Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-18
LrH. CoNGKEss-sECoND SESSION.
WASHINGTON, December II, 1883.
senate.

Mr.. Morrill, o1ered a resolution (Which
went over for the presentl to hold evening
sessions hereafter, the Senate to take recess
daily from $50 to s Z. NJ.
AT 12:l0 the President pro tem., Mr.. In
gals. laid before the senate a resolution oil
Mr.. Riddeberger proposing the reOrganlZa-
ton Of the Senate after January lst, and the
author spoke in support OF It. He said It's
object was TO put some other than the Senator
from Kansas in the chair, asserting that he
had been the chief figure IN the most disor-
derly scenes he could recolect occurring on
the senate floor. He said the change was
necessary in order thA: the faith OF the Re.
publican party pledged to the consideration
OF the British extradition treaty In open ses-
sion might be kept.
At the conclusion of his remarks Mr.. Rid
dlebcrgcr asked leave 10 withdraw the reso-
luton, but objection was made by hr. Har-
ris, OF Tennessee. who moved to lay 1t on the
table. and called for the yeas and nays, after
paving high tribute to Mr. lngails's impir-
tialitV and ability. Finally the Senator from
Virginia was permitted TO withdraw his fe-
solution and the Incident closed.
The senate then resumed consideration OF
the tariff bill at Paragraph l41, referring
10 tagger's iron. This paragraph snd the two
preceding ones, on the same subject, were
passed over informally without action. The
next paragraph N4S) was az to "spikes, nuts,
ana washers, and horse. mule, or Oxshoes OF
wrought-ir0n or steel" imposing duty OF
l $40 cents per pound.
Nr. Vest moved to amend by reducing the
rate u cents per pound.
After discussion the amendment was re-
iected-yeas. 10; nays. 2l.
The next paragraph 149) was as 20
"whees or parts thereof made OF iron or
steel. and steel>tired wheels for railway
purposes" (wholly or partly manufactured.
imposing rate OF y cents per pound and OF
Ii cents per pound on ingots for the same
without regard to the degree OF manuisc-
ture.
Mr.. Mcpherson moved TO amend by making
the rate cents aud Il cents per pound re-
spectively.
Mr.. Mcpherson called attention to the fact
that tue Republican senators had abandoned
the idea Of defending the bill on the ground
of protection Of American labor. aud had
taken the ground OF protecting the factory
interests.
Mr.. Edmdnds argued Shat there was
kracticaly no such thing as raw material.
hiking car-wheels 10 weigh 300 pounds and
te be worth so many dollars, 90 per cent. OF
N0I~t uDlitIN IfDlt~fnktu liit AADOi DlL iuhO
ID Whether the result was properly di-
rihed between the aborer and employer
vfs another question which no tsrif could
fix except in the sense that the more Of for.
eign articles that are brought in the less Of
such articles will be produced in the United
States.
Mr. Mcpherson said that nobody denied
that good deal OF labor was involved in the
manufacture Of car-wheels, but after iron
ore, coal, and limestone were mined and
brought together and iron made out OF them
that iron was throttled al the rate OF S6. y a
ton. That, he argued, was far beyond the
relative difference between wages at home
and abroad. American labor was as much
better than foreign labor as the pay was
better.
Mr.. Edmunds disclaimed any intention OF
contributing TO the endless discussion
on the bill He didn't know whether Mr.. Nc
PhersOn's statement as 10 the relative superb
oIlty OF American labor was true Or not, but
he assumed that it was and drew a COMPARE
son between the enyisbe condition OF the
American aborer as compared with the con-
dition OF the laDOrer In Great Britain. France,
Belgium, Germany, OF SpaiD. The Ameri-
can hborer, he said, had house (ususlly his
own with carpet on the floor, glass win
doWs, piano or some musical instrument,
aud free schools for his children. He could
eatiresh meat every day II be wanted to; he
had butter (Unless Chicago supplied him
with something elsel, and he had wheat
bread; he could go TO church, aud be had
everything which contributed to the COM
fort and welfare Of the human race.
He had vacations and excursions and
everything that the richest men IN America
had. aud was generally much happier and
slept happier than the rich man. lie was as
we'll clothed and his wife and children were
as well clothed as the richest man IN the
United States and his wife and children. II
senstors on the other side would visit Europe
and compare the condition OF the same classes
there they would modify their views as to the
operation Of the tarih.
Mr.. Edmunds's argument was replied to
by Messrs. Mcpherson, Vance, Vest, and
Reagan.
Mr.. Edmunds put the question to Mr.. Vance
where the ruling market on the price Of cot
ton would be n all the customs duties were
abolished: Would il be in New York, Will
mington, Charleston, Savannah, or wsuld IL
be in LiVerpoolg
Mr.. Vance: suppose you forbid ell foreign
trade, where would you get the revenue 10
support the Government.
Mr.. Edmurds: | will answer the Senator's
question, though he does not answer mine.
Mr.. Vance: will attend to your question
later in the day.
Mr. Edmunds. Agood deal later. laugh.
teri Iu the first place such thing does not
exist. I am not proposing any law against
importations; but II we had an absolutely
prohibiiory law against importatlons we
have a continent here, and would have means
of consumption and production just as far
as now. / am not for that at the present
moment, because the laws o. nature are IN
the way, but these laws will bring II on, and
the Continent OF North America, composed
OF the United States Of America. will regu-
laie the price OF everything In TIE world.
Mr.. Vance then replied 10 Mr. EdmundSs
question and said the market 10 tx the price
Of cotton would be dust As now Liverpool
until New York became the great centre Of