Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-24
STOOD TELLER'S TEST.
The Democratic Majority Voted
Solidly Together.
SENATOR eoRMANs BIG SPEECH.
He Deplores the Presence OF the Income
Tax Rider, but Says He VIII Vote For the
Tariff Bill NevertheIess-Even Hill and
Irby Fell In Line.

the Democratic side and Mr.. German es-
pecially has been subjected to much criti-
cism both in and out of the senate. This
speech, replying in a measure to the attacks
that had been made upon him, explaining
the necessity for the compromise and de-
filming the theory upon which the modified
bill, now before the senate, was construct
ed, attracted intense interest.
The speech was prepared carefully and
delivered from manuscript, thing in IL
self very unusual, as Mr.. German hereto
fore always has delivered his speeches
without notes. The speech was not devoid
of drastic comment on the course of the
other side. 1t was regarded as an exceed
ingly able exposition of the conservatives.
Mr.. Germans speech furnished texts
for the Republicans for the remainder of
the day. His statement that a majority
of the senate would support the bill was
put to the test by Mr.. Teller, whose pur-
pose was to smoke out" any latent OPP
position ON the Democratic side.
Mr.. Germans statement was justified
by the vote, however, as the Colorado sem
atOr's motion to lay the tariff bill on the
table was met by an unbroken Democratic
front. Both Senator Hill On. " and Sen
ator Irby Is. CO., whose positions have
been the subject of gossip from time to
time, voted with their Democratic associ-
atcs, as did the three Populists, including
Mr.. PETER.
The rates fixed were as follows:
Railway bars Il rails, etc, 40 of a
cent per pound black taggers, between 10
and 20 wire gauge, 40 of a cent per
pound; between 20 and 25 wire gauge,
$40; thinner than 25, Ito cents; iron and
steel plates coated with zinc or other met
ais except tin or terne plates, n cent more
than rates in preceding paragraph; sheet
iron or steel, polished, 1 q cents per pound.
MIR. Germans Speech.
Mr.. German proceeded to review the
history of the bill. He said it was re-
ported to the house hastily and without
due regard to its effect upon existing in
dustrial conditions; an imperfect measure
that not only failed to meet the treasury
demands, but actually increased the deficit
created by the Republican prohibitive du-
ties. There was no expectation that it
would become law unchanged. The sen
ate had always perfected such bills. Yet
no sooner did the finance committee begin
its work than the cry for action" was
renewed with extraordinary vigor, and
the Democratic senators were informed
that any changes would be set down as
- betrayal of the party's PROMISES and
that every senator who showed the least
concern for the interests of his own state
was traitor to the Union and his party;
that the senate was no longer co-ordi-
nate body, but its sole duty was to ratify
blindly the action of the house.
Said Mr.. German: 1T would be idle,
Mr. President, to dwell upon the mani
fest absurdities of this outgrowth of petu-
lance. But it cannot be denied that the
demand for prompt action seriously i'm
paired the efficiency of the finance com
Il,
strong that revision was hastily complet-
cd, and the bill was reported to the senate.
l vcntured the assertion in the course of
the silver debate that nowhere was the
truth of the old adage, The greater haste,
the less speed, better eXemplified than in
legislation. SO it proved then, and so it
is now.
Startling Admission.
Il do not propose to discuss the merits
or dement's of either the original Wilson
bill or the measure first reported by the
finance committee. 1t is sufficient to say
that there has never been a moment when
either could command a majority of the
votes in this chamber. We might deplore
such condition, and others might and
did rail against those in measure respOn-
sible for it. But the fact remained that we
could not pass the bill.
such was the situation the Democratic
senators had to meet, and they had met it
by the introduction of Democratic
measure of tariff reform which merits
and believe will receive every Democratic
vote in this body, the Endorsement of a
Democratic house, the signature of Dem
ocratic president and the approval of the
Democratic party"
In answer to the charges by the Repub-
leans, Mr.. German asserted that the bill
had been constructed on the Democratic
theory of tariff for revenue with such
incidental protection as could be given
consistently to the industries of the coun-
try. 1t followed strictly the course marked
out by President Cleveland in his letter of
acceptance upon which he was re elected,
and the Democratic party intrusted with
full power. If there had been the slightest
apprehension in the public mind of rad
ical overturning of our industrial affairs,
Mr. Cleveland would not have been re-
elected.
This was not free trade measure, but
it was a longer step for freer trade than
either the Mills bill or the tariff act of
1888. It was not protection for protec-
tons sake, but it did discriminate be-
tween raw materials and manufactured
articles to the full extent Of theNlifference
between European and American wages,
nor was 1t dif1cit creating bill, such as
the present law was or the house bill
would have been. 1t was Democratic be-
cause it reduced taxation to the require
ments of the government. 1t was just;
it was wise it was businesslike; it was
patriotic, and it was prudent, because it
did not attempt to ignore facts in carrying
out a theory 1t was not perfect, but it
was the most logical, most fair, most
broad, most timely and would prove to be
the most advantageous tariff legislation
enacted since the Republican party sprang
into existence.
The Income Tax.
Upon the subject of the income tax Mr..
German said: I'm the matter of internal
revenue, may say that personally am in
full accord with the sentiments SO ably
and eloquently expressed by the senators
from New York and New Jersey regarding
the income tax. Like them, I consider
that it served it's purpose as a war tax and
has no fitting place in our fiscal system in
q time of peace. could not, I sey frank
ly, vote conscIentiously or consistently
with my Judgment and convictions to
make this method of taxation part of our
settled policy, but much as deplore the
fastening Of an income tax In any form
upon our tariff bill 1 cannot ignore the
fact that a large majority of my Democrat
ic colleagues honestly differ from myself
in this matter and are so confident of the
soundness of their position that they are
willing to subject it to the test of a few
years, thus enabling the people to see it's
actual workings and then to pass upon it
directly"
In the House.
The onslaught on the civil service COM
mission was resumed, and several times
during the day the question was disposed
Of, only to break out a moment later in
another place. Tho appropriations for
commissioners and clerks of the civil serv
ice bureau having been stricken out, the