The San Francisco call., 1897-03-25

bounty paid for a tax received. believe
vet that the sugar tax, being purely and
almost wholly a revenue tax, is a legiti-
mate tax. but do not believe that while
levying that tax we ought TO foster and
perpetuate the sugar trust in the way that
it is done IN this bill"
McMillin criticized also the increase in
duty on tin plate made in the BILL de-
nouncing it as unwise and oppressive.
Another item in the bill which met his
disapproval was the retention of the pres
ent duties on pig iron and steel rails,
while the manufacturers OF them in the
United States were exporting their
prod ucts. He devoted much time to
consideration of the agricultural schedule.
which he denounced as an attempt to
humbug the farmers.
This bill, - said McMillin, ''carries not
only higher rates of duty than the present
law and higher rates than the Mckinley
bill, but higher than any lawev passed
by an American Congress or groaned
under BY an American people. The rates
on wooden goods were not only higher
than ever seen, but the rates on raw wool
have been increased by imposing higher
duties on the wool coming from certain
countries than were heretofore i'm posed.
The rate of duty borne by wooden goods,
taken as a whole and averaged, would
amount to between SO and 101 per cent.
Thus it is proposed to destroy all poss; bill
ity OF reaching foreign markets with our
wooden goods, to tax the carpets ard
clothing of the people more than double
what they are taxed now, TO hamper man.
ufacturers by excessive duties on raw ma
| terial and proclaim to the American peo-
pie that against the exactions of the
avaricious there is to be no relief"
/ The reciprocity clause OF the bill, Mr..
MilIin said, was a remarkable feature of
this extraordinary bill. at is remark
able, p" he said, 'for the fact that it gives
into the hands of the President absolutely
ne power to impose taxes and remit taxes
at pleasure"
He made much fun of the free list, and
said that the majority omitted that over
the Mckinley bill this measure increased
taxes on the following schedules: Chemi-
Gals, oils and paints; earth, earthenware
and glassware; wood and manufactures
of wood; sugar. from 14.55 to I'll per
cent; tobacco and manufactures of to-
bacco, 16 per cent; agricultural products;
spirits wines and other beverages; fax,
hemp and jute and manufactures of; wool
and N manufactures of wool; silk and silk
goods: pulp, papers and books; sundries.
In conclusion McMillin said: II beg
the gentlemen on the other side to re-
member that their victory obtained last
fall was obtained by such an expenditure
of money, such an exhibition of bulldoz-
ing and force, and such prostitution of
elections as was never before witnessed in
this land. They must not take such a
verdict as the established and rrevocable
will OF the American people. beg them
to remember that a purchased verdict
cannot stand. It is true taat Benedict
Arnold sold himself to infamy, but he did
not thereby sell down the Revolution.
1T Is true that Judas sold his Savior to
the cross, but he did not thereby sell
down the plan Of salvation. The Demo
cratic party has suffered defeat before, and
by stern adherence to never-f failing princi-
pie it has regained power and read dminis-
tered government. Let us now and here
resolve anew that the principles of Jeffer-
son, of Jackson and OF Polk shall be the
principles OF the Democratic party now,
as they have been in the past, and as sure
as day succeeds night it will return to
power and restore the Government to the
constitutional moorings from which it has
been wrested by such mal.Ieg gislation as
that which is being forced upon us to-
day"
McMiliin was literally applauded DUR
ing his speech, and his time was extended
half an hour.
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio then took the
floor to reply. Speaking of the condition
of the country in November, 1896, he de-
cIared that never in the history of the
United States was there so much of terror.
foreboding and doubt in the minds of men
as on that date. This great calamity had
come upon the country substantially BY
reason of the single act of the Democratic
Congress, the repeal of the Mckinley law.
The issue of 1885, upon which the battle
had been fought and the victory won, was
the issue of protective tariff. Every intel
ligent man who participated III the cam
pagn and went from one State to an
other was conscious now of the fact thar
more than million voters who had been
hum bugged by the specious cry of the
com munists of tax upon wealth and en-
terprise and the hope for better times
through debased currency, nevertheless
voted for Mckinley because of his posi-