Evening star., 1897-05-26
Mr.. VEST ON THE TARIFF BILL
The Missouri Senator Says There's No Need
for More Taxation.
Declares That There Is a Big Balance
I'm the Treasury-Accuses RepubIi-
cans of Abandoning Protection.

Senator Vest, after The Stars report of
the Senate proceedings closed yesterday,
replied to Senator AIdrich's explanation of
the tariff bill
I'VE know Mr.. Vest said, "the des-
perate condition of the country, the ruined
homes, the blasted hearts. If prosperity
can come from any source, even from our
adversaries, we will bless the moment
l do not believe the imposition of higher
tariff duties will dispel the clouds hang
ing above us. bringing back the sunshine
and Illuminating the whole country"
1t had been said, Mr.. Vest proceeded,
that adversely came with the advent of
the democratic party and prosperity with
the republican party. But that adversely
did not come with the advent of the demo-
cratic party. Mr.. Vest said he would sum-
mon as witness no less an authority than
Mr.. William Mckinley. The senator read
from report made by Mr.. Mckinley
April L, 1890. setting forth the distress
suffering. How was 1t expected, the SEN
ator asked. that by increasing the burden
of tariff taxes the farmers would be helped
to buy more goods? All agreed that there
quirementS of the government that the
government credit shall be sustained and
her flag honored. But every dollar col
lected by the government beyond It's needs
is crime.
Why was it, Mr.. Vest asked that the re-
publican party was about 20 abandon its
record and urge tariff, not for protec-
tion but for the amount of revenue it will
produce? Why does 1t abandon it's record
and propose a tax on tea? The senator
said there was at this time an available
balance in the treasury of 500 $50 $50. De-
Quoting the gold reserve OF s1O6,OOO.O0G,
the available balance was S129. $50 $50 This
vast amount Of idle money was now ac-
cumulated in the treasury. And yet the
Senate was told that it must impose on our
suffering people additional taxes. When
President Harrison turned over the govern
ment to President Clevs;an1 the treasury
balance stood at $24, 12S. .0S,. Today there
was s1O5.OOO,OOO more than when Mr.. Har-
riSon turned over government affairs to
Mr.. Cleveland. How could this obvious
fact be avoided?
Governor Dingley admitted 1t, Mr.. Vest
said, and tried to explain it on the ground
that subsidiary coin and certain deficits
were included in this present treasury bal
ance. But with these items (about $780,
600, ,OOO) out. there remained about S2,Ooo-
600 available for the uses OF the govern
ment To overcome this Governor Dingley
says we ought to increase the gold reserve
to s15OOOO,OOO. Even If there was deficit
of $65 OOO, 900 this year-which Mr.. Vest did
not admit-yet there was ample In the
treasury to meet that deficit. Why. then,
should we hurry to put more taxes on the
people, when every dollar unnecessarily
boarded by the government Is crime
most unfortunate that the republican side
had offered no estimate of revenue until
now. Inquiry had been made OF status
tician Ford as to the promised comparative
statement and he had stated that II was
turned over to the senator from ithode
Island (Mr. Aldrich).
Mr. AIdrich interrupted to explain that
mere mechanical statement was not what
the committee desired 10 offer, but some
thing based on the Judgment of those pre-
senting 1t, and such was the statement pre-
sented.
Mr. Vest asked what the estimate of Mr..
Ford was on the bill.
The Statistican's Estimate.
Mr.. Aldrich replied that the statistician
stated that in his opinion neither the
House nor the Senate bill would furnish
sufficient to meet the expenses of the gov
ernment.
Mr. Vest, proceeding, declared that the
proposition to raise S31, ,OOO.O 900 Of revenue
by a tax On tea and increasing internal
revenue taxes was a naked and bold"
abandonment of the protective policy Of
the republican party. Where was the
protection to American manufactures in
these taxes. he asked.
The senator said that the greatest suf-
fering in the country was felt in the agri-
cultural states. With abundant harvests
the people were without money and were
appealing to Congress for relief.
At this stage Mr.. Chandler interrupted
cumulation in the treasury to which Mr.
Vest had alluded came from.
Does the senator mean that the Wilson
bill put 1t there and If not, how did 1t get
there?" asked Mr.. Chandler.
I'VE all know" answered Mr. Vest, that
1t came from the sale of bonds, which I
did not approve, but it makes no difference
where ii came FROM There 1t is in the
treasury, and what right have you to in
crease the taxes on the people when
enough is in the treasury already?'
The senator declared that the urgent
need was not for greater taxes, but for
more money and better prices.
The fall in prices must be stayed before
there could be any prosperity. He men
toned as one source of evil that our work.
ers were paid on gold basis and came
into competition with those paid on q sill
yer basis.
1.-The senator from Nevada (Stewart) u.s.
Mr.. Gallinger Of New Hampshire HE has
based 1t usually on Japan's use of silver.
and now Japan has repudiated silver"
You mean Japan was bought out" Mr..
Stewart put in.
Discussed the Schedules.
Mr.. Vest then turned to several Of the
schedules and discussed them in detail
First he took up the sugar schedule. In
genious tables could be prepared rs to
sugar diEerentials. and the tables of the
senator from Rhode Island (Aldrich) were
of this ingenious kind. The whole thing
turned on one point, said Mr. Vest, and no
one but the expert inside the sugar re-
hnery was able to tell this. 1t was as to
how much raw sugar would make 100
pounds of refined sugar and what amount
Of waste will there be. One Of the sugar
trust officials had testified before the Lex
ow investigation that profits Of p per cent
had been realized. That amount could be
made only on the waste, and the sugar ex-
pert was the only man who knew about
this waste. Without discussing the Ha-
waiian treaty, Mr.. Vest said that it would
have been at least more honorable had the
committee proposed to abrogate the Ha-
waiian treaty. rather than kill 1t indirectly.
How Is 1t possible to defend the increase
OF duty on lead" asked MIR. Vest when
the lead trust Is making enormous profits
and Is declaring II per cent dividends on
Its stock, common and preferred Why
double the rate on lead, a product going
| into every poor home. in order to feed the
cormorant taste Of these monopolists?
On earthen ware and crockery the sena-
| tor said the increased duties were appal-
| ling. The trainers of the bill had under
taken to make the duties absolutely pro-
hibitory. And this on the goods which 20
into every home. 1t was outrageous op-
preston. the senator declared.
Referring to the wool schedule, Mr. Vest
spoke of the conflicting claims of the wool