National Republican., 1888-03-02
BECK BOXES THE COMPASS y
HE DENoUNCEs ALL TARIFFS, YET Is
NOT A FREE TRADER.
A Very Interesting Session in the Sem
nte in which MIR. Plumb Says Several
Things Worth Remembering The
American Hog in the House.


American Hog in the House.
The credentials OF Mr.. Wilson, OF Iowa,
for the senatorial term beginning the 4th
Of March, 1889, were presented in the SEN
ate yesterday by the presiding officer and
placed on file.
On motion Of Mr.. Sherman, the House
bill to amend the act to restrict ownership
OF real estate In the territories to Ameri-
can citizens (belng similar to, the Senate
bill passed by the Senate last week, reserv-
ing legation property In the District OF Co
lumbia from the operation Of the law was
paesed.
Among the bills introduced and referred
was one by Mr.. Palmer to revive the grade
OF general Of the army.
Mr.. Mcpherson offered resolution
(which was adopted) directing the Secre-
tary OF War to furnish information as to
the cause OF delay in the construction OF
the bridge across the eastern branch OF the
Mr.. Hawley offered q resolution (which
was adopteD directing the Secretary OF
the Navy to transmit TO the Senate the sew
eral reports Of Capt. Bunce and OF the
board Of which Capt. Ramsay was president
concerning the United States steamship AT.
lanta.
The resolution reported on Wednesday
by Mr. Sherman, from the committee on
foreign relations, requesting the President
to negotiate treaty with the emperor of
China, containing a provision that no
Chinese laborer shall enter the United
States. was taken up for consideration.
Mr.. Morgan said he favored the resolu-
tlon, although he saw no great necessity
for It.
Mr.. Sherman advocated its adoption.
Mr.. Mcpherson thought that unless there
was some concerted action between the
United States and British governments any
further treaty with China would be useless.
Ate. remarks by Messrs. Mitchell, Call,
and Hoar the resolutions were adopted.
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution (which was
adopted) directing the Secretary Of the
Treasury to communicate to the Senate
communications OF special agents and other
treasury officials in respect to frauds and
evasioDs OF duty In the imports Of sugar In
the port OF New York within the past two
years, and as to any maladministration In
the New York custom house in relation
thereto.
The credentials OF Senator Walthall for
the term commencing the 4th OF March,
1859, were presented by Mr.. George, and
placed on 1le.
Mr.. Call addressed the Senate at some
length on the resolution offered by him on
Wednesday affecting patents to public
lands, and was replied to by Mr.. Plumb.
- The pension bill was then taken up, the
pending question being on the amendment
offered yesterday by Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa.
to add the words "From the infirmities of
age"
Mr.. Beck opposed the bill and prophesied
national bankruptcy II 1t passed. He at.
tackled trusts and corporations and said
they were the outcome Of the present tariff
system.
Mr.. Sherman controverted the idea that
trusts grew out Of the tariff, and he re-
minded Mr.. Beck that foreign manufactur-
ers sent their goods to their agents In the
United States under a trust.
Mr.. Beck then proceeded to attack Mr.
Sherman for the decentralization OF silver,
which was accomplished, he said, by that
senator, and Mr.. Sherman was defended by
Mr.. Hawley.
Mr.. Plumb addressed the Senate. He
spoke Of the speech Of the senator from
Kentucky as "boxing the compass" de-
nouncing all tariffs, and ending up by say
Ing that he was not q free trader. He (Mr.
Plumb) knew that the senator from Ken
lucky was not free trader, except for rev.
enue. Neither was any other senator on
the Democratic side whenever he had any
thing to make by being pretectionlst.
There had been q good deal of ''rending
air" on that subject for ''these many
years." He recalled the circumstance that
on one occasion when the senator from
New Jersey Mr.. McPherson) was indulg-
ing in the usual defamation against pro-
tectionists, he asked him whether there
was simple article manufactured In New
Jersey on which he wished the tariff re.
duced, and the senator had incontiuently
sat down. lLaughterl The senator from
New Jersey was not alone. Every senator
On the Democratic side e. ok precious good
care OF every industry In his own state
Increasing the tariff on 1t every time he had
a chance.
In this connection Mr.. Plumb instanced
the tariff on zinc "a Missouri product),
which had had the support Of Mr.. Vest In
1883; on hemp Ia Kentucky product), which
had had the support Of Mr.. Beck (who was
mot free trader at all except from the
l!psh); on rice, as to which the senators
rom, from South Carolina and North Carolina "a
would not favor the reduction OF the tariff
Zoo per cent. }; on glass, pottery, sugar,
&c. Democratic senators, he said had
regularly appropriated every single thing
which they could get sight Of, or which
they were in any way related to by means
OF the tariff. AS to trusts, he reminded
Mr.. Beck that the first Of them (the whisky
moNrs for the Standard OIL Trust, set up
in the neighboring state Of Ohio.
The senators on the other side, he said,
ill.concesled their feeling of regret that 1t
was the soldiers Of the Union army and not
Of the confederate army that were to be
pensioned under the pending measure.
Mr.. Mcpherson replied to the remarks Of
Mr.. Plumb. so far as they related to him
self, and declared his readiness to vote for
any increase of pensions that might be
needed for any worthy and disabled sol
diers.
But the pending bill was SO extravagant
In Its provisions that Republican sena-
tors knew in their inmost hearts that 1t
never could become q law. What, then,
was lefta Nothing but the credit Of hay
ing attempted to do the impossible. II the
soldiers did not see through that thin
veneer they were arrant fools, and that (he
was sure) they were not.
Without vote on the pending amend
ment the Senate, at $50, adjourned till
Monday.
THE HnITGR