The Portland daily press., 1897-03-23
THE BATTLE BEGINS.
Debate On Tariff Bill Opens In
Congress.
CHAIRMAN DINGLEY STARTS BALL
WITH RINGING SPEECH.

A Logical Plea For Protection And
Sufficient Revenues-Mr. Wheeler of
Alabama And Others Oppose Measure
Debate Continues Until 10. 80 p. m.
Washington, March 22.-Tarif debates
are not the attraction they once were In
the halls of Congress. When Speaker
Reed called the House to order today at
ten O'Clock, In accordance with the terms
of the special order agreed to last week,
much less than half of the mem bers were
in their seats and only a sprink ling OF
visitors in the galleries.
The House resolved itself into the com.
mittee of the whole for the consideration
of the tariff bill, and Mr.. Sherman OF
New York took the chair. The reading
of the bill closed at 1920, and then Mr..
Dingley. Republican of Maine, chairman
Of the ways and means committee pro.
ceeded to address the House. He said:
Mr.. DINGLEY'S SPEECH.
Congress was convened in extraordinary
session by the President for the purpose
I'll pEOF1ui1k 0uOQ uoup kCpOAuo CdI-
rying on the government. The exigenoy
which has brought us here is SO clearly
stated in the message of the President
and is so fully reoited in the report of
the committee on ways and means sub
mitting the pending revision Of the tariff
for the consideration Of the House, that
need not detain you repeating the
story SO completely within your own
knowledge. The salient facts are these.
1. In the four fiscal years com menoing
July l, 1893, and closing on the Both of
June next, tho revenue of the govern
ment has been insufficient to meet the
expenditures to the extent of more than
$500, 600, GOO or, on the average, $50, 900,
600 per annum.
Q. The late Secretary of the Treasury in
his last annual report estimates that un-
der existing conditions this deficiency
will continue and will reach $45, 900. 600
more the next fiscal year.
g.. This deficiency of $500, 900, 900 up to
close of the present fiscal year has been
met by borrowing. That is. of the $293,
500, 600 realized from the sale of two hun
dred and sixty-two and a third million
of bonds sold. over two hundred million
has been used to pay current expenditures
in excess of the revenue.
4. This chronic deficit of revenue and
use of the borrowed reserve or Wv hat ia
the same thing) the United States de-
mand notes redeemed with gold obtained
I'm hoo n i,4x
tenslhed and prolonged the run on the
treasury and weakened business con-
tide nee.
This deficiency has nearly all arisen
from falling off of revenue from duties
on imports, and not from decline OF
revenue from internal taxes, since the
result of the natioual election in Novem-
ber. 1874 first foTecasting and by partially
accomplishing revolutionary change of
tariff policy, began to arrest Industries.
In the fiscal year beginning July LIST,
1892, the revenue derived from the duties
on imports was S203, 600, 600, an increase
CT SIG, 600, 600 over he previous year, and
up to November, 1892, it was the confident
expectation of the then Sec rotary of the
Treasury that the revenue in the succeed
ing fiscal year would reach 1920, 600, 900
but this expectation was blasted when
anticipated tariff legislation that would
largely reduce duties began to defer i'm
portatiops. and by disorganizing indus
tries.
In the light of this course of .eyents
and in the face of chronic deficiency
requiring immediate relief, the commit
tee of ways and means have reported the
pending bill to revise the tariff for the
ends indicated by the title, to wit: To
provide additional revenue to carry on
the government and at the same time, in
adjusting the duties to secure this reye-
nue, to encourage the industries of the
United States. In this revision the COM
mittee have endeavored to
DISCARD MERE THEORIES
and have addressed themselves to the
framing of practical remedy, at least
in part, to the ills which have for SO
many months overshadowed the country.
1t is "a condition and not theory which
confronts.us." Our problem ia to pro-
vide adequate revenue from duties on
imports to carry on the government and
In imposing duties to secure this result,
to 80 adjust them as to secure to our
people the production and manufacture
OF such articles as we can produce or
make Tor ourselves without natural dis
advantage. and to provide abundant OBJ
portenlules for our labor. For rest as
sured that no economic policy will prove
success unless 1t shall in some manner
contribute to opening up employment to
Gne masses OF our people at good wages.
Wnen this Shall be accomplished and thus