Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-05
Senator Cores Exposure of False
hood About Wilson Bill.

the republican campaign orator, and
which finally found its way even into
the United States senate, seems to
have its quietus
Senator Gore of Oklahoma is the
man who sent the hallucination on it's
way. He did it concisely and effect
lively in less than two minutes.
That the democratic Wilson bill was
responsible for the panic in the early
COS is an impression that hundreds of
high protection orators have instilled
into the mind of their audiences of
farmers and workingmen.
THE democratic party stands for
low tariff duties,' the campaign orator
has Numbered a countless number of
times from the stump. What is the
effect of the low tariff duties? Let us
see. We may examine the effect of
the democratic Wilson bill for an ex-
ample. What was the effect? Why,
Mr. Voter, it plunged the country into
can history. You all remember 1.-THE
great panic of the 90's!"
This stock republican speech, al
though groundless and disproved, had
its effect on the mind of the timid
voter. Thousands upon thousands of
men, according to campaign managers
on both sides, voted for the party of
fering high protection because they
feared another panic of the character
Of the one following 1893.
While this argument made good
when delivered from the stump, it
was not played up in congress to
any extent. Senator McCumber of
North Dakota, however, thought he de-
tected an opening tariff bill. He re-
|iterated the intimation of the stump
speaker that the panic of Is years ago
was caused by the Wilson bill.
The North Dakota senator reached
the point where he appeared to have
made good his logic when overhauled
by Senator Gore.
Many times have heard that view
expounded from the stump" began
the blind senator, but | have heard
lltlle OF 1t IN the senate.
Il hardly expected, however, to hear
that argument from the usually candid
senator from North Dakota. Now, sir,
he ascribes the distress and adversely
of the early COS to the Wilson-Gorman
bill. l have never been disposed to
deny that the republican party was
able to work miracles. | am willing
| to admit that it can repeal the law of
supply and demand; nay, more, sir:
THAT it can reverse the fundamental
| feet precede the cause. Now, when
did the Wilson tariff bill become a
law? On the 2Sth of August, 1894!
When did the panic occur? On the
18th of May, 1893!
The panic of 1893 was not local to
the United States 1t affected all the
commercial nations of the earth at
practically the same time and varying
degrees. 1t is not so strange that a
democratic measure passed in August
1894, should have precipitated panic
in the United States in May, 1893; but
! it is passing strange that a democratic
measure passed in August, 1894, should
have precipitated a panic in Australia
! in January, 1898 One year and eight
months before the enactment of the
law in this country the first climax
occurred in the distant commonwealth
of Australia. 1t had been gathering
force and strength for two or three
years preceding.
| "Mr. President, we had a stringency
in 1890 under which many millions OF
clearing house certificates were issued
and during the presidency of Presi
dent Harrison.
"The coil was gradually tightening
1t explains why, in 1890, the dominant
party returned only So members tc
the lower house in the congressional
election. The coil was gradually tight
ening, which explains why, in 1892
such stalwart republican states as
Wisconsin and Illinois were sweep
into the democratic column. Plates
We're prepared for the issuance Of
bonds, about which We have heard 81
much eloquence from the other side
of the chamber, during the presidency
of Mr.. Harrison. He was prevailed
upon by his friends not to make the
issue. When Harrison came into of
fee, succeeding Cleveland, he found /;
surplus of something like 100000, 900
When, four years later, Harrison turn
ed over the administration to Cleve
land, We had practically an empty
treasury.
'The crisis had already commenced
The strength was felt not only here
but in all the commercial nations Of
/ the earth. We shared in that depres
sion, and it was in no way attributed
to the Wilson bill, which was enacted
some year and half later
! Il had almost said that outside oil
the stump speakers nobody except the
senator from West Virginia (Mr
he