The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-07
FORTY.EIGHTH CONGRESS.


IL tne Senate To-Day Nlr. bayaro ana Obners
presented memorials favoring the suspension
OF the coinage of the silver dollar.
Mr.. Cockrell introduced bill to facilitate
the negotiation of bills OF lading and other com
mercial instruments and 10 punish frauds
therein. 1t was referred.
The bill for free bridge across the Potomac
river vas taken up.
A substitute for the original bill was report
ed by Mr.. Aldrioh having the unanimous sup
port of the Senate committee on the District
of Columbia providing for the purchase of the
aqueduct bridge if it can Do bought for sum
not to exceed 1925 coo. The substitute was
passed without division.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman the Senate
agreed to attend in body Saturday eight, the
ceremonies of unveiling the statue of Chiei
Justice Marshall in the capitol grounds.
The consideration Of the shipping bill was
thsn resumed and Mr.. Vance addressed the
Senate in support of the Vest amendment
providing for free ships and free material
1t was an absurd attempt to keep up the
wages of labor by protective tariff while the
population OF Europe, Asia, Africa and tn;
islands of the sea were pouring into our coun'
try and II foreign pauper did not come here
voluntarily to compete with American labor
he was sent for and brought across the ocean
Mr.. Vance read from statistics to show the
reduction OF our wheat exports within few
years owing to the development by England Of
wheat culture in India induced by our high
protective tariff.
Mr.. Hoar asked whether the sudden deve
opment of wheat culture in IDdia was not due
to the recent completion OF the large railroad
system in India and whether Mr.. Vance
thought that England would quit railroad
building and wheat growing in India il we re-
duced our tariff
Mr.. Vance replied that if our duties were
brought down to a reasonable point he be-
lieved our exports would keep every farmer in
the country busy.
Mr. Voorhees, favored the bill and opposed
the Vest amendment. Free ships he said
meant free ira le. Oar navigation laws had
been 80 years On our statute books and the
Democratic party had had the administration
of those laws for 4S years. He did not there
fore see why he as Democrat should pc ex-
pected all of sndden and without any convo.
cation of the saints or archdeacoGs of the
party to subscribe to the repeal of those laws
as measure of party featy. Free ships
would put all the shipping of the United
States in the hands of England, an unfriendly
power. II we are to have free trade we should
begin with salt and other articles which the
American and in favor of protecting American
labor.
After remarks by Messrs. Plumb and Bay.
ard the amendment of Mr.. Vest as modified
by that of Mr.. Mcpherson was put to a vote
and lost, yeas 20, rays 81.
Mr.. Vest submitted an amendment to be
printed, giving the Circuit Court full power tC
remove the shipping commissioner, provided
for in the bill aud requiring that the scale OF
fees prescribed by ans ldm sat sh Ill be hung
up in conspicuous place in the shipping con-
mlssiouer's office.
Pending further action the Senate adjourned
HOUSE.
The House at 10 went into committee oil
the whole, Mr.. Cox OF New York in the chair
on the tariff bill.
Mr.. Brown of Pennsylvania spoke in support
of the protective system of taxation
Mr.. Townsheud of Illinois quoted from the
ventions to show that the party had always
been in favor OF tariff reform and had always
declared for a revenue tariff.
Mr. Gibson OF West Virginia said he was
sorry that the bill was not in such form as tc
do justice to his State. He vas unwilling
however, to enter into a coalition with the
Republican party to Distract wise and patriotic
legislation by the Democratic majority, bui
would trust to the wisdom, honesty, good sense
and coed faith of the friends of the measure
to do exact justice to his ate and exact ,stice
to all sections.
Mr. Randall Of Pennsy lvania then took the
floor in opposition to the bill.
For one he Was emphatically opposed to any
such suicidal policy. 1t would be madness fol
any party to pursue it. 1t was submitted t.,
every members judgment TO apply an heroic
remedy to this bill or to let it linger out q
sickly existence, bearing in its wake business
confusion and general bankruptcy 1t was not
based on any sound principle. There had
been apologies for IL, but no defence. 1t was
guessed that it might reduce the surplus reve.
nue., but nobody pretended to speak with Ger.
tainty. There was no attempt for an adjust
ment of the tariff, but it Sliced reckless of the
injury it might do to certain interests and
industries as well as to the revenue. A hori.
Zontal reduction afforded no remedy, but on
the contrary, it made worse what was bad be.
fore, and it was either palpable confession OF
Inability to handle the intricate problem 81
issue or else rash eagerness to do what was AT
once uncalled for, uhwise and unfortunate. II
appeared to be an agitation only for the sake
of agitation, which was always mistake. II
was the clear dictate of common sense to have
waited until the effect OF the last tariff bill
could have been learned and thus saved from al
passion and turbulence of q Presidential cleo.
ton question in which the pablo welfare is
SO deeply concerned, aud which if possible
should never be made purely partisan issue
The House was invited here to choose between
firm first step toward free trade or TO wait to
reform the tariff until such time as the Demo
cratic party should build on the principles
expressed in the Ohio platform. He had no
difficulty in choosing between the two lines oil
public policy. and he chose for his people and
for his own country. He did this in the full
assurance that free trade would bring nothing
but disaster and ruin, while the prin-
ciples expressed in the Ohio declara-
ton would bring prosperity, happiness
and a higher order of civilization.
Would it not bs wiser to defer consideration OF
SO important question until the country had
passed through the excitement of the Presi-
dental struggle and until some information
could be secured as to the working of the tar
if bill of 1888? Then real reform measures
could be adopted which would remain undis
turbed for years and would be safe, steady and
universally accepted. Though this subiec,
ought not to involve any question of party ale.
glance it might be well to consider how far its
agitation might advance or retard the march
to victory of the great Democratic party. The
Southern States alone we're inadequate to sue.
cess and which OF the Northern States was
likely to accept the new dispensation. He
would speak plainly and utter his fears 4ven
in the presence of his political enemies Take
the four great States Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The
census showed more than ], 1906 900 persons were
engaged in manufacture in those four great
commonwealth. Did the gentlemen believe
that reduction of wages was factor in win
ming the support of those people and especially
when Republican orators backed by a power.
full press would thunder in their ears the state.
ment that the Democratic party had been the
main cause Of that reduction? He begged the
gentlemen to ponder these things and not light.
ly dismiss them.
Mr.. Blackburn of Kentucky spoke in fayo,
of the bill He cared not what the gentlemen
might say about free trade and the ultimate
purpose of the Democratic party here. That
was not the issue. There was no man propos
ing free trade, and there was no free trade in
this bill. 1t was proposition to limit taxation
OF the people to the demands Of the govern
ment, and man who voted to strike out tbs
enacting clause declared to the people and the
country that he was not willing to have the
tariff revised, taxation reduced, and the sur
plus revenue abated. (Applause.) A mar
who voted to strike out the enacting clause
admitted to the country and to the world that
he dare not face the Issue either of revision
of the tariff or reduction of taxation even or
the terms which be himself might offer Zap
plause)
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa closed the debate in op.
position to the bill in a severe arraignment Of
its provisions, which he declared to be impos.
tariffs of the world to pre.ent provisions Of
enormity and confusion approaching those Of
the pending measure, and asserted that il
wopld require special catechism to answer
the questions which must be asked before any
goods were imported
Mr. Morrison of Illinois closed the debate
with brief anwers to the objections to the bill.
Ii the motion TO strike out the eDacting CLAUSE
be agreed to be said that it would be declara
tlon That tariff taxation you'd be continued
ana the Democratic party would appeal from
the Congress OF the United States to the PEG
pie. Turning 10 Mr.. Randall he said, "You
claim to have the power to stike out the en-
acting clause OF this bill. II you have that
power you have this power to amend this bill
aud make it what it should be-" loud ap
plause on tAe Democratic slde) After few
remarks on the general subject of tariff re-