Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-18
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
TARIFF TALK IN THE SENATE.
Brought on by the Action of the Repnb.
Ncan Caucus.
LEGISLATIVE BILL IN THE HOUSE.
The Senate.

adopted) calling on the Secretary of the Treas
ury for information as to appointments or pro-
motions in the customs service (other than
laborers) since LIST of March last.
EVENING SESSIONS OF THE SENATE.
The resolution for evening sessions was taken
up and an amendment offered to it by Mr..
Morrill, providing that (until otherwise orderedD
the daily hour of meeting of the Senate be II
am, and that at $40 each day a recess be
taken till pm.
MIR. VEST OPPOSES THE RESOLUTION.
MIR. Vest opposed the resolution. He fully
appreciated the present condition of affairs
considered from political standpoint DEM
ocratic Senators who were not members of the
finance committee could not have been famil-
lar with the details of the tariff bill, and had
had no time to examine the schedules. 1t was
SIMPLY out OF the question that they could do
so. On account of the sickness of Mr.. Beck
work had been devolved ON some other demo-
cratic Senators that was Tksome, but that
had to be performed. And now the PROPOSE
tion to change the hour of meeting, and to
hold evening sessions, was simply Gf Senators
were to do justice to the details of the bil cruel
and outrageous. For his part he could not
agree to it and would not agree to it.
He was not disposed to make factious opposi-
ton to the bill. All he wanted, and all that
Senators on his side wanted, was fair and le-
Sitiludte ana ulSCusSlOu. luey ulu
not propose that the bill should go through, as
matter of course; but, on the other hand,
they did not propose to use any unfair or un-
parliamentary means to delay it minute. But
If Senators on the other side wanted to force
them to sit day and night, he declared that
they could not do it. He wanted the matter
TO be disposed OF IN that spirit OF fairness and
friendship which should characterize such a
great and important discussion.
MIR. MORRILL, REPLIES.
MIR. Morrill, said that the only purpose of the
resolution was to enable the Senate to do the
business of the session in an intelligent and
proper manner. He did not believe that there
ever had been tariff bill presented in the Sen
ate that had received such special attention as
the pending measure had received. This was
short session. The regular appropriation
bills would require much of its time. 1t was
therefore indispensable that the tariff bill be
got out of the way. There was no disposition
on the part of Senators on his side of the
chamber to take any advantage of Senators on
the other side. The object was to give all
necessary opportunity for the discussion and
consideration of the tariff bill.
Mr.. VEST DENIED
that democratic Senators had had an opportu-
nifty to examine the details of the bill. 1t was
an open secret, he said, that the republican
majority in the Senate had determined on hav-
to meet an hour earlier. and to hold
evening sessions. The tari fl bill was to be put
through under whip and spur.
The proposition was unjust and unfair. and
he told Senators on the other side that it could
not be carried out
COMPARING MANUFACTURERS TO HUNGRY DOGS.
Mr.. Vance referred to the hearings given by
the subcommittee of the finance committee to
and their representatives, who
had stood, he said around the door of the COM
just as hungry dogs stand around
a kitchen door waiting for the cook to shake
the table-cloth. The bill had been framed in
their interests-the interests of the consumers
not being consulted nor those of the govern
ment. The $50 witnesses whose testimony had
been published had told the same story with
damnable iteration" about their inability to en-
dure competition, and they desired rates to be
fixed at a certain point. He declared that it
was not fair. proper, just or right to hurry the
tariff bill through by caucus action.
MIR. ALLIsoNs VIEWS.
Mr.. Allison argued that Senators on the other
side had had all due opportunities for consid-
ering the tariff bill and he declared that there
never had been a tariff bill so thoroughly un-
derstood on both i1es of the chamber as the
pending bill was. The House of Representa-
tives, he said, had sent to the Senate resolu-
tion for holiday recess. 1t was perfectly
manifest to him that, if the pending tariff bill
was to go back to the House, and to be con-
sidered by the House, it would have to go
teere early in the month of January. 1t was
also manifest that if the bill was not finished
OF February 1t would have to be laid aside, in
order to have the appropriation bills proceeded
with.
House of Representatives.
Mr.. Springer Qll.) stated that he would not
call up the territorial bills to-day. There
would be meeting of the committee on terri
tories tomorrow, and it would then be deter
mined when these measures would be consid-
cred.
THE LEGIsLATIyE APPROPRIATION BILL.
There was a brief contest between Mr..
Blanchard Ga.) in charge of the river and
harbor BILL and Mr.. Randall pa }, in charge
of the legislative appropriation bill, for the
precedence OF their respective measures, Mr..
Randall being successful, and the House pro-
ceeding in committee of the whole Mr.. .Blount,
OF Ga, in the chair to the consideration of his
bill. There was no interruption in the reading
OF the bill until Mr.. Holman Gnd.) offered an
increasing the number of messen-
gers on the soldiers rolr' of the House from
IA to 20.
Mr.. Cannon 0ll.) thought that the effect of
this amendment might have the effect of break
ing down the rule which prevented the dis
charge Of any of the old soldiers now upon the
roll. The Fifty-frst Congress might be relied
upon to do full justice to Union soldiers.
Mr.. Holman-Maybe you will and maybe you
will not.
Mr.. Cannon-We will be subject to criticism
If we fail to perform our duty.
MR. REED ASKS WHY
Mr.. Reed QMe.) sarcastically inquired why
the gentleman from Indiana had waited from
the Forty-seventh to the Fifty-frst Congress to
offer his patriotic measure.
Mr.. Holman-If the measure is right what
difference does it make?
Mr.. Reed-Why were you not SO anxious in
the interval?
Mr.. Henderson Qowa)-How many of the
soldiers to be benefited by the amendment are
from Indiana2
Mr.. Holman-None that know of.
Mr.. Henderson, understand that all of them
are.
Mr.. Holman-One of the one-legged soldiers
on the roll is from my district. Do you object
to that?
Mr.. Henderson-Oh! no.
In response to a remark by Mr.. Holman, Mr..
Cannon suggested that in the Old Testament
it was said that il is not every one that will
enter into the Kingdom.
That is In the New Testament, corrected o
number of democrats, and the laugh was
directed against Mr.. Cannon until he turned it
with an expression Of delight at finding 20
many of his democratic friends read the Bible.
Mr.. Cannon said that il the gentleman from
Indiana would offer an amendment increasing
the soldiers roll for the present session, he
would not oppose it