National Republican., 1883-01-23

ment of certain advances made to the United
States by Maryland and Virginia, and the bill
was referred to the committee on claims.
Mr.. Merrill called up the resolution offered
by him last week, providing fors
EVENING SESSIONS,
beginning last evening. His object, he said,
was to ascertain whether any earnest effort
was to be made to pass the tariff bill at this
session of congress.
In reply to statements heretofore made that
the bill as reported would increase duties i'm
stead of reducing them, he read tabular
statement of the reduction upon different ar
ticlos, showing q very large aggregate.
Mr.. Harris asked him whether his table
contained statement of the articles upon
which duties would be increased by the bill,
and an estimate Of the increase of revenue
that would resut2
Mr.. Morrill,. 1t does not
Mr.. Davis, of West Virginia, asked Mr.
Morrill, the total amount of the reductions
set forth in his table2
Mr.. Morrill, said he had not added up tho
figures, but in his opening speech on the bill
he had presented an estimate of the aggregate
amount of the reductions proposed.
Mr. Davis inquired whether tho table in
cluded the proposed reductions of internal
reyenue. -
made this statement now TO disabusc the
minds of senators of the idea that tho bill
would not reduce duties.
Mr.. Bayard believed that much of the re-
duction shown by the table would prove illu-
sorry, for tho reason that in many instances
the existing duties were prohibitOry, and the
proposed reductions would still leave them so.
He did not expect that any tariff bill which
ho could entirely approve would be framed,
but he did expect to vote at this session, If he
could have an opportunity, for bill reform-
ing more or less the present tariff system. lie
did not believe, however, that anything would
be gained by evening sessions, and he pre-
fcrred that the bill should be taken up earlier
and its consideration continued in regular
daily sessions.
Mr.. Hoar said senators were generally
agreed that there ought to be reduction of
the tariff, and if this bill, which would relieve
the people of burdens amounting TO from $780,,
100000 to $50000,000, should fail to pass ut
this session, that would be the best evidence
of tho unitncss of both houses of congress, as
now constituted, for their great function of
legislation.
Mr.. Lapham suggested that the reduction
made by the bill would be about $70,000,000,
including the internal revenue reduction.
Mr.. Hoar said that Mr. Morrill's statement
did not include the reduction in the internal
revenue portion of the bill. The amount of
the reduction of revenue resulting from the
changes in the tariff would of course depend
partly upon whether every reduction of duty
would cause o reduction of revenue, which
was doubtful.
Mr. Platt thought this bill so Important
that all other business might be fifty post
poned to it, and he would vote TO take it up
early every day and also for evening sessions
in order that speedy action might be had
upon the bill, and the business of the country
be relieved from the unCasiness and stagna-
tion which must exist while the question was
pending.
Mr.. Morgan said ho would vote for even
ing sessions in order to get some time for the
consideration of other matters which were
also entitled to the attention of congress.
Much was said about the anxiety of
tho business interests of the coun-
try for action on this tariff bill He OBJ
served that the senator from Pennsylvania
| (AIr. Cameron) had presented large number
of patent inside" petitions against tariff re-
duction. The fact that three or four thou
sand gentlemen should be able to arrive
simultaneously Mt so exact n concurrence OF
opinion on a complicated question like this
and should all be prepared to present theil
conclusion on certain morning through the
| hands of single senator, was one OF the most
remarkable events in American history. But
for the result of the recent elections the senate
wonld not have had opportunity to vote on
any tariff reduction bill at this session. Sen
ators on the other side understood now
however, that the people demanded thor
ough reform of the system, and they were at
| tempting to meet the popular demand by
pushing through this bill, based upon the yer
dict of'a packed jury, the tariff commission
but they would find that the people could no
be hoodwinked in this way.
The senator from Vermont (Mr. Morrill,
had presented n statement of reductions o
duties proposed in this bill, but the farmers
and the consumers generally would find OF
scanning that list, that their interests were
diligently overlooked. There would be nj
real reform of the tariff until the people
should rise again in their majesty and de
mand il directly This bill was n delusion,
whited sepurchre, and il would be discussed
item by item until the foul remains of combi
nation, conspiracy and fraud were drawn ou
of IL and laid open before the people.
Mr.. Merrill said he had confined himself, 81
far to bare statements of fact avoiding nj
general debate on this tariff question, and III
would adhere to that course, though strongl,
tempted by Mr.. Morgan's speech, TO dcpar
from it. 1t was incorrect TO say that the pro
posed reductions would not benefit the far
NOR and other consumers. There were re
ductions of duty on salt, cotton and woolc'
goods, silks, iron and sugar, all articles con
sumed in every household.
As to discussion, he had no desire to proven
it, but he would like to have an arrangement
made by which the bill could be disposed o
this week.
Mr.. Beck was willing TO sit rs early and q
late as the chairman Of the committee (MT
Morrill) desired, but he objected to any limit
alton of debate. The senate was only on tn
Threshold of this bill. After nearly tw
weeks labor il had reductions amounting t.
about $S00,O00 and increases ton the gas
schedule) of about $74S,000. In tho meta
schedule, the next to be discussed, there wa
no reduction, but, ON the contrary, an abso
lutte increase, and unless this could be reduced
there was no hope of reduction in the cot
ton schedule. According to the best calcula
ton he could mako there was an increase o
nearly S1,000,0O0 in the schedule last named
and he believed that the increase in tn
metal schedule was even greater than the es
innate OF the bureau of statistics-l73S pc
cent. Prohibition, undor the guise of pro
lection, was the object of the trainers Of thi
bill, especially in this schedule, and the,
must mako up their minds to have
} discussed item by item. A bill woul
undoubtedly pass, not the senate
but worse one, which would b
agreed upon by committee of conference
-Four men, the conierees, would make the bill
The leading conierecs on both sides would b
gentlemen who claimed to be the fathers
} of protection--the senator from Vermont (Ml
, Morrill) for the senate, and the representa-
tive from Pennsylvania (Mr Kelley for tn
house. The senator from Delaware on
Bayard) would be put at the tail of the sen
ate committee OF conference, and the gentle
man from Kentucky Mr. Carisle) at the tn
of the house COMMITTEES, but neither would
consulted, and the bill would be made up
the worst portions Of the senate and the hous
hills