Industries ~ the country viii
speedily adapt themselves. aud ienaciOusly
cling for secure development and undistlrhed
growth Ia the future X this can be done with
out needless delay. an era OF prosperity viii
dawn upon all the diversified interests OF the
country, such as has never been surpassed In
our history
lie said he stood there to deny Tint Il can h.
shown anywhere since the republican party
came into power thirty-thrce years ago thar
the wages OF q workingman or woman ia fur.
mace, factory or delving mine. has ever kent
pace Win luArtANed lAflu rates. Or lulHtl. l4l
any increase IL all on account OF high pro
tcctive-tlrir legislation.
What the wage worker wants and 81 right
should have. Is NOT the false promise and falls.
prctensc Of mlnufa ;arers pleading in his name
for their own enrichment nus the solid protec-
ton OF law against the instability OF his con
tracts. the uncertain duration of his employ
mcnt and the fascinating rates OF his wages
Mr.. Voorhees, defended tho "a valorem duties
a ntraire he Snacf fie tnv M ha .tf..rs..t I.
length the Walker tariff ana It's effects. ana
then came down 10 a closer view of the details
OF the pending bill. He declared that on the
subject OF sugar the Mckinley law was a jugrle
and fraud and was intended a.
such. Absolute free trade Ia sugar is an al.
tractivc theme, but no such thing has ever ex-
listed for single hour since the organization
OF this government. a moderate duty has al
ways been imposed on sugar. and ii has always
been a staunch revenue support 10 the govern
ment The fact that the duty tax on sugar has
Injured more TO the benefit OF the revenues of
the government and less to the profits OF pri.
vate parties than any other tax known to tarif n
legislation. may be stated as the main reason
why the democratic party has never made an
issue against It. II is conceded by all parties
that the duty paid on imported sugar goes more
fairly and squarely into the treasury than any
other duty provided BY law and 1t follows as
tight follows darkness. that tarin taxation can
therefore be reduced In proportion on other
things which the people have 70 buy and use.
During the present fiscal year there will lie
paid y the Treasury si2 3)0,o)) a. bounty to the
producers OF igar ana every dollar Of this
vast sum is Il ~ collected from those who
plant corn. raise wheat and engage in all the
various pursuits OF labor. II the law il 70 re.
main unrc pealed the time Is near nj hand when
IL will confer rs mere gratuity more than
so 0v0OW per year on small fraction OF our
population. ems aged In no public service. but In
their own private enterprises
The duty on 'ugar as placed In the bill now
pending before the senate may be stated AZ ont
cent per pound on raw sugar and one-eighth a
one cent per pfund additional on refined sugar
II this spccin' duty should be changed 10 o.
alvalorem. as think would have been better
II will be fou ia 20 be about - per cent on this
value OF the goo is ASSESSED Uadcr The Walk
tarin all sugar were ma ~ dutahlc AZ ~ pc.
cent al valprsm. hut II must be borne ii
mind that forty-eight years ago the consumer
paid twelve cents pound for sugar. while ~
the present time h pays only four or five cent.
per pound az the most II --ay 10 estimated
that eight pounds OF sugar when the Walkcl
tariff was enacted. cost the purchaser ~, whil'
that amount Of money will now buy twenty.foul
pounds In other words owing u the dircrenc,
in the value OF sugar then and now the duf,
proposed by the committee on finance IL hu
slightly more than one-third the amount I'm
posed by the Walker tariff OF blessed and glor
ious memory.
GraaLf,.er n Tho mn and clan rfx 49,,