Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-04
THE NATIONS CAPITOL
Step by Step the House Proceeds
with the Tariff Bill
Scott Talks Politics to Indifferent Listen
eTS.
Amendments to the Pcst-office Bal Non
concurTed in.
Scott Talks Politics to Indifferent Listen
WASHINGTON, July 3.
House.

Mr.. Blount, chairman of the committee on
postoffices, and postroads, submitted the post
office appropriation bill with the Senate
amendments. Among the amendments IN
which non-concurrence is recommended is
that of appropriating $500 900 to enabis the
postmaster general to provide more efficient
mail service between the United States and
South and Central America and the West
Indies; also that fixing the rate of postage
on seeds and bulbs at two cents per poumd.
The recommendations were agreed TO and
the committee of conference ordered. Or
dered, that when the House adjourn today
it be to Thursday. Ii was also agreed that
the tariff bill should not be called up on
| Thursday.
The House then went into committee Of
the hole on the tariff bill.
Mckinley moved to increase from So to
S6.I5 per ton the duty on pig iron. He saii
the proposed reduction would have veG
Injurious effect upon the pig iron industry.
The motion was lost.
Mckinley moved to restore the present
real duty on iron railway bars weighing
more than 20 pounds to the yard. This mo.
ton was lost.
McMllin moved to strike out the clause
imposing duty of Sll per ton on slabs and
blti Us OI etttt dHu ItStott Pitstht law
of IS per cent. This was agreed to.
Mottitt of Pa. moved to increase from $50
to s22 per ton the duty on charcoal bloom
iron. He spoke of the existing depression in
the iron industries of Lake Champlain Dis
trict and the danger of the utter destruction
of those industries should the proposed re-
duction of duty be agreed to. Lost.
Mckinley moved to restore the existing
rates on iron. This motion was also advo
Gated by Barrows.
bayne of Pa. in supporting the motion
made political speech opposing the reduc-
ton of the tariff and favoring the repeal of
IN tobacco tax and tax on alcohol used i'll
arts.
scott of Pa. charged the Republican party
with having deserted its platform of 1884 for
the revision of the tariff aud going before
the country in 1888 on a principle 1t never
before advocated under the cry of American
protection for American markets, for Ameri-
can industry and labor, That the Republican
party proposed to carry Oh a tarf system
which would protect 100000 wage workers
as against $1,000 900 wage workers.
Reed of Maine twitted Scott on his alb
sence and informed him that those questions
had all been discussed and the house was
perfectly acquainted with them.
Scott criticised Reed for having pursued
his usual method of turning . serious ques-
tion into a Joke. He said 100000 laborers
had been thrown out of work the past week
in protected industries which the republicans
stood up to defend. These laborers had
been driven out because their employers al
tempted to make 10 rer cent. reduction III
wages. Why should the manufacturers of
Pruusyl anna demand their men 10 submit to
this reduction. Was not there republican
Senate having the power to pigeon hole the
larin bill Or keep it in the committee for all
time.
After the debate had run on for some time
Bland OF Missouri appealed in behalf OF nine
tenths of the members of the house who
wanted to proceed with their business and get
through with this bill before dog days ~ho were
tired of hearing these political discussions.
which began three months ago, aud repeated
day in aud day out until there was nothing
rev under the sun to say about it, 1t would
be tn. middle of next week before the bill
would come up again.
Bayne of Pennsylvania attempted to in
terrupt Bland, who declined with the remark
"Pittsburg is notorious for coal gas and
natural gas
Bland's appeal proved Intellectual and for
an hour an old threadbare discussion ran on
as to the respective position of the two par
ties on the tariff question and as to the ques-
ton whether or not protective tariff was
benefit to the farming community.
Finally Mekneys motion was voted
down 81 to 20.
So~den of Pennsylvania moved to fix the
duty on iron or steel rails weighing not over
% pounds to a yard, at Sl7.92 cents per ton,
and ON iron or steel fiat rails, punched, at
$50 lG. The motion was lest.
On motion of Breckenridge of Arkansas
duty of four-tenths of cent per pound was
imposed on iron or steel fiat with longitud-
ina ribs for the manufacture of fencing.
Dockery of Missouri said that "han Con
gress assembled in December it was con-
fronted with surplus of 79,466,000. To-
day, notwithstanding the purchase of s26,-
00O, 900 worth of bonds by the treasury, the
surplus amounted to Sl29,2 ,272 900 Yet the
House occupied 2S days in general debate on
the tariff bill. At the same rate of progress
it would require to complete the bill SO days.
Fair play to the business interests of the
country required the bill to be speedily
passed and sent to the Senate.
Having completed the consideration of
four pages of the bill the committee rose and
a conference was ordered on the river and
harbor appropriation bill, and the House ad-
journed till Thursday.
General Congressional News
i L.. Il.