New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-28
FIGHTING REVENUE BILLS.
FRIENDS OF THE TOBACCO TAX MEASURE
LOSING HOPE.
FREE TRADERS WASTING THE FEW REMAINING
WORKING DAYS OF THIS CONGRESS.
,sr TELEGRAPH TO TnE rRIBUNE-I

,br TELEGRAPH TO GHE tPIBUNE
Washington. Feb. 27.-Busness dragged In the
House to-day and the friends OF The TOBACCO OH
hecan 70 lose hope as one privilege matter after
,hor ,r,crxcrcd 10 prevent a motto 10 20 into
COMMITTEES of the Whole consider revenue DIS.
After obtaining some fifty or sixty sgna' ms 10 'lelr
petition requesting the speaker 10 re'osn~o H'oo
10 suspend the rules and pass the phl 10 NPod ''o
Internal taxes on tObaccO the friends Oh 'ha measure
a.si,cd from their efforts. They had discovered
,ha, Sneaker Carlisle was quietly eAeT'HE MS l"-
Nuence against them and that many members wiz
,rou,a vote f,r the bill did not care TO incur the FISK
% Nv Carlislcs dlsp!casure by promoting a move
,nent 10 which he was opposed HIS a't'uuH !.
regard 10 the repeal Of the tobacco taxes Is Noi
understood In the last Congress he eAerted All Vi
his official and personal influence TO pleV'i" ""S
o,rort,pttv 10 vote on that question. lie has zone
,na s.ne thing in this Congress. People who arc
,,torliar with the details Of legislation cannot
.,ize mr. apprecate the extent Of the speaker power
!, e the easiest task the world for him 10 delea'
or prevent the consideration of a measure lie may
refuse to recognize any member, ana rom 'l''
refusal there can be no appeal Especially IN The
closing days of a Congress- is the speafffs po"'I
absolute. and it Is not surprising, therefore, NAV
members now hesitate or decline TO do anything when
might imperil the prospect Of bills in the fate OF
which they feel deeper personal interest thah 'noS
do I'm the tobacco bill.
Mr. Carlisle in the Speakers chair. thwerting the
majority which desires to reduce taxation Is as much
a fbuster as any member the floor who resorts TO
dilaory motions and other parliamentary tactics TO ac
complIsh the same object and he is infinitely more
powerful. His proposition yesterday TO the Ken
tnckv tobacco manufacturers and their friends was not
made in Good faith as the sequel has shown but 1t was
none the less insult TO the Republican minority
"Thc tobacco taxes may be reduced, provided ma
iority of the caucus which nominated me for speaker
will humbly petition me in that behalf, and pro-
vided also that twothis of the House shall vote lot
such reduction"
This stripped of unnecessary verbiage was the uitl-
matum of Dictator Carlisle. The. tobacco men took
him at his word and began to circulate their petition
After time they discovered that he was using has IN
euence TO defeat them and in despair they abandoned
their efforts. The Dictator does not intend that The
taxes shall be reduced, If twothiIds of the House,
Including majority of the Representatives from thirty
OF the thirtye.ght in favor OF It, The pros
pcct Of any action by this Congress seems hopeless
Mr. Randall legislator skilled In all parliamentary
devices as well as a man of ndomitable VIII and de-
termination but the reerade leaders playing tho
game with loaded dice and his defeat seems inevitable
As soon as the Indian bill had been disposed of to-
day Mr. Clements, of Georgia, was ready with the
conference report the District OF Columbia AppO-
priaton bill which matter OF the highest PRIV
ilege OF course Ex- Premier" NILS and other free
trade Democrats seized the opportunity 10 deliver
speeches subjects which never before had excited
their attention or inspired their eloqueuce and the
consequence debate which ran until the House
adjourned. Tomorrow morning Chairman Herbert
will press the conference report the Naval h!l and
after that is disposed of Chairman Hatch Will stand
ready TO offer the conference report on the Asrcul-
tural Appropriation b and he In turn, VIII be fol-
lowed by Chairman Townshend with demand for
action upon the conference report on the Army bill.
The differences between the House and Senate In Ie-
,lwtsf civil -
then be adjusted. and a disagreement on the Post
Office Appropriation bill which Is also Inevitable VIII
be likely provoke considerable debate.
The Indian bill and the General Deficiency bill
will have 70 be sent 10 conference committees after
passing the Senate. President Cleveland may also
De depended upon to supply the House with num-
Der of messages several of which are already on
the Speakers table. Only three working days OF
this Congress remain and II +. therefore. apparent
that the free-trade faction in the House can easily
defeat revenue legislation without resort 10 the
desperate acts of fbustering which they threaten TO
employ II necessary, TO prevent reduction OF taxa