Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-01
KILLING THE r4x4ND T4RrFF BILL.


favorably upon this important question.
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KILLING THE T4X4ND TARIFF Bill.
The slaughter Of the senate tax and tariff
bill is being conducted with much system
and adroitness, and it is now safe to say
that if 1t ever energies from the confer
ence committee it viii be in such shape as
to insure its defeat IN one house or the
other. In the house yesterday Mr.. Ran
dali declined to serve on the conference
committee for reasons which he stated, and
for the further reason that he is a candi-
date for the speakership of the next house
and wishes to dodge all entangling al
iances that might jeopardize his success.
Messrs. Morrison and Tucker successfully
declined service on the committee, and the
speaker took the matter under advisement,
thus delaying the completion of the com
mittce at time when hours are worth
more than weeks at the beginning of the
session.
In the senate action was taken that may
lead to the entire Abandonment of the
conference. 1t Will be remembered that
in ordering a conference the house in
structed its conferrees to inquire whether
the senate, in framing the bill, had not
| transcribed its constitutional powers by
presuming to originate bill affecting the
revenues. The quarrel is one of long
standing between the two houses, and
comes up in one form or another at each
session. Yesterday Senator Garland called
attention to the Ihouse resolution, and
stated that if he had known of il the pre-
vious day he would have voted against a
conference, as he believed the resolution
an insult to the dignity of the senate.
Many other senators agreed with him, and
after a long debate the senate conferrees
were instructed to demand a full and free
| conference, and il this was denied them,
or if the senate's rights were in
any way infringed, they should
withdraw from the conference and make
report of the facts.
| These instructions are almost certain
to cause trouble. The house is jealous of
its constitutional prerogative to originate
all measures affecting the revenue, and on
more than one occasion in the past there
has been warfare in consequence of the
! trenching OF the senate upon this right.
! On the other hand the senate is consumed
with its own Importance and dignity. It
regards itself as the representative of the
aristocracy of the country, and looks upon
the house as plebeiau in the last degree
a!geod enough school of instruction in
legislation, perhaps, but devoid of that
wisdom and craftsmanship which are in
hsrent in the senate. If there is even an
intimation that the senate has exceeded its
power-and there will be more than that
of the house conferrees follow their instruc-
tions-there will be row of large dimen-
sions and possibly an end to all efforts to
effect an agreement.
This result would not be mourned by the
protectionists, who appear to have con-
! congress by the throat. They are we'll
satisfied with aae tariff as it stands. The
only possibility of saving the bill will be
combined effort on the part of those in
favor of reduction of internal revenue
taxation. There is great need of this, and
| there are some powerful influences at work
in that direction. There is, however,
greater probability of the passage of an
independent measure of revenue reduction
than of any reduction that is coupled with
tariff revision in any form.
| One thing can be said: Those engaged
in the Strengthening of the pending
measure are consummate artists, and
understand how to accomplish their pur-
poses without seeming to be driving in
that direction.