The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-05-29
AIDRICH Eek PL AIMS.
Exhaustive Exposition of tho 6en-
ate's Tariff Bill. :
DEBATE on THE MEASURE BEGINS.

Principal Points In the Eastern Sen.
!. ator's Speech - Vote Expected
About July 1, AftereWhich WiM
Como Fight In Conference.
Washington, May Ex-senator Aldrich
went over the entire tariff ground In his eX,
position Of the features OF the senate Dill
Tuesday, his presentation occupying two
hours In its delivery. The speech en-
braced Is 900 words. or about ten columns OF
newspaper space. Nearly one-half OF 1t
was given over to an explanation Of the
senate sugar schedule.
With the presentment Of the republican
side Of the tariff case by Senator Aldrich
the senate battle may be said to have fair
Z ly opened, and there will be no let-up until
& final vote Is reached. The republicans
have fully decided to concentrate all en-
ergies upon the one point Of expedtting &C
ton. 1t Is realized that the real struggle
over the great schedules about which hot
differences are aroused will be when the
conference committees OF the two houses
lock horns. and there Is general desire
to hurry the day when the measure Is thus
consigned. Tariff laws are made In con-
ference more than they are by the inde-
pendent action of either branch of con-
gress and the heavy weights are reserving
their strength for that interesting and vital
period.
May Vote July 1.
Opinions differ as to the time of arriving
at a vote, but the estimate most frequent
ly heard IL July l. with an additional 80
days for conference consideration. OPP
position to the beer tax among republicans
seems at this stage to center largely with
Senator'S Hanna, spooner and Plat IN.
= ~ Whether or not this opposition
will defeat the internal revenue features
remains to be seen. The general impress
sion is that the bill will contain the in
ternal revenue provision about as now
agreed upon when presented for executive
approval.
Debate Begins.
The tariff bill was taken up at two
O'Clock Senator Vest (dem., MOI gave
notice that when the paragraphs were
read he would move to strike out the pro-
visions relating to beer, manufactured to-
bacco and snuff and cigarettes.
Senator Aldrich (rep., r. ~ then opened
the debate for the republicans. He said in
part az follows:
senator Aldrich's Speech.
''Mr. President, the business of the en-
awaiting the action Of the senate upon
the bill under consideration. believe
that the anxiety to secure action upon this
important measure at the earliest possible
day is shared by every member Of the SEN
ate. 1t is my purpose to keep the bill con-
tInuously before the senate, to the exclu-
sion Of all other legislative business until
1t 10 finally disposed of, and in this shall
expect the hearty cooperation Of senator's
on both sides of the chamber. In the dis
Cussion of the bill the members Of the
0najority committee will content them
selves with such brief explanations AZ
may be found necessary Of the various
paragraphs as they are reached"
Proceeding to give the views Of the re-
publican majority Of the committee which
framed the BILL the senator said:
1.-THE rates suggested by the committees
amendments are considerably below those
imposed by the house bill, and in most
instances below those contained in the act
OF $780, In suggesting these reductions tho
members ,reaf1irm and emphasize their po-
sition a. friends Of the protective policy.
industrial conditions In this country. with
very few exceptions. do not demand a re-
1850. Without relinQuishing one particle
OF our devotion TO- tho cause Of proteo-
tion, We feel that W. have right to ask
that the cause shall not be burdsned by
the imposition OF duties which are UNI
necessary and excessive. ... ,,,s,,-
House Estimates Erroneous.
'srhs trainers Of the house bill estimate
4 total revenue from the bill Of $260, 106-
ne in normal years. This would be the
largest revenue received from customs du-
ties ana an increase Of sl1s.4 ?es over ,ss
the customs revenue OF 1896 and OF $70.7a2.-
eA over that Of 1888"
After giving in detail the house estimates
pf revenue Senator Adrtch proceeded:
at will DO apparent from q critical ex-
bili that the estimate Of 100000 increase
1f revenue. II the bill should become
law by tho list Of July was excessive. To
lndicate the grounds upon which this judg-
ment 10 based we may take the wool and
wooden schedule. from which ~, 00o, 900 out
pf $7e,0oo,ooo increase is expected. The fact
In well known that there have been uu-
usual importations Of wool in anticipation
Of the reimposition Of duty-enoush. 40.
cording to the trade reports, to supply all
the foreign wool needed by the domestic
manufacturers for more than q year. The
estimate Of 81. 0o0. 900 increase from WOODEN
goods 10 equally erroneous.
.The same condition exists, in lesser de-
gree perhaps, with reference to other
enue from tobacco. We may more safely
count upon q decrease in the first year:
the increase from sugar will be much less
than the ways and means committees estt-
mate. owing to the fact that one quarter Of
the years supplies Of raw sugar will prob.
ably bo imported before any new rates OF
duty can be applied to them.
''The secretary Of the treasury estimates
the expenditures for all purposes for the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1888. at $4eS. s4e,-
p472s The finance committee estimates tho
revenue to DO derived in the same fiscal
year from customs, II the provisions OF
this bill should be enacted into law. at
s1S2,N4.o0o. This includes ON estimated
revenue from the temporary OuCy Oh IeA
of tSOOO,000. The committee estimates tho
receipts from internal revenue for the same
period at 3170.70o.0o0 II we add to this
the treasury estimate for miscellaneous
receipts, 10000. 600. and the receipts on 40
count Of the post Office, $9e. 81, 076. we have
q total estimated receipts for the fiscal
year 1898 Of $46s, GIL ,076, or an estimated ex-
cess Of receipts over expenditures for that
year Of 32,726,02s. II the estimated revenue
from the duty on tea and the additional
internal revenue taxes should be omitted
from the committees estimates OF receipts,
there would be an estimated deficiency OF
t29.175.000 instead of a surplus of $2,726.0z8
Must Prevent Deficiency.
'"rhe committee believes it to be the
imperative duty Of congress to provide
in the measure under consideration for
revenue which will certainly meet the re-
[ Quirements of tho government for the
next fiscal year. The adoption Of q revenue
bill which should fail in this purpose. ana
which should create IN additional de-
lciency in the immediate future, and which
would require further Issue Of bonds to
meet current expenditures, would certain.
~ be fatal to the hopes Of future success
Of any political party responsible for such
legislation.
'.Assuming that the necessity for addi-
tional revenue exists, and OF this we believe
/ there can be no question, there 10 no eco
nomic reason. and certainly mono that af-
iects the public interests, why beer and
tobacco should not hear thsir share Of ad-
ditional taxation. The committee believes