Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-11

Sctfve assistance was OF great Oeuent 70 US
in numerous Instances. IL is but an act OF
simple Justice 70 make this statement ana
we DO it with pleasure.
Yours very truly,
rSicnedl d. ". VOORHEES,
ISHAM O. HARRIs,
G.. @. VEST,
JAMES X. JOSEs,
Members Finance Committee.
"Senator. this is very clear, strong
statement from the members OF the
Finance Committee, and oughs TO settle
all questions as TO YOUR position and
usefulness 10 the tariff legislation in
the Senate"
Senator Camden-"Yes: the letter is
verv satisfactory and positive; but IL is
oDly the repetition Of what was known
snd recognized by the whole Senate all
the time"
''WHl you please explain the embar-
easements referred TOP"
Certainly. 10 the first place, the
Senate, when full, is now composed OF
] IS members but three vacancies ex-
isted from the new States by failures OF
the legislatures 70 elect, which reduced
the number 10 SIS, made up politically
Aag follows: A Democrats, 4 POpulists
land 81 Republicans. II will be seen
that il REQUIRED 43 votes TO make a ma
iority Of s., and that tie Democrats
mad but Al straight DsnOcratic votes.
The Democrats POTulistS voted with
the Democrats I'll organization aud
most party Ques.iOns, but on 90 occa-
sion met with me Democrats in caucus;
NRh hey aDIounced the fact that they
zJte independently upon all
s relating 10 the tariff. or the
noerats, Senator Hill took the
dion In the beginning that be would
for no tariff bill containing an In
me tax, so that il required every
democratic vote, being 43 votes all
old, 70 pass any tariff BILL
'The Finance Committee OF the Sen
ate was composed of six Democrats aud
five Republicans, the Democrats as fol-
lows: Senator Voorhees,, chairman; Ser
ator Jones, OF Arkansas, chairman OF
the subcommittee, and Senators Har-
ris, Of Tennessee; Mcpherson, OF New
Jersey; Vest, OF Missouri, and Vance,
OF North Carolina, all distinguished
Democrats, with pronounced views In
favor OF tariff reform as outlined by the
Chicago platform, who commenced
their work in the committee with the
view OF reducing the general average
duties below Lu6 hncOu ullls AOA
first report showed sn average decrease
below the Wilson bill Of about one per
cent. the average of the Wilson bill
being about IS per cent, aud the hrst
report OF the Senate Finance Commit
tee being about "a per cent. IL was
soon seen, however, that there was so
much conflict in the views OF Democrat
ic Senators that 10 became necessary 70
n
discussion, developed the fact that there
was wide and positive difference OF
opinion which must be recOnciled by
concessions and compromises 10 order
TO received the united support OF all the
80 Democrats and pass bill st all.
THE whole matter was then referred
back 10 the Finance Committee with
general Instructions 10 use their best
Judgment in framing such a tariff bill
as could command the united vote Of
- wunnAe lsmScFatlc Senators,
~ aIISeSs' stralY1f Democrats ia tie
Senate, with the exception Of Senator
Hill The caucus, at the same time, by
an aye and no vote, pledged itself to
stand By such q report from the Finance
Committee aud to vote for such bill as
would command the iorty-three neces-
eAEI NOLCat 4nu W NOAG ~ VIZ NSAGH5
against all amendments 20 the DILL which
were rot offered or consented to by the
Finance Committee. The difficulties OF
the task imposed upon the Finance
Committee will at once be seen. In the
House the Democratic majority was
very large and the vote OF seventeen
Democrats against the Wilson bill at
tracted no attention, but 10 the Senate
the Democrats had not 3 single vote TO
spare IL was the simple question OF the
Democratic Senators agreeing amongst
themselves upon the best tariff bill
practicable under the circumstances,
which would command every vote, or
passing no bill at all, recognizing az the
tams time the fact that failure TO pass
tariff bill would have been heralded 10
the country as an Acknowledgement Of
the incOmD potency OF the Democratic
party 10 legiSlate upon the question OF
tariff taxation, the great issue made be-
fore the people in the election which
placed the Democrats in power.
"Tbs Senate Finance Committee,
after great labor and delay, did finally
agree upon and report such a bill as
fOrty-three Democrats stood pledged TO
support This is the simple and concise
explanation OF many votes given by SEN
ators which were either inconsistent or
NOT in accordance with their views, for
n the caucus agreement had been
broken, or had failed in any of its esen-
tial features, no bill could have been
passed; therefore, the only thing left
was the necessity TO stand by the COM
mittee'S bill.
There is nothing more true than
that which Senator Vest said in his
speech, on the 18th OF August, when
he stated that the question never was
between ihe Senate bill aud the Wilson
bill, but It was always a question be-
tween the Senate Dill aud the Mckinley
bill. give you quotation from Sen
RtOr Vests speech.
What has the Democratic party OF the
country given to the American people in
the shape OF tariff reform as compared
with the Mckinley acti A false issue has
been made before the people, ana IL has
been made deliberately aud Intentionally
for sinister purposes. II has been tele-
graphed, written and spoken everywhere
that the question was between the Senate
bill and the Wilson bill. That never was
the question: The question all
the time has been between the Senate bill
and the Mckinley law. That was the
choice 70 be made. and every man who IN
derstOOd the situation knew IT,