a
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At
The Wealth Makers and Lincoln Independent Consolidated.
VOL. IX.
LINCOLN, NEBR., THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1897.
NO. 4.
BDTLER ON INCOME TAX
Calls Attention to Congress' Inde
cent Haste in Passing laws for
CorpratinB-
THE PROPOSED POOLING BILL.
Would Build a Trust Compared to
Which, Sugar and Oil Trusts are
Mere Pigmys.
V
Proposes a Constitutional Convention.
Io tbe seuate last week Senator But
ler of North Carolina, offered a joint
resolution to submit to tbeseveral state
!oinlntnivH a Drooosed amendment,
y o
J to the constitution authorizing congress
to levy and collect an income tax. He
had offered one of the same kind at the
beginning of the session which had been
referred to the judiciary committee and
there smothered. He asked that the last
one might lie on the table to be taken
up for consideration by the senate at an
early day. He pointed out the differ
ence in the action of the commit
tees when bills or resolutions were
introduced in the interest of corpora
tions, and said:
' "Only a few weeks ago the same court
v rendered a decision on the anti-trust
law which is a little embarrassing to
, the great transportation lines of tbe
country. At once a movement was
. started to have tbe decision of the court
set aside by legislative action I might
say with almost indecent haste.
The power of those great transports
tion companies was focused on Washing
ton. A half dozen, or at least several
bills have already been introduced to
nullify the decision. The committee on
interstate commerce has been holding
Constant meetings considering the bills
that have been offered to set aside the
decision.
. We have been expecting daily for a
-nek or two a ooolintr bill to be reported
;om the committee on interstate com-
lerce for the consideration of congress
. t the earliest possible day. In fact, it
Teemed at one time as if the tariff might
V,a re to stand to one side to give this
natter, important to the transporta-
' tion companies, the right of way." ,
, Here Senator Culiom interrupted Mr.
Butler with questions concerning the
Interstate commerce commission, after
which Mr. Butler continued:
j l'I do not iutend this morning to dis
' "i ' 'cnss the interstate-commerce act. I will
do that when the pooling bill in reported.
'-. I wish now to call attention specially to
, the difference in the course pursued by
Congress when a decision of tbe court is
, rendered which affects great corpora
; tious and one is rendered that affects
09,000,000 American people by itnpos-
' ing unjust taxation. The committee on
the judiciary has bad before it this joiat
resolution ever since the first session of
r , congress after the income tax decision
was rendered. No action has been taken
On it. If there is any hope of amending
the constitution of the United States
' it would seem that it could be amended
: so as to remove this most monstrous
decision of our highest court. It takes
a long time to amend the constitution
if tbe lawmaking power moves speedily.
Then why should we wait two years,
three years, four years, to give the legis
latures of the statee a chance to pass
upon this question? We cannot take up
the matter in Congress until thecommit
tees report. We cannot even speak upon
the question as before tbe body until tbe
committees report, unless I do as I have
done this morning, offer a joiut resolu
tion and ask that it lie on tbe table, and
then be forced to go further and ask the
seuate to take up and consider so im
' portant a matter as a constitutional
amendment without ever having a re
port from tbe committee.
Mr. President, the proposed amend
ment to the constitution that I have
ottered is very plain aud simple. It is as
follows:
Article XVI.
Tht;Oonjf-ei shall hare power to lay and col
lect taine oa all lucuinee, ivKinlltK ot tbeeonrce
from which to Income In derired or acquired but
all lucom taiM (hall be unllorm throughout
the United Statx.
There is no doubt about the average
American citizen understanding what it
means. Hut I wanted the help of tbe
judiciary committee to frame an amend
mentthat the courts could not misun
, dcretand. If the committee does not see
proner to report upon a measure of this
kind, then I shall ask the senate, at iw
. rnrlr a date a" possible, to take ui In
the Committee of the whole this resolu-
tion, to consider It in Commute of the
hole, and to pints upon It.
Iwanttosur further, Mr. President,
that in view of the fact which I have
I dt ml, I will a!i thesuunte to pa uHii!
this question Mure a pooling bill ever
j come to a vote in this body, i will ak
I th senate to go on record at to whether
V it will flntt gu the American people a
r chance to suy whether ihy want, as a
' part of their fundamental law, th t on.
' gtvas to have power to lay ami eIUt
I ircoti !, a power which we had
'til th court stubbed th constitution. or
whMhrr. we grant to the
trn(irtati' li of thi country the
IvkhI rht and pwr to become a mam.
ninth aud ompvtte trut.
The iruHMHd Pooling bill will ervat
if it Imsmiiiw m law, tit tSHMt gigiintle
Irani that the world ha vr w, a
true! coniMHwi of th grt trmrta'
tion littm of tlie country, blurt arc the
throbbing arteries of commerce, the
prosperity of every state and section
largely depending upon them, every citi
zen in America affected by their manage
ment, directly or indirectly, a trust with
twelve billions of capital, (including
water) controlling the highways of tbe
nation a trust that might possibly collect
more money in the shape of tolls and fares
from the American people than all other
trusts put together. The sugar trust is
an infant compared to a trust of the
transportation lines of the country.
Tbe Standard Oil trust is a pigmy com
pared to a trust that would hold the
commerce of a nation in its grasp.
I bis pooling legislation is asked so
that the railroads can be relieved of the
last vestige of competition. They are
asking congress to keep them from com
peting with each other. They do not
compete now except at terminal points,
ben tney fell out. A railroad line runs
from here south. Take tbe Southern
railway. On bow many points, of the
Southern railway is there competition?
At every small station thoir power is
absolute to charge whatever rates and
fares they see tit. It is only where two
great trunk lines come together, say at
Atlanta that tbey are subject to compe
tition now. It is to escape competition
at even those terminal points, so that
there can be no competition anywhere,
so that they can have absolute power to
raise and fix rates and bave no compe
tition, that this pooling legislation is
asked.
We have been told in excuse for al
lowing private corporations to own
and operate the transportation lines
of the country and run tbem as pri
vate property (or private gain that the
protection of the public was competition
We have had competition rung into
our ears every time that anyone's voice
has been raised to point to this monop
oly of transportation. Everybne who
believes that great public functions like
these so necessasy to the welf are of every
citizen, should be operated as a function
of tbe government at cost for the benefit
of the public, has so stated, we have
been told that competition cured all the
evils and prevented all danger.
Now these transportation lines come
and ask us to relieve them of all compe
tition. Whenever they reach the point
to say to congress and to tbe country
that competition is a thing of the past,
that it is detrimental to tbeir business,
then they confess that private corpora
tions should no longer be intrusted
with the management of tbe great trans
portation lines of the country. When
there can be no competition, then every
excuse for private ownership is gone;
tbe time for public ownership has ar
rived. Congress must decide whether it
is best for the American people to allow
the great transportation lines to be ma
nipulated by private corporations ana
further allow tbem to form one mam
moth syndicate, one gigantic trans
portation trust, or best for the public to
own and control this great transporta
tion system in the interest of all the peo
ple.
Now, I am not an advocate of the com
petitive system, for there can be no
competition that will result in justice
and equality to tne snipper and tne gen
eral public. -
I think it best for all the railroad lines
of the country to be operated as one
system, provided that system is oper
ated as a public function at cost for the
public good. 1 trunk the transportation
lines should be operated as one united,
harmonious and complete system, just
as the - mil lines are operated in one
perfect postal system. But how any
sane man who has any regard for the
public welfare can want to see such a
monopoly, such a trust, in private
hands is more than I can understand.
Public ownership and not pooling is the
remedy. The railroad corporations
want a legalized trust for their own
profit and power, not for the welfare of
the public. This is what they are de
manding from tbe Interstate Commerce
committee to avoid the decision of the
court, that was a little inconvenient to
them. This is the demand that is being
pushed with indecent baste.
What is the other proposition that
the Committee on Judiciary have
not had time to consider since tbe decis
ion of the court over two years ago? It
is a proposition to equalize taxation to
some extent; a proposition to allow con
gress, :L the people's representatives see
fit, to levy a fair rate of taxation on in
comes, on accumulated wealth earning a
big profit. Simply a proposition for the
wealth of the country to bear its fair
share of the taxation necessary to sup
port tbe government.
If I wr the special guardian and
spokesman in tbe Senate of the very peo
ple who would pay an income tax, if I
were here ns a special representative of
the small per rent of the people of this
country who have enormous incomes,
aud if I were asked what my advice
would be for the better protection of
their property and for the better gov
ernment of the country In which they
live, 1 should tell them that it wa to
their Interest that taxation should be
equalised by an iucouie tax. The rich,
if they were wise, would not opjtose an
income tax, but would favor it and
cheerfully pay it.
One of the justice in the supreme
eourt in hi diMtfutiug opinion on the
income tax decision took the iwtie po
sition. The position of those who enjoy
the protection tif our govern men t, who
have amassed lance lurtune uiid who
enjoy princely incomes, in umi , their in
fluence aud power to prevent their prop
erty from bearing lthnrof taxation,
Is hortitfhtd aud utwi for them in
dividually. If they are wim they will
loi tut further time In putting hem
lv on a footing with every other
Aiuernau cilUen ami pay their lair shar
of taxation.
The nn who would pity t hi Imntuie
t a eoutrtbut freely to political ram
pMirtu. They give fwoly ttbea they r
failed upon by the tatder of the politUntt
parti, I am iiifomied. Hut h-n ralM
u poti uudt-r lb law to roiitribut V)
Uar th burdi'M ot tiialioa (hey rvt
TBE TRIAL
OF BARTLEY
The Attorney Oeoeral IV eaving an
an Intricate Net Around the
ExTreasurer.
BATTLE IS HARD FOUGHT.
The Attorneys for the Defense Ob
ject to Almost Every
Question.
Hartley' Operation In letatl.
The case of the state against Joseph S.
Bartley, considering tbe enormity of the
crime, has been quickly brought to trial.
The attorneys for the defense bave not
lost an opportunity to delay tbe pro
ceedings of the trial. They have had
continuances, preliminary hearings mo
tions to quash,adjonrnments, demurrers
pleas is abatement and have resorted to
every device known to the law to pre
vent a trial of the case at this time.
Attorney General Smyth for the state
has proceeded very carefully and has
successfully evaded all of their technical
objections and has brought their case to
trial in less time than any similar case
in tbe history of the state. He did not
commence the case until be had carefully
investigated all the evidence available
for the state aud then proceeded to file
charges against the ex-treasurer, which he
was prepared to support with the proper
evidence. '
At the preliminary bearing Bartley re
fused to make reply to tbe courts ques
tions as to whether he was guilty or not
guilty. The judge as required by law in
such cases, entered a plea of not guilty.
The selection of a jury occupied about a
dav and a half. The following were fin
ally chosen: J. V. Shipley, farmer; A.
P. Frye, farmer; Chris Steiger, farmer;
Hugo Wohlers, farmer; C. A. Roberts,
roofer; Fred C. Anthony, wood machin
ist; Charles Tompsett, carriage maker;
Henry A. tlomau, liveryman; jonnA,
Finch, missionary; John W. Stiles, car
oenter: Benjamin Trumbull; clerk. -. r
Tbe charge against Bartley which will
be tried by the above twelve men, is tbe
embezzlement of tbe $180,000 warrant
drawn on the general fund of the state
to reimburse tbe school fund for tbe
amount of school money lost by the fail
ure of the Capital National bank.
As soon as tbe selection of the jury
was completed, the judge called up Jo
siab S, Wright before bim on the charge
of attempted jury bribing, Wright
plead guilty to having offered one of(the
jurors 1 75 for his vote for acquittal.
Judge Baker censured him severely and
sentenced him to two years in the county
jail. Tbe court was ready to proceed
with the Bartley trial. Attorney Gen
eral Smyth made the opening statement
for the state. He reviewed briefly the
story of Bartley's .election and the pre
liminary proceedings of the trial. He
stated that he would show in behalf of
the state that on April 10, 1896, a war
rant for 180,101-75 had been drawn
on the state general fund to be trans
ferred to the sinking fund. The object
of the transfer was to cover the
amount of the sinking fund lost in the
failure of the Capital National bank of
Lincoln. The day mentioned the war
rant was drawn to Bartley, not as state
treasurer, but individually. That Bart
ley hurriedly had the warrant regis
tered and stamped as not paid because
of laek of funds. His haste was caused
by thelact that the new law reducing
the interest rate on warrants from 7 per
Cent to 5 per cent was about to go into
effect. The state will show, however,
that the law was in force at least fifty
minutes before the warrant was regis
tered Bartley then took the warrant
to William Wallace of tbe Omaha
National bank and sought his assist
ance in its disposal. Upon Bartiey's re
quest tbe Omaha National corresponded
wi th tbe Chemical National ' bank of
New York, and subsequent to April 15,
sold the warrant. The money derived
was, at Bartley'. request, deposited to
his personal credit and not to his credit
as state treasurer, mat wituin a few
weeks Bartley checked out about H0,
000 to a bank net a state depository
and within six weeks had checked out
all ths money to banks not depositories
About January 2, 1W07, Bartley, in his
official capacity, issued a call for
the warrant and on that day gave
his check as state treasurer on the
Omuhu Natioual bank on funds be
longing to the state ou deposit there
and the warrant was paid with thi
money, causing a loss to the state of
the amount of tbe warrant and inter?!,
the whole amounting to f 'JO 1,000.
Attorney Mahoney made the atate-
ment for the defense, lie uil the law
providx that the state IihII ohu th
ense to the jury, and "mar" outline it
evidcu'!, and that the deitutse has the
same requirement. If will follow the
law and sny thr wer some thing
named by the attorney general, which
at th clone of th rase may be connld-
erej n having ln proven, uch a
Itartlfv's election. But a to th charge
of untie wli'iueut it Will hav bn ahowu
that no einleiltMiwu t ha In 11 mads by
r.itrtly and th atate h not ot
twut; and that Brtl,v li not uilty of
th rrnn charged agaiiwit him.
1 be iWt w'titpo awora wn W, l
(ird l' tlrk of th IrgMintar of 1 f'JT
to Identify a copy ol tli 1 1 mi Journal
of !" to b iiht-I lo proving Hartley'
Ivctiou, and th reord of the legultv
ture in making tbe appropriation to re
imburse the school fund. Tbe next wit
ness was Secretary W. F. Porter who
produced Bartley's official bond. Eu
gene Moore was called to identify the
signature to tbe bond. He could not
positively swear to the signatures to
either the bond or tbe voucher for tbe
embezzled warrant but "thought" they
were all genuine. Benton Maret was
next called and swore positive that the
signatures were genuine. Auditor Cor
nell, identified the voucher for the war
rant as a part of the records of his office
and Treasurer Meservs identified tb
warrant which had been called and
marked paid by Bartley. He produced
the records of the treasurer's office to
show the transactions in that office.
J. II. Millard, president ot the Omaha
National bank was next called. He said
his bank obtained possession of the war
rant in April, 1895. He was asked if be
had any .recollection of any conversa
tion with Bartley concerning the war
rant and said he could not recollect any
conversation about it, but he believed
the warrant was left with the bank for
the purpose of disposing of it and ob
taining the cash. He sent a letter to
tbe Chemical National bank of New York
enclosing the warrant with it, He pro
duced the letter sent by bim aud which
was read bv the county attorney to the
jury. The letter e in reply to a tele
gram sent by the Chemical National to
tbe Omaha National and offers tne war
rant on a 6 per cent basis at a premium
ot per cent and the interest at 7 per
cent for ten days from April 13 to April
23. The letter also states that the
writer , Millard, made a mistake in tbe
amount of the interest, which is 7 per
cent instead of 5 per cent; that the witer
had authority from Bartley to make
tbe rate on a 6 per cent basis, though
he wanted half of 1 per , cent more if the
Chemical would pay it.
Witness said the warrant was sent to
tbe Chemical National as set out in the
letter and the next time -witness saw
the warrant was in November, 1896,
when the warrant was returned by the
Chemical National for payment. Wit
ness was present when tne warrant was
presented to Bartley. for payment and
Bartley paid the warrant out of funds
deposited in the bank by him as state
treasurer. The last part of Mr. Mil
lard's answer was stricken out, leaving
his answer only that Bartley paid tbe
warrant by check. The state will now
have to prove that the check was issued
by Bartley as state treasurer and that
th check was paid.
The bank officials testified that after
the check had been paid they had re
turned it to Mr. Bartley as is usual in
such -cases. The attorney .general then
called upon Mr, Bartley to produce the
check. Bartley's attorneys thought
they ought not to produce tbe check for
tbe reason that by so doing they
would be furnishing evidence to convict
their client. They did not produce the
check, and the state will bave to prove
its payment by other means, the records
of the treasurers office and the records
of the bank . The president of the bank
was called and testified that the check
was signed by Bartley as state treasurer
and the amount was $201,884.05. He
said that Bartley carried three accounts
at the Omaha National, two as state
treasurer and one 'personal account.
The two state accounts were of the gen
eral fund and the school fund. Mr. Mil-'
lard said he could not testify as to which
one of these accounts it was on which
the check was drawn.
The importance of this point was
brought out more strongly by the open
ing statement to the jury, that the
money obtained on tho warrant was de
posited to Bartley's personal account
and the money drawn out to pay the
warrant was drawn from his account as
treasurer.
Mr. Millard was cross-examined as to
how he obtained possession of the letter
be sent to tbe Chemical National bank,
and said that bank had returned it to
tbe Omaha National at the attorney
general's request.
E. E. Balch, assistant cashier of the
Omaha National bank, related that
Bartley came into the bank about 5 p.
m., one afternoon, date unknown by
witness, with the warrant, and he had
a conversation with Bartley about tbe
W &llfl D t)
"I asked Mr. Bartley," Balch said,
"what we would do with the money ob
tained on the warrant, and he said to
open up an account and pass it to his
credit."
Bartley had no personal account, at
that t'me, but merely the two accounts
as state treasurer.
Subsequently Balch said, "I carried
out Bartley's instructions and placed
the proceeds of the warrant to his per
sonal credit."
Tbe ledger of the bank was Introduced
to show that the money realized from
the sale of the warrant was deposited to
Hartley's pemonal account and that at
the time th money was so deposited
Bartley had no personal amount at the
bank, but did have an account as state
treasurer.
William Wallace cashier of the Omaha
National testified that th check which
wn credited to Barley's personal ac
count was drawn by Hartley on his ac
rouut a state traurer, and tbe words
'Vliarg account general fund," appeared
011 the check and were written by Bart
ley himself. Th check wa written on
one of the common forms of check used
by the bank for it general patrons, and
mt 011 th check form furnished the
at tt treasurer.
I'll deft'tie elicited from William
Wallace and K. K. Batch that th Chem
ic d Natioual bunk did not sen t any
money to the Omaha National bank In
pttriuonl of th purchaett prion of th
warrant; that th Omaha National did
tot iM tid any money to th ( hemlcat Na
ti iii tl when th warrant wn paid, aud
that when Hartley drew out th money
trm hi (of ona! account no raeh wa
paid; but that th sbtir list of trail
. lKiuer handled impty by an j
rhaegcol credit.
The emphasis placed on this point by
th defense was explained by a few
words dropped by Attorney Mahoney to
the effect that the information charges
Bartley with tbe embezzlement of "pub
lic money," and that credits are not
"money" In the strict and legal sense ot
tbe term.
Bookkeeper Adair wa called to tes
tify that the withdrawal of the $201,-
884.05 from the state general fund to
pay the warrant reduced the state's
lands that amount.
In addition to this it is shown by tbe
books of the state treasurer's office that
the general fund has beeu charged with
$210,884.05 for the payment of tbe war.
rant payable to the sinking fund, while
the same books disclose that tbe sink
ing fund has not been credited with the
amount of the warrant, $180,101.75.
Another important point in favor of
the state is ths production of the
monthly accounts submitted by Bartley
to the state auditor and covering tbe
time from April, 1895 to January 6,
1897. These statements are signed by
Bartley himself, and purport to be the
statements of the couditlon of tbe var
ious state funds. These statements dis
close the same facts as the books, with
this added strength, that being made
by Bartley they are an admission
against himself
Ou Monday afternoon the state com
pleted the introduction nl testimony
and the defense opened by moving tbe
discharge of the defendant for the reason
that the evidence failed to show embez
zlement, and if it did show embezzle
ment it was not embezzlement of
"money" but rather of "bank credit,"
and that Bartley could not be convicted
of the embezzioment of "public money"
under evidence that only proved the em
bezzlement of "bank credit" anymore
than a man who had stolen a horse
worth $100.00 could be convicted under
an information charging that be bad
stolen $100.00. The point involved is
only technical and amounts to only a
mere quibble of words Bartley received
tbe bank credit from the state and con
verted it it into money for his own use.
The state is out the cash and Bartley is
ths man who took it. Whether he
picked up the cash and put it in his
pockets Himself, or naa someone else ao
it for him is wholly immaterial. '
Judge Baker over-ruled tbe motion of
the defense for dismissal, and required
them to preceed with the trial. The de
fense had counted much upon their con
tention for this point and tbe decision of
tne court was a severe mow to tnem.
They have subpoenaed Treasurer
Meserve, to produce through him some
large blocks of bonds purchased from
Saunders and Otoe counties. It is pre
sumed thai the defense will try and show
tbat the particular money received from
tbe sale of tbe general fund warrant was
used in the purchase of those bonds, and
that the money wbicb Bartly embezzled
was not, as charged in the information.
tbe money received from tbe sale of that
warrant but money received from- other
sources. They will then make tecnincal
point tbat he is "not guilty as charged"
thouirh hemifirbt besruiltvina different
manner from that charged.' The court
will hardly sustain a motion to dismiss
on such flimsy pretense.
ALLEif ON FREELUMBER
Delireria Telling Address in De
fense of American Ilome-bnildert.
THE TAX LEGALIZED LARCENY
A Bace of Jackals Eefore the Fi-
nanoe Ways and lleans
Committee.
Timely Suggestions.
The roots of currants aud gooseber
ries of bearing age should Sot be dis
turbed by cultivation or hoeing until
Biter fruiting season. Apply a mulch
of coarse manure or straw, thick
enough to prevent the growth of the
weeds, In and about the hills and rows.
Look for the current borer at this time,
When the leaves start, affected canes
commence to wither and die. Cut out
the affected canes below the black cen
ter and burn at once. All newly set
plants should be thoroughly cultivated,
weeds must not be allowed to grow, for
they consume valuable plant food and
the moisture so necessary to the young
plant Frequent surface cultivation
makes the natural food of the plant
more available, prevents escape of
moisture and holds water in store for
summer use. The root is the founda
tion of the plant, It should be stimu
lated to early and continuous growth
by the best care In the beginning. It
plants have' failed to grow, set new
ones in their place at once; one cannot
sfford to have missing hills. Blackber
ry and raspberrry bushes should be
trimmed severely, cut back at least
one-third or one-half, severely pruning
Increases the size and quantity of the
fruit Picking, packing and marketing
are important factors in growing fruit
for profit The grower should under
stand that choice berries are always
In demand and the market is never
overstocked: that it costs lust as much
to raise poor berries as good ones;
tbat It costs more to pick and pack
poor berries; that freight and express
charges are Just as Wish on poor ber
ries: hence there Is profit only in grow
Ing the best for ths market. Berry
boxes and cases should be made before
ths season begins. Cl'tan, well-made
packages, neatly stenciled on the side
with name and residence, soon become
rour "trade mark,"' let It also be a
guarantee of good berries, honestly
packed. Never allow, stems, leaves,
dirt. Imperfect or unripe berries In tbe
box. Always have a uulform quality
throughout ana the bote well Oiled,
t'or long shipment pick vue every day,
nd before th fruit Is too ripe. Nvr
offer poor berries for l. and ntvsr
us a dirty box or a poor ins. If It be
som ucnry to ell poor berrloa
nd to a good eoiunlsakn house, but
avr place your name on th cue. Let
markets be as near a poitl, and to
rtfular customer. It you would hsve
food markets and good prices always
at honestly with your customer.
Acrtcnltural latrt not Bprntd
In the senate when the lumber sched
ule imposing a tariff of $2.00 per thou
sand feet upon white pine lumber was
reached Senator Allen secured recogni
tion and offered an amendment placing
lumber upon tb free list. He submitted
a few very telling remarks in support of
bis amendment. He said in part:
"We bave left in this country but 33,-
000,000,000 feet of white pine and ac
cording to tbe rate of annual disappear
ance of white pine we shall be without
that kind ol lumber in the United States
within the next six or seven years.
Of course the theory of protection pro
ceeds upon the thought tbat It ibcreases
an industry rather than decreases it.
Everyone who is convinced of the bene
fits of a protective tariff, (and I am not
now saying tbat protection in some re
spects'is not proper) bases his argument
upon the theory tbat it increases the
home market, increases tbe industry
itself, increases wages, and increases the
opportunity of wage earners to earn a
livelihood for themselves and their fam
ilies. : Tbat kind ot protection, however,
which is destructive of an industry, it
occurs to. roe, cannot be sustained by
those who are thoroughly convinced of
the soundness of the doctrine of pro
tection.
What is tbe result of ths adoption of
the schedule imposing a duty of $2.00 a
thousand upon white pine? It was
shown before the Ways and lleans com
mittee ot the House ot uepresentatfves
thpt a tax of that kind would be pro
hibitive; that it would turn over tbe do
mestic market entirely to the domestic
manufacturer, and prohibit tbe Imopr
tation oi .white pine from Canada , or
from any other sooroe.--'- -
The owners and controllers of white
pine in the United States are endeavor
ing through the instrumentality of this
schedule to prohibit the importation of
white pine from Canada or from any
other source. ' Tbat is the pivotal
thought ot this paragraph as applied to
white pine. I bave not yet heard ths
senator from Michigan explain why
there is any necessity for it or what ne
cessity there may be to levy a tax upon
white pine. It can not be for the pur
pose of increasing tbe industry, for white
pine trees do not reproduce themselves,
if I am correctly informed. When a tree
is once cut down, it is destroyed for all
time, and is not replaced iu tbe course of
years by another white pine-tree, but an
other species of timber grows in its
place. . , ( . .
Mr. President, a tax upon white pine
that would make importation prohib
itive and wbicb 'would result in raising
the price of that article to the consumers
of this country would not benefit to ex
ceed a dozen men or a dozen institutions.
Why should a tax of $2 a thousand be
levied upon every farmer and every home
builder in this coantry who may be com
pelled or who may desire to use white
pine in the construction of bis home?
The natural effect ot it would be that
the owners of white pine in Minnesota,
Michigan, and Wisconsin would ship
their pine to the eastern markets, and
the people in Nebraska and th trmlea
state's will be compelled to go to the
same cormorants who own tbe majority
of tbe pines of tbe south and purchase
their lumber there, and by that mean
the entire pine output of the United
States will be placed in the keeping ot
this syndicate or theso few men. Ths
great millions ot people who are strug
gling to establish homes upon the prai
ries, who bave to build scboolhouses and
churches and other institutions for their
becefit aud for the SyCCcscditicu of
their children and themselves, will have
a tax of $2 a thousand or more levied
upon them to pay tribute to this syndi
cate or these few men.
Mr. President, when tbe white pine dis
appears in this country, if this para
graph shall become a law, do not our
friends upon the other side know that
these same men will control the white
pine forests of Canada, and will not tbe
people of this country beat the abso
lute mercy ot tbe owner or owner ot
Canadian pine? Then th cry will go up
through the length and breadth of our
couutry that white pine i gone and the
tariff must come off of it, and th Cana
dian and Yankee in secret partnership
across th line, owning and controlling
the white piuo of Cnuada, will raise tho
price of It to th American consume.,
and h will 1 1 at their absolute merry.
Mr. President, there is no escape Iron
thi proposition.
1 notice one ei-ulinr thing In tb tariff
hearings, or rathrr th abaenc ol one
thinir. In examining the hearing up
on wood and the manufacture ttiervof
I her I a singular absrutwof witnes refr
reecuting the agricultural iutertutsiif
thi country. Among all of th ronip
trnt men representing lh ngricuttufal
Interents, tb inaater ol the gruni(, th
president (f th different alliance, n j
ou ot thm wa Invited by th Commit
to ca Way and Mean to gir bi ti.
mooy ii(hu thi t'bu). Why, rir, it
Continued oa 3th png,)
