New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-01
THE BATTLE ONLY BEGUN.
TELLING SHOTS AGAINST THE PREMIERS'
PECULIAR BILL

PECULIAR BILL
rur nruocRArs PURSUE POLICY OF MIsREPRE-
sEHTATIoN -ATTENPTs TO MIsouoTE
Mr. BLAINE-DEBATrNG THE
LUMBER CLAUSE
WASHINGTON, May 31-The real battle over the
tariff began in the House to-day, and so far as the
onening struggle was concerned the Republicans
had the better of it. The Republicans. of course
wmld like to have the bill fairly considered: the
Democrats would like TO have the orders OF secret
caucus nrevail. That is the difference between
the majority and minority Of the House. A feat
ure Of the days proceedings showed that Mr..
Breckenridge. of Kentucky, is ignorant OF the his
tory of legislation or that he is willing to try to
deceive the House. He introduced. with good
deal Of dramatic pretence, what he said was an ex
tract from a speech delivered by Mr.. Blaine in the
House twenty years ago. in favor of free lumber
Tie was asked by Major Mckinley whether the
speech was not made on proposition 10 impose
on internal revenue tax on lumber. Breckenridge
renlied that he did not know. to which Major Nc
Kinley responded
We'll. them will assert that it was speech
on that proposition The bill did not pertain to
customs duties
Later in the day Major Mckinley took the floor.
explained the provisions of the bill on which Alr.
Blaine did make the speech and showed that
breckenridge had tried either ignorantly or will
fully to mislead the House. and misstate MIR.
Blaine's position A good many Democrats who
believe in fair play expressed the opinion that 1t
would be better for Mr. Breckenridge hereafter to
be sure Of his facts and his history.
THE CAUCUs-MILLs-TARIFF BILL ON VIEW.
Mr. Randall, with a pleasant and expectant
smile on his face, cleared the way for the threat
ened debate under the ivc-minute rule on the
Caucus Mills-Tariff bill by recommitting the Leg
islative Appropriation bill for amendment. I'M
mediately thereafter the Premier and his fol
lowers began to realize the task before them. 1t
happened that the very first lines of the first
section of the bill brought up the lumber question
In which Maine was so deeply interested. The
result was an immediate demand for discussion
by the New-Engand members TO avoid the gag
attempted policy Of the Democratic caucus, various
measures had to be resorted to, such as changing
the month or year when the law would go into
effect, but the result was most Wholesome dis-
cussion and an effective exposure OF Democratle
Ignorance on many questions upon when taey nso
no little Misrepresentation. Mr.. Becldnridge, Of
Kentucky, had read an old speech OF Mr. Blalne's
when he was a member OF the House, and when
proposition pending to put an lnternai rev
enue tax on domestic lumber. Mr.. Blaine's earn
est denuncaton of this project was taken 10 Apply
TO the levyinS ct customs duty on i95elga lun
reformeTs To direct questions whether these re-
marks applied to internal external taxation, Mr.
Breckenridge responded that ne qua not Know th i
the speech was one made on the Scbenck tariff Dill
and he would put in the whole record If the HOUSE
desired. Nir buchanan, Of New Jersey, showed by
the Of af aT OF tine sbt S
have known, if he did not name ~, that at the
time. Mr.. Blaine, made this speech there was g
tariff on foreign lumber substantially as now and
Mr. Blaines remarks applied only
to internal revenue taxes
Mr. REED soUELCHEs Mr.. CULTIVATE
An equally inexcusable Misrepresentation was
made by Mr. Cultivate, Of Ohio. who quoted from
census tables to show that lumbermen made from
$3.50 to $500 on the thousand dollars of capital
invested and that their laborers only received
from $3.50 to $500 year.
Mr. Reed replied that fortunately there was a
of truth to be applied to the falla-
ccS of figures. Every one who exercised his COM
mon sense knew that there was no manufacturing
long established, extending wide
areas OF country and not covered by patents which
paid anything like the returns stated by the
gentleman from ONO And his statement OF the
looked the fact that they worked
only few months in the year at numbering, and
the rest Of the time were employed at other vo-
cations.
DO you mean to answer my argument % MIR.
Outhwaite shouted.
" Your what ?" said Mr.. Reed
"Oh. you call that an argument do you %
said Mr.. Reed, amid great laughter and APP
plause on the Republican side. lie added that
there could be no better illustration of the grevous
condition Of the country than this-that gentlemen
who applauded preposterous figures, such as those
presented by the gentleman from Ohio Alr. Outh-
waite, were undertaking in caucus to regulate
the industrial interests of the country.
In response to Mr.. Bayne's declaration that the
bill had been drawn on sectional lines, and that
it infinitely worse than the Morrison bill in
that respect, Mr.. McMillin asked whether Maine
did not import Canadian labor to
cut timber
Mr. Mlliken-I answer no they do not.
Nj. McMilln-You say what is not correct; you arc
mlslnformed.
Mr.. Boutee-why does the Canadian laborer como
over herel What influences him?
Mr.. McMn-Climatc influences Derisive laugh
ter on Republican sdc).
Mr.. Boutele-I wish to inform the gentleman from
Tennessee that the Canadian does over the line
1t is because he gets better wages here.
Mr. Anderson, Of IowaWhy, then, doesn't Maine depop
ulae Canada
Mr. Boutee-she is doing as the law allows
When the Committee of the Whole arose, the
first five lines of the bill had not been passed
over.