The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-30
Republicans Persuaded to Vote
For Democratic Tariff
Under the Pressure of a Howl
for Help
UTTERED BY GROVER.
Kansas Members Protest Against
the Revenue Bill
AS a Complete Surrender to
Democratic Doctrines.

From the State Journals Special Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-There ID no
question that large minority of the
Republicans of the house do not relish
the position that the ways aud means
committee has placed them in by the
bill which was reported and passed on
Thursday. The western men in particu-
lar were not pleased with the measure
but they shut their eyes and swallowed
the pill without making any more grim
aces than they could help. The truth is
the bill is Democratic measure, along
the lines of Democratic doctrine and the
only defense Republicans make for sup
porting it is the asserted urgency OF the
situation.
Amember of the Kansas delegation
who did not wish at this time TO be
quoted stated the situation in these
words.
Here is a Republican house putting
into force a measure which is essentially
Democratic in all of its features. The
epublicanshave taught from time imme-
mortal that the sum total of all villainies
was an ad valorem duty. They have ridi-
culed On the stump and through the
press the horizontal scheme as the
sence of free trade MORRISON, the
father of the idea, was laughed out of
Congress. And now comes the over
whelmingly Republican house, in the
face of the assertion of the president
that we don't need more revenue, and
enacts a bill which is an emphatic en-
dorsement of the Democratic policy of
tariff for revenue only and a complete
Adoption of the ridiculed advalorem
duty.
"The only excuse they have for the
nature of the bill is the emergency, that
revenues are needed at once Aud yet it
is admitted that this bill cannot raise the
required revenue for two years. To
meet the present, then, they propose
bonds. But if they have bonds to meet
the present demands what is the urgen-
cy of horizontal increase of tariff?
There is no logic in 1t. But there is lots
of politics in it. Reed and his men who
have charge of the machinery of the
house do not wish an Endorsement of.
the high tariff of the Mckinley kind and
under plea of necessity
Democratic measure. 1t is departure
from all Republican teachings and tradi-
tions. Il places Republicans in the pc
siticn of opposing the practice and
theory of protective tariff which has
long been their cherished article of faith.
"But here you are. More revenue is
wanted. What would you do Take the
one schedule of spirits and put a spec
ifc tax of 100 per cent on every article in
it and yoa would al one stroke raise your
S5O,00O,000 of needed revenue. This
would put the burden on the Democratic
party for according TO general belief
Democrats drink more whisky than Re-
pnblicans aud they would thus pay back
into the treasury some of the money
their administration has taken out"
Another reason the bill is distasteful
70 se,rr- 1,a1 10 hot 2 l15f
benefit the farmer in the least 1t pro-
tects those industries which already have
high duties standing between them and
the foreign market, but does not bring q
particle of relief to the agricultural class.
Even the increased duty on wool it is ad-
mitted does not amount to protection.
The total amount Of revenue which this
bill will bring on the several agricultural
products are as follows: Barley 50, 800,
buckwheat 81, 1874, corn $213. oats 81, ,3S4
90, rye $1,005. wheat $59465, seems SO
small as to be ridiculous. On the other
hand the duty on agricultural implements
is raised 10 per cent and that on bread
stuffs the same.
Representative Broderick was asked
what he thought of this Democratic
measure" He said:
at is not what I should have liked. 1t
is not Republican in its nature, and
many fear it will place the Republican
party in the light of indorsing a Demo
cratic principle. My idea would have
been to increase the duties on certain
schedules aud made them specific ac-
cording to the theory of protection. The
additional revenues could have been
raised by putting higher duties on GER
tain agricultural products. cattle, and or
the luxuries. l didn't like this bill, but
the ways and means committee reported
il, there was no opportunity allowed for
changes 10 be made, Immediate action
was said to be necessary, and 40 it was
the best that could be done under the
circumstances"
The bill was not to the liking of Rep
resentative Curtis but he as others voted
for it as the best thing. He said: at
is unfortunate that the committee formed
bill along these lines. II is not in ac-
cord with what has always been the Re
publican policy. The Republican party
has always been for specific duties
This bill leaves the whole matter in the
power of the treasury department and
we will lose under it by the undervalua
tion of goods just as we do now. I do
not mean that there is any dishonesty,
but with ad va1orem duties there ia al
ways a great loss by undervaiuation of
cific, there it is, and you can't get away
from it.
'.This measure was intended to be tenn
porary, aud as such voted for it. 1t
was urged that revenue was needed i'm
mediateiy aud this bill was the only one
presented"
Representative Kirkpatrick said: ST
do not like it, but il was the best thing
which could be done at this time The
bill Is constructed on Democratic lines l
believe it would have been better to have