Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-30
THE NEW TARIFF BILL
Speculation as to the Probable Vote on It
in the Senate.
Four Democrats Who Should Support
the Measure and the
Reasons Why.

Now that the emergency tariff bill has
reached the Senate, lively speculation has
sprung up as to what that body will do with
it. The bill cannot pass, of course, if the
democrats and populists unite in opposing
it. But can the full democratic strength be
thrown against it?
Four Democrats Should Vote For 1t.
There are at least four democratic Sena-
tors who would find 1t difficult to reconcile a
vote in opposition to a bill having for its OBJ
ject the raising of more revenue with the
attitude they assumed toward the Wilson
bill, and the means they adopted to make
that measure conform to their ideas of what
tariff bill should accomplish. MesSrs
German, Murphy, Brice and Smith all justi-
fled their amendments to the Wilson hill en-
the ground that the bill as passed by the
House would not raise sufficient money for
the support of the government. They in
sisted that the bill must do that, and with
that object in view they held it up in the
Senate until majority vote-a bare ma
jority-was secured for it In the shape in
which they had amended it.
Were Right in Their Contention.
These men, 1t is now pointed out, were
right in that contention. Experience has
shown that the original Wilson bill would
have failed utterly to support the govern
ment. Even In its amended FORM with the
to raise sufficient money. The difficulty
would have been less had the income tax
been collectable, but with that included
there is reason to believe that deficit in
the treasury would have resulted: So that
what the House is now asking of the Sem
ate Is no more than what was contended
for. and in part accomplished. by the four
democratic Senators mentioned in the last
Congress: The Wilson bill has shown the
defects that they then discovered and ex-
erted themselves to correct, and it so hap
pens that the amount carried by the pres
ent emergency bill is but little more than
what the income tax was expected to yield.
Prefer 1t to the Income Tax.
1t would appear. too that as between an
income tax and the taxes recommended in
the emergency bill, the democratic Sena-
tors named, and others on that side of the
chamber, would prefer the latter. The in
come tax proposition was repugnant to
number of the Senators, who felt them
selves obliged by circumstances to support
1t. Mr.. German at one time declared his
unqualified opposition to it. But as to the
fther taxes they are exactly in line with
Senators in the Wilson bill. They only
little more emphasize the principle of pro-
lection to which the democratic party by
the passage Of that bill thoroughly COM
mitted ITSELF
Should BE No Delay.
And, the republicans inquire, as the
emergency bill Is in line with democratic
policy and democratic prophecy why
should there be any delay about it's pass
age in the Senate? The deficit predicted
by democratic Senators exists, and the
treasury is greatly embarrassed by it.
They tried to prevent it by raising nearly
all the figures of the original Wilson bill,
and failed. The republicans being now in
power in the House, have taken up the
task nj providing for the government, and
must not only take account of the def
cheney II at exists, but, If possible, stop it
from growing. Ought they not to be sup
ported in this, and promptly supported?
Then. the bucir ess interests are to be con-
sdered. They desire prompt action by
congress. Prices will necessarily be af-
fected, al big contracts held in allegiance
unit! decision, one way or another, is
reached. The anxiety, it is true, is not SO
great as it was two years ago, when pro-
lection figures in the schedule were to be
lowered. but it is sufficient to make the
appeal to Congress from the business cen-
ters for IN early settlement of the ques-
ton very urgent.