The Tariff Situation
July 28, 1894
Summary
The Wilson Tariff Bill, which is highly opposed by Northern manufacturers, passes the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, but seems to be dead on arrival in the Senate.
Transcription
The Democratic party was never in a worst fix than it is at the present time. It has been well said that any party which attempts to pass a tariff bill invite defeat.
The measure known as the Wilson Tariff Bill past the Democratic House of Representatives after a bitter fight and was a long ride in the direction of free trade.
In the so radical were some of its Provisions that many leading manufacturers declared that it would force them out of business, not being able to compete with the English manufactures and pay the American scale a wages.
It was observed that the Democratic Senate would never concur with the house. The Wilsonville was so amended, add the changes made so radical that it was openly declare that it was simply the Republican McKinley Bill modified.
Attacks was placed on Sugar, coal, and iron ore. The Democrats had to make these concessions in order to prevent certain of their own members in the Senate from defeating the matter.
The income tax was another part of the house bill and it was with difficulty that it was retained. As it was Senator Hill declined to support it, and voted with the Republicans against the bill. It was known that the members of the House were Rafi over the turbo disfigurement their measure had received but it was not believed that they would go to the extent of defeating it rather than submit to its Provisions.
It was thought to that the president favored the Senate measure as the best that could be gotten at this session.
Imagine the surprise when the committee on conference from the two branches reported a disagreement and chairman Wilson although sick led the attack against the Senate bill. She read a personal letter from President Cleveland, delete it as late as July 2, 1894, in which he had denounced certain provisions of the Senate tariff measure and declared that to pass the bill in that shape would be to sacrifice by 2 principles of democracy itself.
The Democratic senators were angry and Senator Gorman who seldom them loses his temper in public speech went so far as to denounce President Cleveland as a coward who had not there to make known earlier his ultimatum. This is the situation at the present time...
The measure known as the Wilson Tariff Bill past the Democratic House of Representatives after a bitter fight and was a long ride in the direction of free trade.
In the so radical were some of its Provisions that many leading manufacturers declared that it would force them out of business, not being able to compete with the English manufactures and pay the American scale a wages.
It was observed that the Democratic Senate would never concur with the house. The Wilsonville was so amended, add the changes made so radical that it was openly declare that it was simply the Republican McKinley Bill modified.
Attacks was placed on Sugar, coal, and iron ore. The Democrats had to make these concessions in order to prevent certain of their own members in the Senate from defeating the matter.
The income tax was another part of the house bill and it was with difficulty that it was retained. As it was Senator Hill declined to support it, and voted with the Republicans against the bill. It was known that the members of the House were Rafi over the turbo disfigurement their measure had received but it was not believed that they would go to the extent of defeating it rather than submit to its Provisions.
It was thought to that the president favored the Senate measure as the best that could be gotten at this session.
Imagine the surprise when the committee on conference from the two branches reported a disagreement and chairman Wilson although sick led the attack against the Senate bill. She read a personal letter from President Cleveland, delete it as late as July 2, 1894, in which he had denounced certain provisions of the Senate tariff measure and declared that to pass the bill in that shape would be to sacrifice by 2 principles of democracy itself.
The Democratic senators were angry and Senator Gorman who seldom them loses his temper in public speech went so far as to denounce President Cleveland as a coward who had not there to make known earlier his ultimatum. This is the situation at the present time...
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Right Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Carlos Serrano
Citation
“The Tariff Situation,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 14, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1522.