The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-18

could be erected for one-eighth OF 'n"'
amount -, - =,
The merits of the Mckinley tariff as Il
revenue producing measure were also
| brought into the debate.
Mr.. Hopkins (rep.j OF Illinois contend
ed that it produced ample revenue, Whie
Mr.. McMilin demJ of Tennessee main
tanned that for the four years OF rs opera,
ton the deficiency was S3O,OOoOOp. llc
defended the Wilson law, which, ne ut-
clarcd. would have produced Sulhcirh'
revenue had not the income tax bceh u'
clarcd unconstitutional.
He was severe in his structures upon
the supreme court. I'll :,
Mr.. Grosvcnor ucp.) of Ohio replied to
Mr.. McMilin. He would leave the tahh
of eXcoriating the supreme court 10 ,m.
gentleman from Tennessee, he SAID pu'
he wanted him to remember that tle ma
jOrity of the members of that court, VINO
held the law to be unconstitutional, were
of the political utilization of the gehtle
man himself. He proceeded to rldiculc
the present tariff law. and SAID no parry
would have the hardihoOd TO return again
to the ad yalOrem system and the 1auitS
schedules of the Wilson law. lie DC
scribed the democrats in the last cam,
paign as seeking to avoid responsibility
for that law by getting behind ne"
issue.
But" he concluded, "thcy were hoist
ed on their own petard. they are now
fighting each other on every question Oil
Gods green earth
Mr.. De Almond (dem.) of Missouri, III
discussing the adequacy of the wilson
law, also criticised the supreme court
decision, which he, as lawyer, ueclartdi
was not above just criticism, lie salu
nobody imagined when the law was
passed that the income tax would he uc-
clarcd unconstitutional
Senator Hill. the great democratic
leader" interrupted Mr.. Hopkins 'rep''
constitutional
That statement IS false, replied WI.
De Almond. Mr.. Hill was not Il great
democratic leader He is not now dem
ocratic leader, great or small. zap
plause on the democratic side)
Continuing. Mr.. De Almond referred
contemptuously to the man who had
changed in such way that the hand
of the tax gathercr had been lifted and
had fallen again on poverty and the peO-
pie"
He then dwclt on the growing power
of the judiciary and the executive, which
led to some remarks on the attitude of
the government towards Cuba that pro-
duced several wild outburstS of applause
from the members.
He spoke of the fact that the newspaa-
per reporters told of the heroic struggle
for freedom that was being made ana
the story of barbarities and crnelties
drawn from the depths of the Middle
Ages.
Yet" said he, diplomacy prateS OF
autonomy. Autonomy for the bird when
the snake is ready to strike. Autonomy
for the lambs in the fangs of the wolf.
Autonomy when the maiden is at stake
and the faggots are burning. If 1t Is
right that we should interfere we should
do so on the high ground that frcemen
should aid frccmen III their struggle Tor
freedom.
I'VE lurcd these people into this Strug-
Gle. Every breeze that blew from these
shores taught them how to win their own
freedom. Yet while American citizens
are being shot down and American prop
erty is being destroyed. diplomacy talks
of autonomy. | had hoped this admins
tration would respond to the feeling OF
patriotism in this country, and still
hope that the incoming administration
will do something more after March 4,
than talk of autonomy
What has been done with the resOlu-
ton passed by congress- asked Mr..
GrOSvCnOr.
II do not know, responded MIR. DE
Almond. but | do know that there. is
enough patriotism i'll this body rising
above party To pass any measure which
may he submitted to it that will advance
Cuba'S cause.
Continuing. he spoke of the libel of
the Three Friends as II pirate as Il strange
act in the closing days of the Nineteenth
century. The pirates banded themselves
together to drive back those who at
tempted to escape the yoke. But for this
country to become Il party to such Il doc
trinc was past belief
He referred to the fact that Il lady mad
been stripped ANA searched on board an
American vessel. and said it was bar
barity which had not prevailed in the
most infamous of history. 1t might he
said to be only II newspaper report, but
he placed more reliance i'll the reports OF
newspaper men who riSkcd their lives
to get ut the truth than in the poor. mis-
cradle palavcr called diplomacy.
why defend as II government, ne
asked, what you reject as Il people!
If there was treaty. he said, i'll con-
cluSion. which permitted such indignitlcS
to ladies. it should he abrogated by the
law or the sword. it mattcred little which.
Al 90 the house adjourned.