The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-05
Senators Mantle and Butler Stopped
Progress on Tariff Bill.
Western Wool Growers Want
Higher Duties.
Inequalities Of Taxation Expatated Upon by
North Carolina PopuIIsL

senate met an hour earlier than usuai
yesterday, comparatively little was ac-
complished. because. after wasting
three quarters of the extra hour In
waiting for quorum, the senate had tn
spend nearly three hours In listening TO
general speeches.
Senator Mantle Of Montana. the young
silver Republican. made q long speech,
warning the Republicans OF the wrath
OF the wool growers IL the wool schedule
was not changed so az to suit them.
Then Populist Butler Of North Caro-
lima stopped the consideration OF the
tariff bill entirely by speech In favor
Of his resolution to amend the consti-
tuition so as To meet the objections
raised by the supreme court to the In
come tax Of 1894.
Mr.. Mantle argued as follows:
The great majority Of wool growers OF
the country, he said, are protectionists
and Republicans; most Of them are be-
levers In the free coinage Of gold and
silver. independently, by this country,
but the question of protection and free
coinage having been divided In the last
campaign, the wool growers. accepting
the pledge contained In the Republican
national platform In favor Of Ample
protection for WOOL" and believing pro-
lection to be the paramount issue, cast
their votes In the doubtful states for
President Mckinley. and elected him.
The tarin bill. as II passed the house,
and as now amended by the senate, he
said, utterly fails to meet the expecta-
tions of the wool growers. and Is regard
ed by them largely as a population Of
the Republican pledge Of sample pro-
lection for WOOL"
The wool growers Of the country, he
continued. are indignant over this treat
ment Of their interests. and warned the
Republicans that they must change the
proposed rates or they would lose the
support OF this numerous element in en-
suing campaigns. He asserted that the
Mckinley law had not afforded the ne
cessary protection to the wool growers.
and quoted statistics to prove the as
sertion. He charged that 1t was full
of loopholes, permitting fraud and eva
sions, and was especially emphatic in
his denunciation of the advalorem
duties proposed on third class woods.
Mr.. Mantle referred to the opposition
OF the wool manufacturers aginst the
wool growers, whereupon Mr.. Platt
(Conn.). who, with Mr. Allison, was in
state that he did not regard the remarks
fair to the bulk Of the wool manufac-
turers. Some wanted free wool: some
did not But he believed that the general
sentiment of the wool manufacturers
throughout the country was favorable
to q sufficient duty on wool. Mr.. Mantle
answered that he did not mean that there
was an active warfare, but experience
had shown that there was hostility by
the wool manufacturers aginst the grow
ers.
Mr.. Mantle was followed by Mr.. But
Ter, who spoke on the income tax. Mr..
Butler had no sooner started than he
was involved in a lively colloquy with
Mr.. Cullom of Illinois. The North Caro-
lima senator referred at the outset to re-
cent supreme court decisions on the in
come tax and on the antitrust law
He added an expression of surprise at
the indecent haste with which the pool
ing bill was being urged before congress,
Immediately after the decision of the su-
preme court on the antitrust law. This
aroused Mr.. Cullom, chairman of the
Interstate commerce committee, now
considering the pooling bill, to a spirited
reply. The senator from North Caro-
lima was making statements about
which he knew nothing, said Mr.. Gull
lom. The pooling bill had been before
congress for months before the supreme
court decision, and 1t sought to strength
en- the interstate law. He resented the
statement Of Indecent haste" and said
such a characterization was a misrepre-
sentation Of facts.
Mr.. Chiffon Of Texas, another men,
ber of the interstate commerce commit
tee, here took hand In the controversy.
Mr.. Chiffon said he had been on the
committee for two years, and ne had
never known Of the pooling bill being
pressed until after the recent supreme
court decision against railway pooling.
He differed in toto, he said, from the
chairman of the committee that the
pooling bill sought to strengthen the
law. In his Judgment II would destroy
the interstate commerce law and the
passage of the bill would be fatal ex-
pertinent.
Mr.. Butler, resuming, said Mr.. Chill
toms statement had fully justified his
original assertion, and ne would leave
1t to the public to Judge whether there
was indecent haste. He would, he said.
Insist on the consideration Of measure
authorizing an income tax, before any
pooling Dill was brought before the SEN
ate. He declared that the pooling bill
was In the interest Of the most gigantic
trust In existence, compared with which
all other trusts are pigmies The sena-
tor then spoke on the merits OF an in
come tax. He pointed out the inequali-
ties of our present system Of taxation.
and declared that the tarifY bill, when
enacted, would impose Its burdens on the
os per cent of poor people who were least
able to bear IL. while II benefited the
per cent Of those who did not need as
sistance.
Mr.. Butler declared that II this ques-
tion OF income tax could not be pre-
sented TO the people then II was time
they should know II In order that they
might adopt the remedy OF n constitu-
tIonal convention to right the existing
wrongs. He warned the elements of
wealth that the income tax was but n
small part OF the demands OF the people.
and that II driven TO a constitutional
convention there would be supreme
EFFORT to 20 back TO the first principles
of n government bv Tho peopIe