The Van Buren press., 1897-07-31
1t kA Law.

" Ls5-NgzoN, July 24.-The Dingley
high III bill Is law.
BIZ v0s= Of &c 10 p the senate at
s07 clock This afternoon adopted the
conference report The vice president
hurrisdly affixed his signature and sent
the bill TO the house. There it was
signed by Speaker Reed and dispatched
by special messenger to the White
House, where enactment was com
pleted at 4:07 O. clock by the signature
of the president.
The American people will now have a
chance to secure prosperity by taxation,
for the new law imposes by far the
highest rates of ad valorem tariff that
this country has ever been forced to
carry.
That it will fail to restore confidence
and improve business conditions is in
dictated by the experience of a similar
measure-the Mckinley act of 1890
and that it will fail utterly for the first
year, at least as revenue producer, is
admitted by it's advocates.
That it will result in completely over
throwing the Republican control of the
house and will elect Democrat to the
presidency in 1900 is beyond the
possibility of doubt.
The tariff bill has, in one shape or
another, been before congress since
March 10. 1t was reported in the house
that day after weeks of preparation by
the ways and means committee during
the recess. Under the operation of the
gag rule it was rushed through the
house and the final vote taken there
March 81. The next day it was re
ported to the senate and referred to the
committee on finance, where it re-
manned until May a. when the com
mittee reported it to the senate. The
debate progressed steadily until July z,
when the senate passed the bill and
sent it to conference. The house
swallowed the conference report within
12 hours after it was signed.
AT 8 O'Clock p, M. the extra session
of congress was adjourned sine die.
THE RICH WILL NOT SUFFER.
The new tariff is a purely "protec
ton measure. It's average rate of
taxation is SO per cent, as against 80 in
the preceding law. 1t was constructed
exclusively by the Republican party
and the Democrats did not at any stage
contribute to its enactment or secure its
slightest modification. One Democrat,
McEnery of Louisiana, voted for the
bill. but since his entrance to the senate
he has acted with the Republican
party.
In the formulation of the new tariff
the benefit of the trusts and manu-
factories has been the sole object, with
revenue to the government an incident.
1t is not only a partisan but a sectional
measure as we'll.
The bill was framed by the Repub-
lican leaders at the dictation of the
enterprises that contributed money last
fall to secure the election of Mckinley.
This charge has been made repeatedly.
1t was made Yesterday by Senator
Teller, of Colorado, until lately one of
the leading Republican advisers, and
who is one of the ablest men in public
life. When this was stated in the
senate no member of the Republican
finance committee ventured a denial,
although challenged by Teller to do so.
1t is tariff of demagogy and hum
bug. To give a color of care and
protection for the farmers, whose
daily expenses are increased in every
direction by the bill, the Republicans
have fixed high tariff on corn, wheat,
oats and hay. Scarcely pound of
these products is imported yearly, and
the tax can in no way affect the market
price of them or benefit the producer.
Yet the Republicans hope that the
farmers. with gratitude for this pro
lection to their corn, will endure
cheerfully the onerous burdens i'm
posed on their farming implements.
tableware. tin and earthen goods.
paints, glass. harness, lumber. coal.
sugar. and all the articles used in the
household. To name all the articles on