New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-19
FREE TRADE ON TRIAL.
CROWDS LISTEN TO THE TARIFF DEBATE
RANDALL OPPOSES THE BILL-MKISLEY's GREAT
observation-disclosures RHETORICAL
FLIGHTs-BRITIsH BLANKETS
FOR AMERICAN

Observation-Disclosures RHETORICAL
FLIGHTS BRITISH BLANKETS
FOR AMERICAN
SOLDIERS.
IhY TELEGRAPH To THE rRfBrNEt
| washington. May 1s.-Long before noon today the
sencs OF the House and tho adjacent passages were
PACKED with men and women who had como to listen
70 the tarf debate Tho lively interest felt by them.
IN tno subject as well in the who discussed it,
was shown By the fact that for six hours the crowd
neid Its ground In close, uncemortabe atmosphere,
although hundreds compelled to stand. 1t was
known beforehand that Mr. Randall would give the
reasons for his opposition to the Administration bin,
| that Major Mckinley would attack tho measure, and
mat Colonel Brechnriago Of Kentucky, expected
oy It's fncnds to bring to bear all tho powers Of elo
quonce to rcanmate the dropping spirits of the Free
traders and deal with the recslcltrant Democratic
leader ana his followers.
Whom Mr.. Randall to speak at IL O'Clock, he
began to address an audience large that Of yes
terday. His face showed traces OF illness and his
voice was weak and lnaudlbe to members the Re-
publican sde and visitors In the nearest galleries were
unable to hear him. The FORMER found seats the
Democratic side, and Mills, the Brccknrdges and
| other frco-trade leaders gathered around him. Mr..
RANDALL possesses none Of the superficial graces OF
oratory and is absolutely destitute of any sort Of
anectation His power is shown only in decision and
energy OF voice and expression and II at tho
weakest to-day. Yet he held tho attention of the
House for nearly wo hours he in feeble
and without a gesture An Argument against the
revenue policy Of the Administration and in favor Of
the protective system Mr.. Rsndalrs voice
weak, but his utterances strong and significant,
and moro than once he was, rewarded with applause
oy Republicans as well as by Democrats who OPP
posed to the Cleveland-Mls British policy. He ex
plaincd and advocated the provisions Of the bill
offered by him. and then ho dissected and exposed
In keen and merciless manner the absurdities and
RrnIt Itieq ~ the Dark opfar
declared, would aggravate existing inequalities and
Increase rather than reduce the revenues While ne
was In the middle Of this tack his hour expired.
THE PREMIERs" DIsCoUHTEsY REBUKED
Mr. Bggs, Of California, asked that Mr.. Randall be
allowed to proceed. Then up rose PREMIER Mills,
who had been wincng and growing moro angry with
eyory sentence. IL object" shouted tho flushed and
irate Texan This was palpably unjust that men
on both sides loudly protested and appealed Mills
to withdraw his objection. al will not do 1t. mean
to draw tho line right here7 ne screamed Then was
heard the clean ringing voIce Of Major Mckinley, who
was to follow Randall: al yield fifteen minutes Of my
tms'
This generous Offer was rewarded with storm of
applause, before which the doughty Texan was seen
10 recoil g. s. Cox, who enjoyed the indulgence of
the House yesterday tried to appeal for fair play
but his voice drowned In the confusion Then
Breckinrdge, OF Kentucky, who to follow Nc
Kinley and who realized that the Premier had
made mess OF 10, appealed to be heard.
Il would have been through by this time,n exclaimed
Randall, who kept his feet and knew that precious
time was being wasted IN the wrangle. Mills, who
had set the House by the ears did seem to know
what to do. At last BreckinrIdge got hearing and
proposed that Mr.. Randall be allowed to finish his
speech, tho time to be deducted equally from that
allotted to himself and Mr. Mckinley. Even Mills
dared not object to that.
In concluding his speech Mr.. Randall declared that
m order
laton, that the Constitution does authorize the levy
Ing OF duties means of protecting home industries
and that the. Democratic party has departed from It's
earlier and better traditions this subject. Hi.
last sentence a blow square between tho
eyes of the Southern free trade Democrats and
1t created a decided sensation, for it was
spoken In strong voice. In substance he said
When read the history Of my country, when
consider tho past and reflect tho future, cannot
believe that the Ideas which down In the great
convulsons Of the Civil War Will again dominate
this country" This from tho Dcmoc ratio leader who
was instrumental in defeating the Force b'years ago
and who has been sturdy friend Of the South, was as
unexpected as 1t was forcible. 1t was natural for
Colonel Breckenridge to express as he did, profound
regrep at hearing what re styled Mr. Randsls "last
Words.' The truth Is that of Mr. RandalPs |
words give the free traders any comfort They fairly
WINGED when he declared and proved that the effect OF
somo Of the provisions OF the bill would be to pro- |
tect foreign manufac cturers against American manu-
facturers and workngmon-"
TREADING ON THE ADMINISTRATION TOES
When Mr.. Randall sat down, there the Re
publican side man from whom much expected, |
and who did not dsappoint either the friends OPP
ronents Of the bill Major Mckinley is a debater
whom the free traders fear as well as respect and
upon whom the friends Of the protective system always
lean with confidence His opening marked with
moderation Of tone and statement which has made
him SO great force in tho tariff discussions. After
pointing out many of the incmgruities Of the bill.
showing that the farmer Is struck right and left,
while tho cottnn-plsntsr is favored, and dwelling on
the solicituds shown for the welfare Of the gentle
moonshiner' Major Mckinley referred to the efforts
OF the Administration to force the bill through the
House and said:
1t Is openly declared that for every sowdon there
Is an Allentown Ho then went on to draw glow
ing picture Of tho prosperity Of the country under the
protective system He deprec aed the attempt Of tho
PRESIDENT and his adherens to provoke antagonlsms
between producers, so-caled and consumers, whose
interests, ne declared, Identical Major Mckinley
then read several letters written by wordngmen, and
Dy the officers OF workngmens organizations, in oppo-
AiVon 10 the bill. Another letter he produced was
from Paterson manufacturer, who Is large stock
holder IN like mandatory in Ireland
This manufacturer wrote that the pay-rols Of the
Paterson mill and the Irish mill for the same month
dher only $500 in amount. Tho number Of opera
tives In the Paterson mill 14o0, and in the Irish
mill 1900. Major Mckinley continued: IL am for
hee trade and shall be ready for free trade when
sver the European standard Of wages reaches the Amer
lean standard Of wages
Major Mckinley then took up Mills's pathetic story
about the poor workingman and his $40 suit OF
clothes. "Thc trouble with that story no said, was
that the $40 suit does not S2o Mr. Mills stated
It can b. bought at retail here for Slo'
MAJOR MCKINLEY TEACHES AN OBJECT LESSON
" Not ct my sors,' quoth Leopold Morse, the cloth
Ing merchant Congressman from Massachusetts, Who
stood near by. whereupon Major Mckinley drew
bundle from beneath bis desk, opened It, ana dlsplayea
suit Of all wool clothing Then he read bill show
Ing that this suit Of clothes bought from Mr.
Norses store In Boston for s1o within the last fort
night