The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-12-13
THE TARIFF FIGHT ON.
First Gun in the Coming Battle Fired
Yesterday in the Lower House.
THE BALL PUT INTO MOTION BY EX-
SPEAKER GROW.

In Committee of the Whole the Ven
cradle Congressman From Penn
svlvania AssaiIs the Present Ad-
mfnistratfon for the Issuance OF
bonds to Meet Deficiencies in the
Treasury. Made Necessary, as He
Claims, by Reduction in Tariff.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE first
gun in the tariff fight in the fifty
fourth Congress was fired to-day IN
the House by the venerable ex-Speaker
Grow. Representative-at-L from
the State of Pennsylvania. At his re-
quest the House went into Committee
OF the Whole on the 'state of the I'm
ion,' and for nearly an hour he COM
pared the workings of the protective
tariff as it existed from 1861 to 1874
with the results achieved by the pres
ent law. asserting that the latter had
not proved much of a success. He pro-
posed. instead of the retirement OF the
greenbacks in exchange for bonds, as
recommended by the President, that
national banks be permitted to de-
post them, and the silver certificates
as well, in circulating notes, receiving
S11O for every 500 so deposited, the
greenbacks and certificates, when de-
posted, to be cancelled. The gold re-
serve he contended, would always
prove a source of weakness whenever
and as long as the Government was
compelled TO borrow money to meet It's
expenditures.
He read the following paragraph from
the Presidents message as text Tor
his speech: BY command OF the peo-
Die q customs revenue system, de-
signed for the protection and beneht Oh
The favored classes al the expense OF
the great mass of our countrymen, ana
which while efficient for the purpose
of revenue curtailed our trade rela-
tions and impeded our entrance to the
markets of the world, has been super
seeded by tariff policy which IN prlncl-
Die is based upon q denial OF the rlght
OF the Government to obstruct the
avenues to our peoples cheap living,
or lessen their comfort and content
lnent for the sake of according eSpeclaI
ADVANTAGES to faVOrite ones, ana
which, while encoura ging our inter
course and trade with other nations,
recognizes the fact that American
self-reliance, thrift and ingenuity can
build up our country's industries and
develop its resources more surely thah
enervating paternallsm-
The President has failed, he said, to
give Congress any information as to
the working and results OF the new Gus
toms revenue system which he eXtOlied.
He had discredited the custom OF pre-
senting the receipts and expenditures
of the treasury. leaving Congress to
learn of the financial condition of the
Government as best it might. Figures
furnished by the Treasury Department
showed that from July /, 1874, the date
at which the new bill went into effect
10 December 10. 1890. the deficit in the
revenues of the Government amounted
10 S131. 534, 204, beside the amounts
which may be included in deficiency
bills covering the part of the fiscal year
prior 10 December 10th. In the same
time the bonded Indebtedness had been
increased 1852, 80, 100. ''The new sys-
tenn of customs revenue does not seem
70 have been a success
The speaker reviewed the operation
of the old system, denounced by the
President, and compared it with those
OF the present. The tariff had been
changed in 1867, in 1888 and 1890, but
throughout. he said. it had been con-
tfnuance of the system inaugurated by
a y
buchanan had closed his administra-
ton. having experienced a deficit in
every year of it, the total amount being
$4,000 coo This was met by the issue
of bonds That was the last Demo-
cratic administration until the present,
and this one seemed TO have begun
where the other left off by the sale of
bonds daughter and applause)
He asserted that no market was of
any consequence TO any people unless
they could put articles in them at less
labor cost than they could be there pro-
duced The United States sold a6ri-
cultural products abroad because its
vast area produced a surplus over nome
consumption. Other articles could not
10 abroad unless the laborers of Amer
lea were willing to reduce their wages.
There would be, he said no advantage
in going into a market that does not pay
the producer living wages.
And the President thinks the old sys-
tenn blocks the way to cheap living 3"
continued Mr.. Grow. According to his
theory the poorhouse would be the ideal
place of existence. People live cheaper
there than anywhere else" (Laughter)
Mr. Grow then reverted to the finan-
cial portion of the message, saying that
the only recommendation the President
made was to change five or six millions
of non-interest bearing debt into inter-
est bearing obligations in the shape Of
longtime loans. In lieu of the Presi-
dents proposition, Mr. Grow presented
a plan TO authorize the issue of national
bank notes in the ratio Of Sl10 for every
SlG0 in exchange for treasury notes and
silver certificates, the latter to be can
celIed as fast as they We're so deposited.
This. he said would give elasticity to
the volume Of currency without restrict
ing il in any degree, and without in
creasinp by dollar the interest bear
inc obligations of the Government.
This would wind up the endless chain"
OF which so much mas been said and
protect the gold reserve.
After two years Of experience with
this Administration, he said, tine
people issued a new command through
the ballot-box with an energy and far
reaching result that / trust the Presl-
dent of the United States, in his oTneial
acts, viii not disregard, though he en-
tirely ignored it in his message. Ihlr-
teen representatives OF this great
Democratic party in thirty States OF
this Union are all that can speak Tor
that party in those States on this floor
to-day. One of them must speak Tor
all New England. one of them must
speak for the Pacific Coast. The re-
naming eleven speak for the remaining
States which lie north of what used to
be the old Mason and Dixon's line.
But, on the other hand. thirty-two
members sit upon shis floor to-day 10
speak for the lion hearted, indomit-
able Republican party of the heretofore
solid Democratic South. Is this de-
inand Of the people of any consequence?
What was tried in the election of 1891?
The Democrats say The election OF 1892
was condemnation of the Mckinley
bill.
solid Republican delegates are here
now from a greater number of States
than ever before Something brought