The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-11

Offered as An Amendment to the Tariff
BIZ by Senator Cannon and Suppoted by
Senator Butler-Senators Mills and Raw
| lins Discuss the Democratic Attitude on
] Ta,in Questfon-Little ProEres on the
/ Tariff Bill.
| Washington, June Reconsideration OF
the tariff bill was resumed at I2:I5 o'clock
p. m No mention was made as to the
time OF taking up the sugar schedule
and the debate proceeded on the agricul-
tural schedule
| On the rice paragraph, Senator Allison.
in charge of the bill. withdrew the COM
mittee amendments reducing the house
rates, leaving the house rates to stand.
Senator Mills, of Texas. moved to strike
out the entire rice paragraph and substi-
tute a new one placing a uniform duty
of 10 per cent. ad valorem on all grades
of rice: rejected-yeas. 10: nays. 10. Five
democrats-Senators Bacon, Clay. Nc
Emery, McLaurin and Tillman and four
populists-Senators Alien. Butler. Heitfeld
and Stewart, voted with the republicans
IN the negative. The rice paragraph was
then agreed to as it came from the house.
Rye and rye-flour were agreed 10 as re-
ported.
Paragraph 221, on tapioca. had been
struck out by the senate. On the ques
ton of agreeing to this change Senator
Rawlins. of Utah. took the floor TO an
swer Senator Vests statement yesterday.
that a new Evangel" of democratic doc
trine was being proclaimed by certain
democratic senator's Senator Rawlins
said he had been "A member of the COM
mittee on resolutions and platform at the
Chicago convention. presenting that tariff
clause which had been under discussion.
1t was on his motion it was agreed 10.
Senator Lindsay. of Kentucky. platform
in hand. interrupted to ask Senator Raw
Inns, since he presented the tariff clause,
why the good old democratic word only
after tariff for revenue" came to be
omitted. Was it an intentional emission,
Senator Lindsay asked.
Il think not" responded Senator Raw
Inns.
Il can throw some light on that sub
ject,' said Senator Tillman. who was
also a member of the committee on plat
form at the Chicago convention. 1t was
omitted purposely after discussion"
Senator awlin reviewed the course of
the democratic party in early tariff legis-
lation. The essential principle of this was
that all burdens and benefits should be
borne equally. This was no new Evangel.
no vile reptile, or rattlesnake. as Senator
Vest had characterized it. and there was
no need of any democratic senator in
voking the Almighty against such doc
trine. 1t came to democratic senators
pure and undefiled from the democratic
fathers, and he would support it.
Senator Mills severely a~rraigned the bill
a. d measure dtSlSii'd u pulll up al
vast fund for distribution among the
beneficiaries of the bill. and at the eX-
pense Of the forgotten man." the tax
payer. He indirectly criticised those
democratic senators who voted for the
amendments to the bill putting a tax on
cotton and other articles. contending that
their course was a radical departure from
the tenets of democracy. He closed with
an OminOus prediction that the abandon>
ment of democratic simplicity would
bring forth. out Of the dark. some his
tnri1n tn write tho cha ntar m the ''1p-
cline and fall of the great American peo>
pie"
The senate amendment was Their agreed
to, striking out the house provision on
tapioca obj
Senator Vest moved to strike out the
paragraphs C232 and 233) placing a duty
wheat flour at % per cent. ad valcrem;
rejected-yeaS, 10: nays, 81. Four demo-
crats-Senators Bacon. McEnery. Nc
Laurin and Tillman and two populists-
Senators Allen and Heitfeid voted with
the republicans in the negative.
The paragraphs on wheat and wheat
I flour were then agreed to.
| Senator Cannon took the floor to speak
on his amendment but yielded a moment
to allow Senator Thurston, of Nebraska,
to present what he termed some evidences
of returning prosperity in the shape of
some editorials from Nebraska newspa-
pers showing a general revival of bust
ness.
rs not the Wilson tariff law still on the
statute books?' asked Senator Gray,
| democrat, of Delaware.
1T is but it is expectation of the pas
sage of the pending measure replied
Senator Thurston, (which is causing this
revival
Senator Berry. of Arkansas. asked to
have read a statement recently made by
ex-Postmaster Wanamaker about the de-
plorable condition Of affairs.
Senator Cannon objected, saying amid
laughter. that it would be cruel. inhuman
and unjustifiiable to have Mr.. Wanna
| makers statement Injected at this DOint
Of the proceedings.
After some further cross firing. Senator
Cannon proceeded with his speech. He
denounced the pending measure os gross
ly and palpably inequitable. because it
| compelled the sale of the products of the
soil in the lowest market of the world
and the purchase of manufactured articles
in the highest market. To the original
| doctrine which contemplated the protec-
ton of manufactures he still subscribed.
The trouble was that agriculture, which,
at the beginning. was ready to support
| the manufactures struggling for existence
had fallen far in the rear. The only
ground upon which the doctrine of pro-
| lection. could stand was that it protected
the labor of this country from the wolvish
pauper labor of the world. But how could
anyone contend for protection to the labor
of the shops and mills and deny it to
the labor of the fields? The farmer COM
peted with the world. If this was not
just the country would be plunged again
| next year into the agony of a tariff agita-
ton. If it was just it might endure.
Senator Cannon said he hoped that it
might endure with slight modification for
| many years, before this country was wait
denounced the pending measure as gross
ton than this. This proposition offered
by him for export bOunties on agricultural
staples, he said. was first called to his
attention by David Lubin at the meeting
Of the trans-Mississippi congress three
years ago. He had opposed it then, but
found he had been wrong.
In answer to a question Senator Can-
non said the amount to be paid by the
government in export bounty under his
! amendment would be 81, 944. $50 He
argued that the American farmer was
obliged to sell his wheat and cotton at
the low prices prevailing in free trade
ing for the settlement of a greater ques-
supplies at the high rates of a protected
market. His proposition was designed to
| countries of the world; he bought his
that the era of prosperity so much sought
would not come until it started from
the farmers
Senator Cannon spoke until shortly be-
fore ) o'clock and was followed by Sena-
tor Butler. of North Carolina, who spoke
against the heavy burdens the bill placed
upCn the farmers. He favored Senator