The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-27
THE TARIFF DEBATE OPENS
SENATOR ALDRICH MADE THE
OPENING SPEECH FOR THE
NEW MEASURE.
Mr.. VEST OPPOSED The MEASURE
In Vigorous Language He Pointed
Ont Where the Republicans
Wanted to Fatten Trusts
at Peoples Expense.

the tariff bill began in the senate toda
with crowded galleries and large al
tendance of senators and the tariff lead
ers of the house.
Minor business claimed attention mp +
9 p. m, when Senator Aldrich, in charg
Of the tariff bill, had the measure laid be
fore the senate, and took the floor for tn
opening speech. At that time ever.
available seat in the galleries was occu
pied The republican side of the foo
showed an almost solid representation
The democrats also presented full ranks
and the scattered seats of the populist'
were occupied with but one exception.
Mr.. Dingley chairman of the ways ant
means committee, and author OF the house
bill, took seat Immediately beside Mr.
Aldrich and listened attentively. Repub
lican members of the ways and means
committee occupied the rear lounges
Speaker Reed was not present
Mr. Aldrich spoke for almost an hour
and n quarter. adopting an easy. CONVEX
sational style. His speech was the Of
fetal utterancc of the finance committee,
and, in sense, of the republican side of
the chamber. Without making invidi0us
distinctions between the two bills. Mr..
Aldrich clearly stated as the belief Of the
finance committee that the house bill
would not yield revenue adequate for the
needs of the government.
Mr.. Vest of Missouri, one of the demo-
cratic members Of the finance committee,
followed with statement in opposition to
the bill. He spoke of the futiity of pill
inc m n nm ynrhurIanaH nnpnIa
when there was balance of S129,0OO,OOO
in the treasury. He criticised the sched-
ule in detail, declaring that some of them
were designed 20 be pr0hibitive. He Sc
verely attacked the increase on the lead
duty, declaring II was for the benefit of
the .cOrm0rants" of monopoly and
against the people.
Mr.. Cannon of Utah, silver republi-
can, closed the debate for the day by urg-
ing that the protection should be so dis
tributed as to aid the farmers.
Early in the day Mr.. Mallory, the new
senator from Florida. was sworn in and
took his seat.
The discussion was cut off by the close
of the morning hour at 2 o'clock, and Mr..
Aldrich promptly moved that the tariff
bill be taken up. The motion prevailed
without opposition.
Mr.. Aldrich yielded for formal writ
ten notice by Mr.. Vest (dem) of Mssou-
ri, member of the finance committee, stat
ing that when the paragraphs were reach
ed relative to beer, manufactured tobacco,
snuff and cigarettes. he would move to
strike out the provisions relating thereto.
Mr.. Quay (rep.) Of Pennsylvania asked
If vote on this motion to strike out could
be divided, MS he might support some of
the propositions and oppose others.
Nnot Al ~ thnt hn ri,InS xvnnII
permit separate votes.
1t was agreed Mt the outset that the
formal reading of the bill he dispensed
with until it was considered by para
graphs, and then the committee amend
ments would be considered first. after
which each paragraph would be open to
amendment
When Mr.. Aldrich began the galleries
had again filed, and nearly every seat on
the floor Of the senate was filed
AIdrich's Opening Speech.
In opening his speech Senator Aldrich
said
"Mr. President-The business of the
entire country is in state of suspen-
sion, awaiting the action of the senate on
the bill under consideration. l believe
the anxiety to secure action upon this
important measure at the earliest pos
sible day is shared by every member of
the senate. j can say, for senators SIT
ting on this side of the chamber, that no
time will be spent in the academic discus
sion of the principles of protection.
at is my purpose to keep the bill con-
tinuously before the senate to the eX-
clusion of other legislative business until
il is finally disposed of, and in this
shall expect the hearty cooperation of
ON, hnth ciIau Of tha cha har
In the discussion of the bill the members
of the majority will content themselves
with such brief explanations as may be
found necessary of the various para
graphs as they are reached.
1T seems desirable that at the begin
ming of this discussion the majority of
the finance committee should present to
the senate in detail their estimate of the
effect which the bill would have upon the
revenue, and that they should explain in
n general way the character of the
amendments they have suggested.
The majority of the committee be-
lievc that If thorough revision of our
revenue laws, such as Is contemplated by
the house bill. is necessary, it should be
carried out in a conservative spirit and
that such II moderate and reasonable
measure should be adopted as will in
sure n much greater degree of perma-
hence to our tariff legislation. Frequent
revisions of the tariff are productive of
periods Of uncertainty and arrest develop
ment, The radical change in policy in
1894 proved disastrous to the business
interests of the country.
1T was, l believe, thoroughly under
stood throughout the country in the last
political campaign that if the republican
party should be again entrusted with
power NO extreme tariff legislation would
follow. Ii was believed that in the
changed conditions of the country a re-
turn to the duties imposed by the act of
1870 would not be necessary, even from
protective standpoint.
1T was with these facts constantly in
view that the majority of the finance
committee prepared the amendments
which they have submitted to your con-
sideration. Nothing could be more con-
ducive to the return and maintenance of
real prosperity IN this country than the
well grounded belief that there were to
be no violent changes in our revenue
policy for some years to come.
The true friends of protective policy
do not insist upon extreme rates, or any
that are not necessary to euualize cond-
tions. While il is true that rates above
this line are often imperative. yet il must
be admitted that they furnish needless
opportunities for destructive attacks.
The rates suggested by the commit
tees amendment are considerab bly, below
those imposts in the house bill and in
most instances. below those contained in
the act of 1890.
industrial conditions in this country.
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