New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-01
OPENING TARIFF GUNS.
BRISK TALK BY LEADERS. IN TIE HOUSE
A BILL TO RELIEVE A PRsIDENT1AL pooDi
PAssFD-RANDALL's STUDIED WORDS
rny TELEGRAPH TIKI TRIBUNEl


WAsuINGTON Feb. 20.-On the heels OF tre-
m;er. MiIlss announcement this morning that the
handiwork Of the Dark Lantern conlcdera,es
| will he exposed to the keen sunlight OF pupnci,y
Tomorrow came his motion to consider the OIL
tn authorize the Secretary of the Treasury TO Apply
the surplus revenue to the purchase OF oh''eu
States bonds with an amendment providing 'nao
tho bonds so purchased or redeemed shall not DC
held as part Of the sinking fund, but cancelled
and DESTROYED The Premier explained tha'
the authority to buy bonds at present rests OH
provision inserted in q general Appropriation Jaw
in 1881 and that the Executive doubts its SUI
6ciencv Colonel Mills did not say that he shared
this doubt Probably he does not. for he has not
forgotten that all of the partisan legislation
enacted By the Democrats between ! $50 ana loSi
for the benefit OF the Southern buildolcrs anu
ballot box suffers, as well number OF Cther
important measures were carried through Congress
as riders" or appropriation bills. ..a.
OF course, the Republicans would not , Ippdds s
the bill which Mr.. Reed III the course OF inc de,
bate happily and wittily characterized as "A Dlu
to remove the Presidential doubt They were
only 700 glad of the opportunity which the DUH Jun
derina Premier" gave them to expose the true
inwarlness of the recommendation on which the
measl:te is based and to oHer some general on.
the Democratic members of the Ways and Means
Committee during the last iiity days Inc ad-
bate 50 far as the Republicans a were Ksee an
MRinlcy, Mills, Breckinridge, Of Kentucky;
Weave, Randall and Hooker spoke on the Dem
ocratjc side. The Republicans had much the best
of it, for facts and logic were both with them
SCHEME To r IGHTES r ~ COUNTRY.
Major Mckinley, in an eloquent speech, arraigned
the Administration for its failure to keep down
the Accommodations of surplus revenue by eAcr-
cising the undoubted authority which 1t possesses
TO buy bonds He declared In terms that the
failure of the Administration to do this was
evidence of a purpose to frighten the country and
fO ST he assault to he
system OF protection TO American Industries. lie
does not believe that the Presidents alleged doubts
respecting the force of existing laws are shared
by any :, ember OF either branch Of Congress.
Genera Weaver, OF Iowa, Of course, seized the
opportunity TO denounce the National banks and
critcise the policy of the Treasury in ncreasi sing
the number and amount Of deposits in such banks
oil the security of Government bonds
MIR. Reed then took the door and dashed the
GUM and silent Democrats. He interrupted
only by occasional outbursts of Republican APP
plause lie never made more effective speech.
lie declared that there Is a Democratic conspiracy
to break down the protective system Of the country
The Dark Lantern confederates received casti-
CATION which they will long remember. He had
hA I'd rumors that they were engaged In the pref
areton of q revenue bill but far as its details,
or even its general scope concerned, 1t had
been kept a profound secret from the Republican
members Of the Ways and Means Committee. lie
was reminded 1. OF certain passage In the Script
wise and prudent and revealed unto the gentle
men who compose the majority OF the committee"
de could not complain OF the tardy rate Of pro-
grcSS or the long delay because he realized o. at
men who approach tie consideration OF matters
affecting the industrial and manufacturing int.
rests OF the country, from places so distant as
road to travel But the majority Of the House had
been guilty Of wilful delay and neglect of duty,
ana SO had the Ways and Means Commttee-the
former because 1t had not promptly passed bill
TO relieve the financial and business catastrophe
which the President. in his Message three months
cause 1t had allowed that Message to lie on It's
table, neglected and unconsdered for almost two
montha
FIGHTING SHY OF TIE MINE CONGRESSMAN
For the most part the Democrats showed signs
Of distress. but none Of them cared to interrupt
the Maine statesman to measure swords with him.
1t was observed that Mr. Randall and few other
Democrats showed signs of discomfort They
seemed to think that 1t was none of their affair.
Mr. breckenridge, Of Kentucky, WAS put forward
to answer Mr.. Reed His speech was unusually
weak, and he failed, except in one or two pass
ages to arouse any enthusiasm on his own side.
Several tunes he appeared TO be on the verge OF
but he drew back each time. When he reached
the bank Of the stream after long run through
rhetorical bypaths and over boggy places, he Was
brcatheSs and, of course, fell short as he Jumped
OF course Mr. Breckenridge held that the Re
publicans responsible for the surplus, and for
the high premium on Government bonds, fact,
by the way, which he dwelt upon I'm injured
tone. He knew that under Democrat: Admin
istrations before the United States bonds
never reached high premium He complained,
100, DcctuSc tne OONcfUiucnL is paying . per ceut
for money which could be borrowed now for 3
per cent-one elfth the rate paid In the last few
months of Buchanan's administration. Mr.
breckenridge did not atteInD Ut to defend the dark
lantern proceedings Of himself and his associ-
ates, but he promised the Republicans as big
tariff bill as they wished TO consider; n b'll,' he
said, (which will command the votes OF every
Democrat and many Republicans IN the House,
This proclamation made with seeming con-
fdence and apparent earnestneSs, and provoked
applause on the Democratic side.
or course Mr.. Breclinridge could not get
through his speech without having his fling at
the nquitous tariff and that phrase gave
Judge Yelley the text for his reply. He reminded
the Kentucky statesman-who commanded reg
Indiana and Ohio and landed in the State peni-
Tertiary at Columbus-that the South IS RESPONSE
BILE for the great war debt. Judge Kelley also re-
minded the Democrats that they responsible
for the Treasury surplus because they refused
In the last Congress and other Congresses to al
low the majority Of the House to pass bill to re-
peal internal taxes Judge Kelley SPOKE forci6ly
in defence OF the iniquitOus tariff under which
last year more iron was manufa etured in the late
Confederate States than in the whole United States
thirty years ago under " n imocratic pro-slavery
policy and Administration
Mr.. RAVDALLs POLITrc SPEECH.
The Premier yielded ten minutes to Mr.. Ran
dali, and when he rose to speak hush OF cxpecta-
ton pervaded the House Mr. Randall said that
he did not regard the pending measure as neces-
sary. The President had expressed doubt respect
ing his authority under the present law, but no adj
vocate Of the bill had appeared TO assert that he
shared that doubt. From the report IL did not APP
pear that the WAYS and Means Committee felt any
doubt as to the sufiiciency Of the present law But
he did not think Il would 10 any harm to DUPLICATE
the present law If that would satisfy the tXecu-
tive, and therefore be would vote for the bill
Then Mr. Randall made little tariff speech
which contained several significant IFS. I do not
believe that any conspiracy exists {" break down
the protective system" he said, and continued:
" If such consniracv did exist il would be an
utter failure | want to say that no American IN,
dustry Is in danger from the action Of this House"
As Mr.. Randall said this he set his Jaws more
firmly and turning toward Breo kinridgc he said
he had been eiatifed 10 hear that th' majority OF
the Ways and Means Committee had approached
and dealt with the subject e revenue legislation
IN spirit Of fairness and good faith all inter SITS