Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-13
THE NATIONS CAPITOL
Hot and Heavy Political Discus
Si0nS in the Senate.
Senator George Tries to Defend
the Fisheries Treaty.
Under Court Claims the Senate Debates
the Paying Of Old Bills.
The Committee on Pensions Find Their
Report Containing the Presidents
YetoeS In Demand.
The Value of the Wool Industry az Al
fected by the Tariff
The Value of the Wool Industry az Al
fected by the Tariff
WAsHIsGroS, July IL.
Senate.

report on tne cOmmlttee on pensions In the
case of the seven vetoed pension bills, was
the text of some political discussion.
Cockreli moved an amendment to print
100, 900 extra copies of the Presidents vetoes.
Hawley made vigorous attack on the
President for his vetoes and the reflections
made in them ON Congress.
Blair said the President had vetoed quite
/ as good bills as those he had approved.
Taken as a whole the vetoed cases were
cases of absolute merit. The vetoes were
outrages on the rights of American citizens.
Many of the veto messages were libels upon
Congress, the offences for which men in
men in private life would assail each other
at least in the courts.
Butler replied to Blair. He said that if
there had been any incumbrance, any incu-
bus on the sensible, respectable, orderly dis
charge of the duties of the Senate, it had
been in the person of the senator from New
Hampshire and the measures he introduced
The debate was kept up hot and heavy for
some time. Finally Blair said he did not
| quite understand what the senator meant by
| insinuatng that the senator from New
Hampshire was a demagogue. The senator
from New Hampshire was not traitor and
was not indebted for his life to the mercy of
his country. If he (Blair) had offered meas
ures in the Senate WHICH had not met with
the approval of the senator from South
Carolina, he had only to say that if the
measure which he supposed the senator had
iii his mind (the educational bill) had been
the law of the land quarter of a century
ago, there would have been free men and a
free ballot in the southern part of the coun-
try as well as in the north, and the institu-
tons of America would not have been
threatened with destruction by an unsuc-
cessful rebellion which planted itself under
the forms of government and boasted that it
was doing its work under the old flag
referring to the allusion by Butler to his
(Blair's) courage, he remarked that while he
claimed no excess of courage, he never ex-
pected to be called on to exhibit even ordi-
nary courage of senator or civilian; he
wouldn't shrink from any test, probably,
which the senator from South Carolina might
seek to subject him to without disposing of
the subject. The Senate at two o'clock pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the fisheries
treaty in open executive session, addressed
by George in favor of its ratification.
He said the question of the ratification or
rejection has already been settled in secret
caucus on the other side of the chamber
The treaty has been predestned to rejection
for reasons unknown to the world.
court claims, claims of laoorers, workmen
and mechanics employed under the govern
ment since June 25, 1868, for excess of Ia
bors over eight hours fixed by the law of that
date as a total days work. The bill was dis
cussed by Cockrell Blair, Payne, Vest, and
others.
Blair said it was estimated the cost under
the bill would be from s. ,000, 900 to 81 ,000,-
900.
Dawes favored the reference of the mat
ter to the accounting officers of the Treas
ury. Many of these claims were for very
small amounts and the men shouldn't be
compelled to institute suits. He would IA
vor law directing the accounting officer of
the Treasury to audit these claims, apprOpri-
ating a sufficient amount to pay them. With
out action the Senate adjourned till to-
morrow.
House.
Cox of New York said that the Italians
were coming into the country at the rate of
80 900 year under influences that should
be inquired into. There had come into New
York in one month so 900 men who did not
know our language and who added nothing
to our wealth and labor. The resolution was
adopted.
The House then went into the committee
of the whole under the agreement that no
vote be taken on the pending wool schedule
today. Pugsley of Ohio opposed the sched-
ule, claiming that it would destroy the sheep
growing industry and incidentally make un-
available much of the poor land of the coun-
try. The duty on wool should be increased,
and if it were done there would be in the
country 100 ,000, 600 sheep instead of 4O,O0,-
600 and two million growers instead of one
million.
Morse of Massachusetts criticised the
action of the republican party in the House
in refusing to make any revision of the tar
if, efusing to allow the democrats to make
any revision.
He was not free trader nor an enemy of
the American laborer, yet he favored a re-
vision of the tariff. If this bill was the only
measure before the House to reduce the
surplus and decrease taxation, he gave it his
hearty support. He favored placing wool on
the free list, contending that the grower
would find a larger market and better price
than he did now because of the consequent
increased manufacture of wooden goods. 1t
was ridiculous to charge that the pending
bill would prove destructive to business in
terests or that the President would be in
favor of bill that would destroy the indus
tries of his country to the advantage of Eng
auus he bhi "Ouiu nave no SUCH erect,
but would help all classes and all industries
Mckinney of New Hampshire spoke of
the value of sheep growing for the purpose
of improving poor land. There were three
profits from sheep. First, from the wool
second, from the mutton; third, from fer
tilizing properties. In the face of this fact
the House was asked TO place a high pro-
tective tariff on wool, that Ohio farmers
might have better profit, although he had
three profits already. Placing wool on the
free list would make cheaper clothes, be-
cause it would enable American manufactar-
ers to compete on an equality with foreign
manufacturers.
Caswell of Wisconsin, Bothman of Ohio,
and Brewer of Michigan, protested against
placing wool on the free list, and claimed it
would destroy the industry.
Dockery of Missouri, controverted the ar
gument that free wool would destroy the
wool growing interest. During the high tar
i'll period, from 1867 to 1888, there were va
rying degrees of wool production, depending
not upon the tariff rate but upon the great
law of supply and demand.
Allen of Michigan, said the country could
and would produce all the wool needed if it
were given a chance. The democrats pro-
tected all the products of the country south
of Mason and Dixcn's line, and in the same
breath charged the republicans with section
alism. If they believed that they could
strike at Michigan through her great staples,
salt, lumber and wool, with impuniry, they
would learn better at the coming election.
Dingley of Maine said that if under free