Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-08
A TARIFF DEBATE
A GENERAL DEBATE ON TARIFF
OCCURRED ON BACON
RESOLUTION.
A STAR CHAMBER PROCESS
Demoeras object to Being Excluded
From Finance Committee Hear"
lngs Now Being Carried
On.

Washington, Apr. 2.-What turned
out to be general debate on the tariff
was a feature of the senate pro-
ceedings Thursday on Senator Bacon's
resolution favoring the consideration
Of tariff legislation by the full COM
mittee on finance, instead of by the
Republican members of that commit
tee only.
An impassioned address by Senator
Rayner was directed against the meth
cd Of the majority in the framing Of a
tariff bill.
This Is the worst practice" he said,
that has ever arisen before legis-
lative body. When you are dividing
this plumber at least be fair to each
other. On behalf of the senator from
West Virginia, l at least beg Of you
to give him back his raw materials.
He has stood with you on the field Of
battle and when the hour of submits
sion comes, the senator from West
Virginia will be here and his protest
ing voice will not be heard in this hall
against a single article on the sched-
ule."
He referred to the coal mines of the
senator from West Virginia (Mr. Ell
kins- and his indignation over the pro-
position to place the products Of his
state upon the free list.
I'VE on this side," he said. "are in
the camp of the vanquished and so far
as I am concerned, would rather be
In the camp Of the vanquished than in
the camp of the victors in the posses
sion Of the spoils."
Mr.. Rayner declared that the Repub-
lican procedure was merely star
chamber process. James l., and
Charles l., he said, had undertaken to
stem the progress of civil and religi-
Gus liberty by the same methods that
are now used to stem the progress of
commercial freedom.
II have a right" said Mr.. Aldrich,
replying to the charge that star cham
Der proceedings were held by the Re-
publicans on the committee on finance,
ito have conversation without hav-
ing q Democratic senator cross ex-
anime the person with whom / con-
Versed" He declared that the Demo
cratic members Of the finance commit
tee were holding meetings Of their
own and that they had their experts.
Mr.. Rayner said the members Of the
committee lost their individual char
acter when they became committee
Of the senate charged with public
duty. Mr.. Rayner in an earnest man
ner declared that the Democracy rep
resented the consumer and were
against the "plunderers Of the people"
represented by the republican party.
Mr.. Aldrich asserted on the other
hand, that the protective principle had
never been more widely approved than
at present and he said he was not
alarmed that defamation Of the kind
voiced by the senator from Maryland
would In any wax change Il
This tariff policy will be just TO
every section and to every interest OF
this country. am quite certain that
the senator from Maryland win have
no followers upon his side Of the
chamber"
Senator Bailey Indignantly resented
The right of the senator from Rhode
island to speak for the Democratic
party on the subject of the tariff, and
added that when the time came to
vote that party would be found sus.
tanning the principles Of taxation that
had so long been maintained by II.
Speaking of the inheritance tax
proposed in the house bill, he said, he
would rather tax the living rich by
means of an income tax than TO tax
the dead, "who are only moderately
well to do" as proposed in the inheri-
lance tax.
Mr.. Aldrich suggested that the mat
ter contemplated in the Bacon resolu-
tlon would be taken care Of by the
committee on finance and II was By 4
viva voca vote referred to that com
mlttee.
A meeting Of the senate COMMITTEES
on finance to consider the Bacon reso
luton has been called for at II O'Clock
friday morning.